The nature of racing in NASCAR almost demands extreme competitiveness from the driver. Besides, racing alongside a dozen other drivers who are all the best at their job naturally raises the bar for competition.
While it is often done in the competitive spirit of the sport, certain high-pressure environments and heated moments can make drivers lose sight of it.
It is not uncommon to see NASCAR drivers going a little too far when competing with their contemporaries. However, this can also extend outside the track in some cases.
For instance, Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports recently revealed a situation outside of racing, where his desire to win got the better of him.
Kyle Larson’s Rivalry off the Racetrack
When speaking with Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Larson spilled the tea about a handful of events that gave fans a deeper insight into the driver who wins races week after week.
After giving the highlights about one of his most embarrassing moments in a race car and how he dealt with it, he moved on to a lighter topic. Gluck asked Larson, “Outside of racing, what is your most recent memory of something you got way too competitive about?”
Before giving his response, Larson referenced his contemporary, Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing, who had also spoken to Gluck a week ago.
The No. 5 driver agreed with the No. 1 driver in his response. Just like Chastain, the last time Larson found himself being overly competitive was during the recent Driver Ambassador Program started by NASCAR.
NASCAR started the DAP in 2025 with the intent of expanding the sport’s reach. In doing so, the board implemented a leaderboard system where the drivers who rank the highest at the end can take home huge paychecks for their contribution.
While talking about the DAP, Larson confessed to not being as serious about it in the beginning. Although after being involved in a handful of promotional activities, Larson climbed a few spots in the leaderboard, he did not give it much thought.
However, after learning about his rank, Larson suddenly had a realization. He said, “I’m like, ‘Oh man, we need to do some more.'”
He then praised the initiative, saying, “It’s a good incentive thing NASCAR has come up with, and it’s definitely gotten the top guys more involved in trying to promote the sport.”
Larson, who currently holds the top spot in NASCAR’s overall driver ranking, is not lagging when it comes to the DAP either. He sits fifth in the chart and spoke about the rankings of some of his contemporaries.
“I’m fifth. I don’t even see what Logano does, but he’s checked out. And Chase Elliott, too. Like, I don’t even know where these guys come from, but they’re ahead of me.”
In the end, Larson added that although they all held different spots, there was not much difference between the drivers who held positions between second and seventh.
“Aside from Joey, we’re all pretty close; second through seventh is close.”
This certainly shows how Larson’s hunger to win every competition that he participates in compels him to give his best. Currently, Larson is gearing up for “The Double” after dominating in last week’s race at Kansas.