Amid a highly anticipated year, Kyle Larson’s NASCAR performance slump in 2025 has become a pressing concern following his failed bid at “The Double” and disappointing finishes in recent races. As Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighs in on Larson’s downturn, the Hendrick Motorsports star and his team confront intensified challenges heading into the season’s final stretch, prompting questions about their momentum, motivation, and capability to bounce back.
Larson’s Early Season Charge Falters After Indy and Charlotte Setback
Kyle Larson began the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at an elite pace, racking up three wins in twelve races and asserting dominance at major tracks like Bristol and Kansas. He not only captured victories but also commanded track position, leading more than 400 laps at Bristol and over 200 at Kansas. By mid-May, Larson stood at the top tier of Cup Series rankings, sitting on eight top-five finishes and nine top-tens, with an impressive average finish of just under 10th.
This electrifying start gave way to trouble after Larson pursued “The Double”—competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 over the same weekend. In the Indy 500, he spun out in lap 91 after a restart miscue, finishing a disheartening 27th. Scrambling back for the Charlotte leg, he started strong but endured misfortune: after leading 32 laps early, Larson struck the wall before suffering a race-ending crash on lap 246, securing 37th at Charlotte. The ordeal took its toll, with Larson conceding,
“I got no interest in chasing The Double again.”
—Kyle Larson, NASCAR Driver
These back-to-back crashes left a visible mark on Larson’s form and team morale, sending his season into a surprising tailspin with few top-five results and a notable slump in overall performance.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Petty React to Larson’s Ongoing Struggles
The subsequent weeks saw Larson’s momentum stall, with his average finish sinking as he recorded several mid-pack results, including a 37th-place finish at COTA. As fans speculated about the root of the slump, former champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke candidly on the DJD podcast, highlighting both Larson’s talent and the gravity of his recent downturn.
“Larson’s in the conversation even today still, as one of the, you know, most talented race car drivers in the world, right? Yeah. And he hasn’t had a reasonable result or a Larson-style performance since Indy. And maybe coincidental, right? But he’s had a couple top fives or, you know, had a reasonable couple reasonable runs but he’s just—you know—we’re used to seeing Larson, you know, every third race at least running in the top two, top three, battling for the win.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., Former NASCAR Driver & Broadcaster
While optimism remains among some, former driver Kyle Petty expressed confidence in Larson’s resilience, noting,
“It’ll come back around… Racing is a cyclical sport, man.”
—Kyle Petty, Racing Analyst
Dale Earnhardt Jr. further analyzed the impact of schedule quirks and bad racing luck, adding,
“I mean I just feel—I just wonder if, um, is it simply the quirkiness of the schedule at this point in the summer? Because that is absolutely a thing. We get into some road courses and some weird tracks—Pocono—and you can’t like find a rhythm, and you just can’t—you know, if they’re like, you know, and you get caught up in a wreck that’s not your fault on one of the races.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., Former NASCAR Driver & Broadcaster
The weeks after Indy and Charlotte saw Larson securing only a handful of encouraging results, such as a seventh-place finish at Pocono after climbing up from 24th. Still, the laps led dried up, his top-two and top-three showings became rare, and frustrations mounted both within the team and among his supporters.
Inside Larson’s Missed Opportunities and Grueling Schedule
Kyle Larson’s failed double attempt hearkened back to the challenge last accomplished by Robby Gordon in 1997, with Larson becoming the first since then not to finish either event on the same day. The impact of scheduling, demanding logistics, and back-to-back misfortune drew harsh light on NASCAR’s most grueling race weekend. Larson later reflected,
“The window of time is just too tight… I feel like I wasn’t 100%.”
—Kyle Larson, NASCAR Driver
This acknowledgment of exhaustion, combined with bruised morale from both major crashes, seemed to trigger the start of his summer slump. While individual race incidents at tracks like Charlotte and COTA contributed to subpar results, the emotional and physical impact of Indianapolis continued to cast a long shadow.
In addition to personal setbacks, the points battle among Hendrick Motorsports teammates intensified. Larson’s rivals, William Byron and Chase Elliott, have each posted top runs—Byron with a Daytona 500 triumph and consistent points hauls, and Elliott with an average finish above his peers. Despite starting the season as the “elite” in the garage, Larson found himself chasing the title from behind, confronting a pressing need to regain his winning rhythm.
Earnhardt Jr. Pinpoints Loss of Momentum as Key Issue
As pundits and insiders sifted through explanations, Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued to voice concern about deeper problems beyond mere race-by-race luck. He observed,
“I think that… it sort of derailed their momentum… It’s created a bit of a stretch when they just haven’t looked like themselves.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., Former NASCAR Driver & Broadcaster
Statistically, Larson’s numbers remained respectable but deceiving. At this stage in the season, with 20 races complete, Larson sat third in points with 624, having three wins, nine top fives, and 12 top tens, but also two DNFs and an average finish now near 14th. While a high number of laps led (854) and pole wins still demonstrate raw speed, diminished race results have undermined his championship challenge.
These issues have not gone unnoticed by Larson himself. Before Sonoma, he spoke to the competitive pressure within the Hendrick Motorsports camp, stating,
“Yeah, it’s really tight. Hopefully, we can kind of get back on a run of being consistent and getting stage points. I feel like we’ve still kind of been consistent; we just haven’t finished as high as we have early in the year,”
—Kyle Larson, NASCAR Driver
While stage points and qualifying form have supported Larson’s defense, missed opportunities in recent events have allowed both Byron and Elliott to surpass him in the standings, further increasing internal motivation but compounding the pressure to deliver immediate results.
Rival HMS Drivers Lead the Chase as Playoffs Approach
The stage is now set for a tight intramural fight at Hendrick Motorsports. William Byron’s tally of 632 points, buoyed by a major Daytona 500 victory and an additional seven top fives, leaves him atop the standings. Chase Elliott is close behind, credited for assembling the most consistent stretch among all HMS drivers and a top-20 finish in every race this year.
Alex Bowman, though outside the immediate title hunt in 10th place, has recently surged with three top-tens in four races, including a runner-up at Homestead, injecting further complexity to the internal battle. Amid this, Larson is forced to recalibrate, now third among his teammates and in need of a significant turnaround as the regular season winds down.
The coming weeks at tracks like Watkins Glen and Darlington—where rhythm and technical skill can reverse fortunes—will be pivotal not only for Larson but for the entire HMS title campaign. The focus for Larson is clear: return to the consistency and top-end speed that marked his early campaign, with renewed effort toward stage points and finishing races up front.
Team and Fan Questions Loom as NASCAR’s Greatest Talent Faces Crossroads
Larson and the No. 5 team must grapple with whether their early-season form can be resurrected or if lingering effects from Indy and Charlotte have signaled a more lasting downturn. The discussion among insiders, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Petty, highlights both the cyclical nature of racing and the psychological complexity of regaining momentum after a slump.
With the playoff run looming, the spotlight intensifies not only on Larson’s results but on his approach to physical preparedness, team dynamics, and race-week strategy. The presence of formidable teammates and a fanbase accustomed to regular victories adds further intensity to the situation.
Larson’s willingness to face the media and acknowledge the steep climb ahead is clear, yet the road to reclaiming his crown in the NASCAR Cup Series requires more than statistics—it demands the return of his distinctive, top-tier performances under high-pressure circumstances.
Whether Kyle Larson can break out of his 2025 performance funk, regain his championship trajectory, and reassert his leadership within Hendrick Motorsports remains a key storyline for NASCAR fans, insiders, and rivals alike as the intensity builds toward the playoffs and the season’s critical final races.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Kyle Larson better than Verstappen?
A. Larson may not surpass Verstappen in F1, but he is the most versatile driver globally. Bianchi explains that Larson is chosen because he excels in many kinds of cars. He achieves victories across a wide range of racing formats.
