Terry Labonte had every reason to believe Sunday was going to be special. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion sat back earlier in the week, smiling as the No. 5 car rolled into Darlington Raceway, draped in a familiar red-and-white Kellogg’s throwback. It was the same paint scheme Labonte drove to his final victory in the 2003 Southern 500. Now, in 2025, it was Kyle Larson behind the wheel of the throwback livery.

Labonte did not doubt in his mind that Larson was the right guy to honor that legacy. “The most exciting part is having Kyle Larson drive it. I knew going in that we had a shot to win. He just does a fantastic job everywhere he goes,” Labonte said. Larson had one win and five top-10 finishes this season, so Labonte had good reason to believe in him. Fans shared that energy and were fired up. Everything lined up for a storybook Sunday.

But just four laps into the Goodyear 400, that story crumbled fast. The green flag had barely settled before things went sideways for Kyle Larson. On Lap 4, Larson lost control of his car in Turn 2. His No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, dressed in Labonte’s memorable livery, snapped loose and slid down the backstretch. Larson tried to save it, but the car slammed hard into the inside retaining wall.

Just like that, the first caution flew. A race favorite was out of contention in under two minutes. Larson, visibly frustrated, radioed to his team, “I’m so sorry.” The impact hit so hard that he couldn’t drive the car back to pit road, so the crew had to tow it to the garage. The damage was severe. The crash crumpled the front end and wrecked the steering. Crew members hustled to the DVP area, but hopes of a quick fix faded fast. It was shocking for fans who had just voted his car the best throwback of the weekend.

Within minutes, social media was swamped with reactions. One fan summed up the mood perfectly: “Wrecked the prettiest car! What a shame.” And they weren’t wrong. The scheme was a fan-favorite, a visual treat, and a respectful nod to a legend. Just hours earlier, Larson had taken home fan honors for the best paint scheme in the Cup Series. It was his second straight win in that category. But now, that beautiful ride was crumpled in the garage. That’s what stung most for many.

This wasn’t just a mechanical failure or getting caught in someone else’s mess. Larson made a mistake. He drifted below the hashmarks onto the apron. It was driver error. For a guy many saw as a favorite, it felt like he’d thrown away a golden opportunity. Unfortunately for Larson, this wasn’t his first Darlington disaster. In May 2024, after winning stage 1, he was running well in 6th place until a crash on Lap 252 took him out of contention.

That time, it was a popped tire after brushing the wall. He eventually finished 34th. But his poor fortune in Darlington dates to May 2023. During the 2023 Goodyear 400, a late-race battle with Ross Chastain saw the two scrape along the outside wall. Chastain was done. However, Larson limped to a 20th-place finish behind. But Larson also has some good memories in Darlington. In 2023, at the Southern 500, he dominated the garage to win the race from 18th place.

However, it will be fair to say that Darlington hasn’t been too kind to Larson. The 2021 Cup series champion has four 20-or-below finishes in the last six races at this track. Still, even with the heartbreak, fans couldn’t help but feel bad for Larson. He had the speed, the car, and the look. Just not the start that he wanted. However, once he rejoined the track, the crowd roared back to life at Darlington.

Fans lit up the internet as Kyle Larson’s Darlington curse continues!

NASCAR Twitter lit up the moment Larson’s car hit the wall. Fans reacted with frustration, sarcasm, and a touch of heartbreak. This was not Larson’s first incident at this track, and fans pointed out how he often crashed during Throwback weekend. However, some fans had sympathy for him as one user said, “Even one of the best have trouble with this track.”

It’s hard to argue. Darlington demands precision. The track is narrow. The corners are different. And tire wear is brutal. But Larson wasn’t battling for position or squeezing through traffic. He was alone in 19th when he spun. That’s what made it so frustrating. Another fan said, “Unfortunate, he was going to be a strong contender today. Lady in Black strikes again.” That felt true.

Larson’s history and form suggested he would be a threat. But Lady in Black doesn’t care about form. One bad exit off Turn 2, and your race is over. Larson has been bitten here multiple times and Sunday’s crash was just the latest chapter in that saga. Meanwhile, some fans also took a dig at Larson. “Better than Max Verstappen btw,” one tweeted. Notably, it was a direct dig at Larson, who, in 2024, claimed to be a better driver than four-time Formula 1 champion. His Sunday spin left fans wondering if he truly meant it or not.

However, some fans pointed out the double standards of the NASCAR world. “If this was anyone else, the typical NASCAR fan would chime in to suggest that driver is washed…” It’s a fair point. Larson is praised for his talent — and rightly so — but mistakes like Sunday’s raise the same questions any other driver would face. The good thing is that he already has a win to his name to start the 2025 campaign, and therefore, mistakes like these won’t make a dent in his playoff hopes.

The biggest letdown wasn’t just the crash. It was everything it ruined. The fan-voted throwback. Labonte’s excitement. The early-season momentum. The expectations. All gone before anyone even settled in for the first pit cycle. However, Larson, known for his grit and perseverance, returned to the track and gave fans some much-deserved on-track battles.