“He’s a once-in-a-generation talent [that] we have the privilege to witness”, said Mark Martin, sharing his thoughts about Kyle Larson in an interview. While his talent is indisputable, the motorsports community has somewhat of a love-hate relationship with the Hendrick Motorsports driver. Even though many admire his versatility and insatiable drive to succeed on the racetrack, the 32-year-old has also been at the receiving end of criticism, as many have pointed out his tendency to crash in recent years.

However, when all is said and done and the dust has finally settled, the majority of the fanbase tends to be unanimous in their opinion. Kyle Larson remains the fans’ choice as the ‘best’ driver in the NASCAR world as far as performance is concerned.

Is Kyle Larson the best driver in the world?

Kyle Larson doesn’t lack confidence, does he? After winning the Knoxville Nationals, the California native, who is known for his mild mannerisms made a bold claim in front of the media, which went on to create headlines. Comparison himself to four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, the NASCAR driver went on to say, “I know in my mind I am better than him as an all-around driver.” Unsurprisingly, the audacious declaration sparked plenty of debates on social media, with motorsports enthusiasts around the world siding with one driver or the other.

Kyle Larson’s versatility, talent, and outright pace is unquestionable. The racer can seamlessly adapt to different motorsports disciplines, excelling not just in stock cars but in open-wheel vehicles and dirt tracks as well. It’s a skill that was largely present in a bygone era, where Formula 1 drivers used to also compete in IndyCar and the LeMans to establish their dominance, a trait that hardcore motorsports fans continue to value even today. However, racing in the 21st century is highly specialized, making ‘all-around’ drivers such as Kyle Larson a dying breed.

In many ways, Kyle Larson is also a victim of his reputation. His racing prowess and on-track dominance have elevated his status in the NASCAR world, with many fans placing him on a pedestal. However, this has also led to the Hendrick Motorsports driver facing a tremendous amount of criticism, as fans don’t hold back from criticizing him for mistakes and crashes made on the track. The biggest example of this was at the High Limit Racing event held at Perth Motorplex, where the racer faced the wrath of the motorsports community after crashing into the concrete wall.

Despite triggering fans, the majority of the NASCAR community still believes that Kyle Larson is the ‘best’ driver in the Cup Series in terms of performance, and the California native backed the narrative by securing six wins in his 2024 campaign, the highest in the sport’s premier series. He also attempted to compete in the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 last year, but his plan was thwarted because of weather conditions. However, the attempt highlights Larson’s confidence in his abilities, and the driver will try to compete in the ‘double’ this year as well.

NASCAR fans back Larson despite their love-hate relationship

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As expected, the NASCAR fanbase rallied together to express their support towards Young Money, when an online debate on Reddit centered around the ‘best’ active driver in the sport. Despite his soft personality, the 32-year-old has a ‘bittersweet’ relationship with the racing community, who haven’t hesitated in using words like “embarrassing” to describe his performances in the past. Despite his limitations, fans also back the racer when they can, with one Reddit user writing, “Kyle Larson, no question. The fact that he and his team make so many mistakes yet overcome to win so often is a true testament to how good they are.”

In the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals, Larson made two mistakes, one of which might have cost him his title. He jumped over a car and caught the outer wall too. However, Yung Money still went on to win the competition.

The sentiment was echoed by others as well, as another fan gave a dispassionate answer to the ‘best’ driver question, going on to say that “Kyle Larson is objectively the most talented driver.” Yung Money began his career in outlaw karts in Northern California and quickly made a name for himself on dirt tracks before transitioning to NASCAR. Acknowledging his versatility, a motorsports enthusiast couldn’t help but write, “Probably Kyle Larson, on account of being the only driver in the world who could be considered “the best” in two entirely different types of racing simultaneously.”

Fans of other drivers and teams couldn’t help but agree with the majority view. Despite their allegiances lying elsewhere, a motorsports enthusiast grudgingly accepted Larson’s superiority by writing, “Unfortunately Kyle Larson.” Giving credit where it’s due, another fan went as far as to say that the 32-year-old was the most dominant driver globally across every motorsports discipline, writing, “Kyle Larson is the best driver in the world.” While the relationship between the Hendrick Motorsports driver and the racing community has been far from smooth, the 2021 Cup Series champion can take solace in the fact that the fanbase remains firmly behind him when the time comes to express their support.