“To me, the Outlaws are the toughest series to race with.” These words came from Kyle Larson, who is arguably the finest NASCAR racer at present. The speedster clinched 6 Cup Series race wins in 2024, and came dangerously close to the Championship 4 round. Larson is also a seasoned sprint car racer as he won the 2020 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series – Knoxville. However, both his racing interests have been in a friendly conflict recently.

There are two types of cars in World of Outlaws – sprint cars, which are winged cars with 410 cubic inch engines, and late models which are full-bodied race cars. NASCAR vehicles are very different – heavy-stock cars with V8 combustion engines. However, these two popular racing series locked horns over something else.

NASCAR gets a sneaky jab from rival series

Well, crossovers between the two racing disciplines happen frequently. Kyle Larson’s High Limit Racing series, which debuted in 2023, had a bountiful season in 2024. Two of FloRacing’s Top 10 most-watched events of the year were HLR events. Recently, Larson announced that he might be partnering up with the World of Outlaws, to boost the presence of HLR. Elite NASCAR Cup Series drivers like Larson, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, and Kasey Kahne have been frequent visitors to WoO. NASCAR champion Tony Stewart won a World of Outlaws crown with Danny Lasoski in 2001. Yet the two series’ social media handles engaged in some friendly banter recently.

The reason was simple – who can showcase the more daredevil move on a ride with the wall? NASCAR recently posted a video on X flaunting its drivers’ talents. The caption read, “If you think you can run the wall closer than our guys… No you can’t.” But The World of Outlaws Late Models’ X account essentially said, ‘hold my drink.’ It responded to NASCAR’s post with a fitting response. Two Late Model cars were making a turn on a brick-red dirt track, with their rear bumpers rubbing against the wall. The noise of the engines was loud and screeching. The account posted a two-word caption, a subtle jab at its stock car racing rival. “That’s cute.”

This online animosity was fun to watch for fans, one of whom said, “No need to fight, I enjoy you both equally.” High Limit Racing’s executives also espouse this pacifist approach. After Larson dropped the news that his sprint car racing series may merge with the World of Outlaws, it meant a greater viewership opportunity for FloSports. So co-founder & CEO Mark Floreani emphasized camaraderie to be crucial. The goal of High Limit “is to grow our sport and obviously there’s competition and World of Outlaws is a great property. We love the World of Outlaws. We’re not trying to push out the World of Outlaws.”

The funny altercation between the two series’ X accounts aside, there is a mutual benevolence among racers from both series.

Acknowledging the other’s strength

Trending

NASCAR Rumor: After Bitter Breakup, Joe Gibbs Could Redeem Kyle Busch’s Lost Legacy, Insinuate Fans

NASCAR Lawsuit: Both Parties Reach an Agreement as One Loses the First Bout

Dale Jr.’s Wife Amy Ready to Give Her ‘Nothing’ as Exhausting Christmas Forces 3-Word Declaration

“Gotta Do Better”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Drops a Sad Christmas Realization With Heartfelt Wish

Rick Hendrick’s Company Drops a Surprise Christmas Gift for Chase Elliott & Co

When two successful entities work together, they often thrive. NASCAR racers’ ties with different facets of racing symbolize this belief. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell are avid dirt racers and both have multiple Chili Bowl Nationals to their name. So in 2019, when the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West were paired together for the first time at The Dirt Track in Las Vegas, they turned up to watch. Larson owns a team in the WoO called Kyle Larson Racing. “I just love sprint car racing in general,” Larson said. “To me the Outlaws are the toughest series to race with; that’s why I really like competing with them. I hit a lot of different races, but I always have the most fun racing the Outlaw stuff.”

Kraig Kinser, the 2005 Knoxville Nationals champion and son of 20-time series champion Steve Kinser, was optimistic. “I don’t mind it at all. The exposure they (NASCAR drivers) bring is always a plus. Anything that can highlight our sprint car racing is always a positive.” Carson Macedo, who drove for Kyle Larson Racing, was also appreciative. “I love it. I always said if you want to be the best, you got to race with the best. And those guys are proven to be some of the best in the world. That’s what’s unique about racing in the World of Outlaws, you never know who is going to show up to give you a run for your money every night.”

Evidently, NASCAR and the World of Outlaws are closer than they think. Yet a friendly exchange of barbs on social media is usually entertaining.