Kyle Larson Causes a Stir

August 09, 2025

August 09, 2025 | Edition #213

👋 Dear Motorheads,

NASCAR will be enjoying its last road course adventure before the playoffs begin, and what better way to do it than at Watkins Glen? This time, the usual suspects aren’t the only ones leading the charge as road course ringers will take center stage. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson has sparked a debate on a topic that’s not even related to racing.

23XI Racing star continues his charge to solidify his claim as the next star driver, but NASCAR backtracks on its commitment that could’ve brought a positive change to the racing product.

 🎯 Sunday’s Cup Race Odds

Contenders for NASCAR’s Watkins Glen Showdown

Folks, we are back at Watkins Glen, and the stakes are higher than ever. With three races remaining before the playoffs are officially underway, teams below the cutline are going all in. But apart from survival, a select few drivers will use this final stretch of the regular season to kick-start their title charge. Unlike regular ovals, we have a diverse pool of drivers who are top contenders to grab the checkered flag this Sunday at the Glen.

Shane van Gisbergen is the overwhelming favorite going into the 2025 Go Bowling at The Glen. The Kiwi racer has been untouchable on non-oval tracks this season, winning races in Mexico City, Chicago, and Sonoma Raceway. Another win, and SVG would become the third driver in history to win four straight races on road courses, joining Jeff Gordon and Chase Elliott.

But the surprise inclusion is Connor Zilisch in second place with +550. If there’s anyone who can give SVG a run for his money, it’s Zilisch. Just a few weeks ago at Sonoma, the teenager fended off a charge by SVG on the final few laps. The Kiwi driver even tried to pull off a Hail Mary move on the final lap, but still he couldn’t make a pass for the lead. So, don’t be surprised if Zilisch snags his first Cup win at Watkins Glen.

Christopher Bell will be a dark horse at Watkins Glen. Sitting at +1000, the Oklahoman has four top-fives in his last five road course starts since last year’s Roval race. He also won three straight races at the start of the year, including the one at COTA, to make it three road course wins in total. The No. 20 team needs a shot in their arm, and a win will certainly push them in the right direction.

Last but not least, you can’t count out Kyle Larson. Also at +1000, ‘Yung Money’ already has two wins at Watkins Glen back in 2021 and 2022. The driver of the No. 5 HMS Chevy is just one road course win away from tying Chase Elliott for most among active drivers. With the regular season title on the line, Larson isn’t short on motivation to compete for a win.

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🥊 In Today’s Debate

Kyle Larson Isn’t Pulling Any Punches

Kyle Larson isn’t afraid to speak his mind. This week, the Hendrick Motorsports driver made headlines for some pretty contentious takes, and it got the fans talking. At first, he took shots at Will Ferrell’s comedy, Talladega Nights. Then, he went after one of the most iconic race-day snacks.

Although he admitted he enjoyed Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, the California-native felt that the movie, which grossed $160 million at the box office, hurt NASCAR’s image. “I think it did not do anything good for our sport. I think it turned our sport into a joke, unfortunately,” Larson said. 

He added that for many people outside the NASCAR community, the movie changed the perception of the sport. Now compare this to Disney Pixar’s Cars movie. Lightning McQueen became a cult classic, and it has even introduced many young drivers like Rajah Caruth to the sport. Here, listen for yourself, as Caruth pays homage to the iconic animated movie.

And if that wasn’t enough debate for the week, Kyle Larson also had thoughts about Martinsville’s legendary hot dogs. The fan-favorite snack at the Virginia short track, featuring bright red sausages, has been a staple for decades. But ‘Yung Money’ is not a fan, he said, “I think they’re disgusting. I don’t know if there’s like color dye in them, but they’re like red.” And here’s where things get interesting.

While plenty of fans can’t imagine going to Martinsville and not having the legendary hot dog, The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck sided with Larson. He urged the fans to consume them at their own risk. But not everyone has the same opinion as Larson and Gluck.

Back in 2015, Martinsville Speedway sparked a near-uproar when they switched their hot dog suppliers, altering the taste. Yet they remained legendary. At least Dale Jr. is still a fan of them, as he snacked on three hot dogs during the spring race. That’s not it, Junior shared his ideal version of the Martinsville hot dog on his podcast.

It is one of those debates that will continue to rage, but Dale Jr. and Kyle Larson have made their stances clear.

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📈 Trending News

Heim-Time Takes Over Watkins Glen

The Truck Series race at Watkins Glen was supposed to be Friday evening’s 72-lap fixture. Instead, the race nearly went on until sunset, thanks to several late-race cautions and three overtimes. But after all the chaos was done and dusted, it was Corey Heim who emerged victorious. The points leader overcame mechanical troubles, fuel drama, and intense competition to secure his sixth win of the season.

It was far from smooth sailing for Heim. Despite starting from pole and winning the first stage, the No. 11 Toyota Tundra driver was forced to drop back as the laps ticked on because of a shuffle in pit strategy. 

And things went from bad to worse when his brakes “pretty much went out” during the final stage. To say that the closing laps were chaotic would be an understatement. Christopher Bell, who was filling in for the injured Stewart Friesen, was firmly in control but gambling on fuel conservation.

But everything changed when Ben Rhodes slammed the guardrail and lost a wheel with one lap left, as the subsequent caution sent the race into overtime, forcing Bell’s strategy to crumble. He was forced to pit, as did Tyler Ankrum, giving Heim the advantage.

The race then went into a second overtime when another wreck reset the field. Just when Heim thought he had the race in the bag, Daniel Hemric kept growing bigger in his rear-view mirror on the third and final overtime. The No. 19 truck closed the gap on the final lap and even forced a mistake out of Heim.

Despite the pressure, the young driver didn’t concede his lead. If anything, Heim put on a defensive masterclass to recover after sliding and executed the final two corners with precision to grab the checkered flag. This was his fourth straight win on the road course, and second from pole this season.

With just one race remaining before the playoffs begin, it’s fair to say that Heim is a championship favorite.

 🔎 The In-Depth View

Horsepower Push Shelved Again?

It looks like we’re gonna have to wait some more time before NASCAR gives its Cup cars some more power. Back in June, the sanctioning body had hinted that an increase from 670 horsepower to 750 was “on the table” and could potentially be rolled out before the end of the year. Drivers and fans loved the idea, and after the race weekend at Iowa, it seemed like a no-brainer. 

But now, NASCAR’s Senior VP of Competition, Elton Sawyer, has dismissed the possibility of a horsepower boost, at least until next year. Sawyer admitted that a power boost is still “an ongoing discussion with our industry stakeholders,” and that the conversations have been positive. 

However, he was clear about the timeline, going on to say, “It’s a 2026 initiative to get that across the line.” In other words, NASCAR isn’t going to make any drastic changes this as they would want to see out the playoffs under the current engine configuration.

Fans and drivers have been pretty vocal about the Next-Gen cars needing changes, especially after a frustrating race at Iowa Speedway. Kevin Harvick has been advocating for more power alongside Denny Hamlin. And after watching the Iowa qualifying sessions, he urged that a bump to just 750 won’t cut it.

Clearly, Harvick feels NASCAR is limiting the scope of having a better racing product.

Just a decade ago, Cup Series cars had 900 horsepower. But that number was gradually cut down until the 550HP package arrived in 2019. The introduction of the Next-Gen car bumped the power back up to 670, but for many, it’s still not enough. Especially on short tracks.

Elton Sawyer mentioned that Martinsville and Bristol as obvious choices, but tracks like New Hampshire, Dover, Nashville, and Darlington complicate things. “Loudon is a mile, but it races a lot like a short track… Dover is a mile, but speeds are up there,” he explained. 

According to Doug Yates, CEO of Roush Yates Engines, 750HP wouldn’t require much change from engine builders, but 900 would mean a complete overhaul, increasing costs. But the increase only looks likely in 2026; how much and where remains to be seen.

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