Kyle Larson once again proved his prowess on dirt tracks by securing his third Chili Bowl Nationals championship. The NASCAR star showcased his skill and determination at the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a flag-to-flag victory in this year’s main event. With this victory, Larson joined his NASCAR competitor, Christopher Bell, as a three-time Chili Bowl champion.

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series winner has been phenomenal throughout the week. He won Monday Night’s qualifying before dominating the Pole Shuffle. However, the journey to the podium wasn’t without its challenges. In a race full of drama, Larson narrowly avoided disaster multiple times. A few days after the historic win, Larson has admitted that late race drama proved lucky for him.

Kyle Larson speaks about Chili Bowl struggles

After starting from pole position, Kyle Larson led all 40 laps of the feature race to win the Golden Driller. However, after the victory, he admitted that fortune played a significant role in his success. In the latest episode of NASCAR Live, Larson revealed the moments during the race when luck intervened to save his night.

“I got kind of tied off at turn 4 and climbed up on the wall. I thought I was going to flip, and thankfully I didn’t, but it tore the banner down the front stretch that they have very lightly attached to the wall. So, they had to throw a caution, and that kind of saved my race a little bit right there. Got lucky a few times, really,” Larson tells NASCAR Live.

The incident he described occurred late in the race when Larson’s car brushed the edge of the track, causing it to climb the outside wall. As the car teetered on the brink of disaster, a banner dislodged and fell onto the track, prompting a caution flag. The timing of the caution gave Larson a much-needed rest and allowed him to maintain his lead. However, many believed that Larson’s causing a caution should mean he received a penalty, which he didn’t.

It’s worth noting that this wasn’t the only moment where Kyle Larson narrowly escaped trouble. Earlier, while navigating slower traffic, he found himself directly behind two cars that made contact. With nowhere to go, Larson drove over the wheels of one car. Miraculously, his car re-fired after stalling mid-air, enabling him to continue the race unscathed.

Earlier, in the Pole Shuffle also Larson got lucky with his key challengers who failed to complete the race. Speaking about it, he said, “I mean, even before then, you know, Daison Pursley runs out of fuel in the pole shuffle thing. You know, he would have beat me in qualifying, I’m sure, so that I would have started, you know, outside the front row and would have been a battle from there. But yeah, it worked out.”

However, as they say, ‘luck favors the brave’, and Larson prevailed. Notably, the 2025 season kicked off with a bang for Larson. He started with a historic win in Australia where he clinched the biggest dirt racing prize ($100,000) in the country at Perth Motorplex. Days after the win, Larson entered Tulsa Shootout 2025. He drove amazingly and dominated the track to win two Golden Drillers in the same night.

Notably, Larson’s latest triumph adds to his growing legacy in dirt racing. His first Chili Bowl win in 2020 ended a 12-year drought for the driver at the prestigious event. He followed that victory with another in 2021, cementing his status as one of the most versatile drivers in motorsport. However, after these victories, Larson will be keen to continue his 2024 NASCAR performance, where he won six races. However, his racing desires outside of NASCAR could be in jeopardy in 2025.

NASCAR rule change hinders Larson’s redemption bid

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Apart from the NASCAR season, Kyle Larson is also looking for another ‘Double’ attempt. In 2024, Larson piloted the No. 17 Hendrick.com Arrow McLaren Chevy in the Indy 500. He was running in sixth place, keeping pace with the leaders, before a costly pit-road speeding penalty dropped him to an 18th-place finish.

Bad weather in Indianapolis further complicated his plans, forcing him to choose between starting the Indy 500 or the Coca-Cola 600. Larson ultimately skipped the NASCAR event, a decision that resulted in chaos and drama for his team. NASCAR had to grant Larson a waiver to maintain his playoff eligibility since he missed one of the mandatory 36 races.

While the waiver was eventually approved, the situation highlighted the risks of attempting the Double. Despite the setback, Larson had expressed his desire to make another attempt in 2025. “I think everybody knows that I would love to do it because, in my mind, I did not get to do it this year,” he said to NASCAR.com in 2024. However, ahead of the season, NASCAR has since tightened its rules, allowing waivers only for medical emergencies and personal/family reasons. Drivers can still participate in other series, but they will forfeit all bonus playoff points for missing a Cup race.

For Larson, redemption at the Indy 500 and a strong showing in the Coca-Cola 600 could solidify his reputation as one of the most versatile drivers in the history of motorsport. Tony Stewart in 2001 is the only driver to complete all 1100 miles of both races, and Larson looks to add his name to that list. However, the recent rule change poses a serious threat that might force both Larson and Hendrick Motorsports to rethink their strategy.