Kyle Larson’s surprise substitution for injured Connor Zilisch in the Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway has upended Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s recent criticism of the NASCAR Cup Series star. Larson, who vowed to “embarrass” Xfinity fields, now enters a race he didn’t initially schedule, directly challenging Earnhardt’s assertion that he cherry-picks favorable tracks.
Kyle Larson’s Unplanned Xfinity Entry Challenges Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Critique
The Hendrick Motorsports driver’s last-minute entry comes weeks after Earnhardt publicly doubted Larson’s willingness to race outside his comfort zone. The move reignites their debate over Cup veterans’ roles in developmental series and tests whether Larson can dominate on a track he didn’t handpick.
Larson’s substitution for Zilisch, who suffered a lower back injury at Talladega, adds an unplanned third Xfinity start to his 2025 schedule. This year, the 2021 Cup champion won at Bristol (Xfinity) and Homestead (Cup), tracks he openly admitted favoring. Earnhardt had blasted those choices, arguing Larson avoided more formidable challenges.
“He only ran the two tracks that he’s really good at, Bristol and Homestead. He picked Homestead and Bristol because he knew those two would be a great shot at winning,” Earnhardt said on his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast in April.
“I wish he would sign up for some more races now. Because I know one race team, one owner, and 160 employees that would love another shot.”
Texas, a 1.5-mile intermediate oval, wasn’t on Larson’s radar until Zilisch’s injury opened the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet seat. The venue contrasts sharply with Bristol’s short-track chaos and Homestead’s progressive banking, forcing Larson to adapt without prior preparation.
Rain canceled Friday’s practice and qualifying, lining him up at 20th in the grid via metrics, a far cry from his typical front-row dominance.
Larson’s Texas Gamble Tests His ‘Embarrass the Field’ Pledge
Larson’s Texas entry puts his bold Xfinity philosophy to the test. After winning at Bristol in March, he told Kevin Harvick his goal was to humble rising talents.
“I want to embarrass them…get 10-second leads to let them realize that they’ve got a lot of room to improve. I think that’s only better for our sport,” Larson said.
But stormy weather and a mid-pack starting spot complicate that mission. With no practice laps, Larson must rely on JR Motorsports’ setup and crew chief Taylor Moyer’s guidance, a stark contrast to his usual Hendrick-backed preparations.
Fans, on the other hand, are rallying behind Larson, saying that he’s going to prove Earnhardt wrong, while some are joking that Earnhardt is going to make the No. 88 car “turd” to prove his opinion about Larson.
“I guarantee that Dale Jr will have his guys make the 88 car a turd for this weekend now that Larson called his bluff,” a fan wrote on X.
Meanwhile, the JR Motorsports team fields three contenders: Justin Allgaier (starting second), Sammy Smith (22nd), and Carson Kvapil (13th). A strong showing by Larson could validate his claim that Cup veterans elevate Xfinity competition. A struggle might prove Earnhardt’s point about equipment and preparation disparities.