Over the past few weeks, Kyle Larson has been nothing short of relentless, blazing through diverse circuits and disciplines like a man on a mission. He tackled the high-speed challenges at Texas Motor Speedway during the Würth 400, completing the race inside the top five. Soon after, he nabbed the Joker’s Jackpot at Eldora Speedway in High Limit Racing, pocketing a hefty $100,000 payday in a late-June showdown at the dirt classic, a fitting reward for the dirt-track Godfather turned NASCAR star. He then made trips to Fremont’s tight bullrings and Attica’s clay grit, testing his throttle control. Through it all, Larson has demonstrated that his talent transcends surfaces, tracks, and series, with each win solidifying his legend.

But this return to Eldora wasn’t just about chasing another sprint-car payday, but about unfiltered competition. In the World of Outlaws “Knight Before” feature, Larson and David Gravel traded aggressive slide jobs lap after lap, battling ferociously for third place around the famed half-mile clay oval. On the final lap, Larson made a bold inside move in turns three and four to edge Gravel, then spun backward on the cooldown lap after contact, sparking an in-track confrontation. Despite the feud, Larson remained steady: “It was good hard racing,” he remarked, framing the collision as competitive intensity. Looking ahead, Larson is revving up for another major weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and it looks like he has put things behind him already.

From dirt tracks to Brickyard brilliance

Kyle Larson sat down with NASCAR Live‘s reporter Kurt Becker to talk about his high-energy week. “Yeah, it was a great week of dirt racing for me,” said Larson. “Just a lot of racing. Raced Sonoma, then Monday at Fremont, Tuesday at Attica, and then Wednesday through Saturday at Eldora, then capped it off with a good run at Dover on Sunday.” This sentiment belied the sheer intensity of his schedule, which saw him transition seamlessly between asphalt and dirt, high-horsepower stock cars and agile sprint cars.

But the pinnacle of this taxing week came at Eldora Speedway, the hallowed first oval in Ohio, where Larson achieved a significant win at the Joker’s Jackpot event. Eldora, owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, is a highly respected venue in dirt racing, and winning there carries immense prestige. Larson, co-owner of the High Limit Racing sprint car series that sanctioned the event, delivered a commanding performance under the lights. He highlighted the magnitude of the wins, proudly cheering, “But yeah, it was good to win $100,000 on Thursday night at Eldora, live on FS1 with High Limit Racing.”

Beyond the immediate thrill of victory, the Eldora win carried a significant personal and financial implication for Larson. The sick-figure payday represented a substantial reward for his efforts and investment in dirt track racing. Larson admitted, “And yeah, it was cool. It’s been, I guess, since Knoxville Nationals, since we’ve won a really big race, and good to have a six-figure payday.” His dedication to dirt racing, a discipline where he is already a two-time Chili Bowl Midget Nationals champion and a Knoxville Nationals winner, speaks volumes about his commitment to his craft.

Even after Eldora’s drama, Larson didn’t slow down. He seamlessly transitioned back to asphalt at Dover Motor Speedway, delivering a top-five run in the Würth 400, reinforcing his reputation on the unforgiving concrete of the Monster Mile. As Indiana Sprint Week ramps up, Larson is gearing up for a weekend that spans sprint cars on dirt and Cup cars on pavement. Starting Thursday, he will dig into USAC sprint events at IMS ahead of Sunday’s Brickyard 400 green flag.

But the question now isn’t whether Larson can handle dirt or pavement, it is how he can channel every ounce of dirt-track aggression and Cup-level precision into the next race. As smoke clears at Eldora and engine fires warm at IMS, all eyes will be on how Larson pivots from sprint-car grit to Cup-car finesse. If his recent track battles and paydays are any indication, he is laser-focused, ready to turn midweek dust into oval speed. After a victorious Eldora ride and an intense rivalry with Gravel, there is no doubt, Yung Money is prime, and both dirt and asphalt better watch out.

Kyle Larson eyes playoff momentum after midseason dip.

Kyle Larson’s 2025 season began with firepower, with three early wins, including commanding performances at Homestead and Bristol, which had him sitting near the top of the standings week after week. But as the summer unfolded, the #5 Hendrick Motorsports team hit a baffling slump. “Was a struggle there for a couple of months,” Larson admitted, pointing to a dismissal trio of finishes: 37th at Charlotte’s Coca-Cola 600, 36th in Mexico City, and 35th at Sonoma. This was a brutal stretch that rattled the teams’ momentum.

Then came Dover. The rain-soaked weekend forced Larson to start deep in the field, 25th based on NASCAR’s metric formula, but he didn’t let that stop him. He methodically picked off positions, entering the top 10 by the end of Stage 1 and ultimately finishing 4th, marking his best result in nearly two months. “But, it was good to go to Dover, a track where we all were confident at and execute from start to finish,” he said. And his clean, late-race escape from a wreck involving Christopher Bell underscored just how different things felt. “I was happy to finish where we did and avoid that wreck on the front stretch with Bell.”

With just 5 races left before the playoffs, Larson isn’t just coasting; he is pushing hard for redemption. Despite the summer stumbles, he remains second in the points standings behind teammate William Byron and is one of the only 4 drivers with three or more wins. His outlook is bright. “Hopefully, it’s the beginning of a good stretch of run for us now,” Larson concluded, confident that Dover might be the spark to reignite his championship bid.