Kyle Larson recently clarified his comments about wanting to “embarrass NASCAR” and Xfinity Series drivers, explaining that while it may have sounded arrogant, his true intent is to give younger drivers a benchmark to measure themselves against. In an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Larson said that during his time in the Xfinity Series, racing regularly against top Cup drivers like Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Jimmie Johnson helped him improve significantly.
He believes that today’s limitations—which restrict Cup drivers to only five Xfinity races per season—have hindered the development of younger drivers, making them less prepared for the jump to Cup.
Larson pointed to Ty Gibbs as an example, noting that although Gibbs is an Xfinity champion, he hasn’t yet won in the Cup Series, partly due to the lack of high-level competition in Xfinity.
Larson said his goal in dominating Xfinity races—like leading 277 of 300 laps at Bristol—is to show younger drivers what the Cup standard really is. He wants to set the bar high and help them understand the level of performance required to succeed at the top level of NASCAR.
