Kyle Larson, the prominent Hendrick Motorsports driver, was involved in a chaotic and devastating multi-car wreck during the High Limit Racing Series at Lakeside Speedway on Friday night, May 9. The crash occurred just days before the highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway, fueling intense concern and speculation from fans and industry insiders alike about Larson’s readiness for the weekend’s race.
As the A-Main feature reached Lap 10, Kerry Madsen maintained a slim lead, but chaos erupted when Rico Abreu—hungry for an advantage—made a dramatic move for the front. Contact between Abreu and Madsen set off a rapid and disastrous chain reaction. Madsen spun into the oncoming path of Brad Sweet, Kyle Larson’s brother-in-law and fellow series owner. Sweet’s car flipped violently twice after the collision, and the disaster continued as Madsen came to rest upside down, directly in the racing line.
Kyle Larson, already drifting sideways in his #57 Sprint car, had no chance to avoid the carnage up ahead. Still reeling from the shock, Larson struck the overturned Madsen, causing significant damage that ended the race for all three star drivers—Larson, Sweet, and Madsen—igniting unease both at the track and across social media. All three were forced to retire immediately, their chances destroyed under the stadium lights.
Rico Abreu would go on to claim victory, seizing a $20,000 prize. Nevertheless, the win was overshadowed by the chaos that unfolded, as fans vented their frustrations online. One X user bluntly observed that the pileup looked more like a typical NASCAR crash than a usually-controlled dirt race. Another simply summed up the atmosphere with, “Wow, that’s just wild,” echoing widespread disbelief and anxiety about the consequences for such a high-profile star as Kyle Larson with the Kansas race looming.
Larson’s history at Kansas only amplifies the tension. He made headlines last year by narrowly defeating Chris Buescher in a stunning 0.001-second margin—NASCAR’s closest finish ever—at the spring Kansas event. Reflecting on that achievement, Larson expressed excitement, regardless of results:
he said, as reported by SpeedwayDigest.com.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Cup Series race, Larson admits that while the Toyota teams still have an edge at Kansas Speedway, his own team has made valuable progress, leading many laps at the 1.5-mile oval. He remains determined, but there’s an edge of worry given the severity of the recent accident and the emotional strain it carries.
The crash has shaken the racing community and raised doubts about what the High Limit wreck might mean for Kyle Larson’s performance in the AdventHealth 400. As Christopher Bell secures pole position—having done so for three consecutive trips to Kansas—and with six different winners over the past six races, the entire NASCAR world waits anxiously. The coming race will reveal if Larson can shake off the week’s turmoil and once again make history, or if the dramatic crash at Lakeside will cast a shadow over his Kansas Speedway ambitions.
