Kyle Larson rolled back into Placerville like he always does, ready to put on a show for the hometown crowd at the Hangtown 100. Placerville Speedway is not just the place where he races. He’s a proud co-promoter of the Hangtown 100 race, too. His previous wins there, like in 2019, show how important they are to him. But this year, what should have been another feel-good chapter in his dirt-track love story turned into pure chaos.

Larson was right there battling Daison Pursley for the lead when the two of them slid door-to-door into Turn 1, trading paint and momentum like only top midget guys can. One tiny slip, and Pursley’s right rear tagged Larson’s left front. Suddenly, the No. 1K was airborne, flipping end over end in a wild tumble that shut the whole place up for a split second before the gasps kicked in.

This wasn’t just any track for Larson. Placerville is home. It is where he learned to drive, where he cut his teeth as a kid, where the fans still cheer like he is their own. He keeps coming back every fall, even with his packed NASCAR life, because he loves grassroots racing and wants to give back. Seeing his car get launched into the sky on the very dirt that made him? That hit different. It wasn’t supposed to go down like this.

The race had been electric all night. Kyle Larson started back a bit but worked his way forward, picking off cars, getting stronger every lap. Pursley wasn’t backing down either, riding the cushion hard, hunting that lead. The contact wasn’t dirty, just racing, but it was enough. Larson’s car spun up, flipped multiple times, and came to rest on its side. The crowd held its breath. Then, miracle of miracles, he popped out on his own, no injuries, just mad as hell.

Larson yanked off his helmet and started clapping, throwing Pursley a slow, sarcastic double thumbs up. Classic dirt-track shade. Not mean, just salty. He knew the win was gone in a blink. He didn’t yell or storm off. He just walked away, cool as ever, while the place buzzed.

The night wasn’t short on drama. Corey Day had already taken a nasty flip earlier, another reminder that midget racing on a tight quarter-mile is no joke. When it was all over, Pursley got it together on the restart and drove off with the win, a huge moment for him, but everyone was still talking about Larson’s wreck.

As soon as the checkers dropped, the internet exploded. Video of the flip went everywhere on X, and fans jumped in with shock, laughs, and hot takes. If you’d expect them to sympathize with the fresh Cup champion, you are mistaken. The Hangtown 100 had its moment, and social media made sure the world didn’t miss it.

Fans are unsympathetic to Larson

“So he raced Larson, how Larson races everyone else every Sunday…” Some fans point out Larson’s style is super aggressive but usually clean, especially on restarts or late in Cup races. He has gone hard after wins, like that 2021 Bristol dirt slide on Christopher Bell or the last-lap fight with Chase Elliott at Watkins Glen in 2022.

He squeezed Chase Elliott into Turn 1 to grab the lead. A lot of people say Larson races others tough, so when Pursley gave it back in the midget race, it was just the same energy. Fans see it as fair play, Larson’s style coming full circle.

“Larson wins enough time for this kind of move more often. Race him hard every lap. He needs this every once in a while.” Larson is one of the best all-around drivers out there, winning in Cup, sprint cars, midgets, late models, you name it. Back in 2021, he took 10 Cup points races, the All-Star, and the championship, one of the most dominant years ever.

He cleans up at big dirt shows like the Chili Bowl, Kings Royal, and Knoxville Nationals. He is usually the guy everyone is chasing. Some fans say he doesn’t get raced hard enough because of that. So when someone like Pursley goes at him full throttle, it is good for the sport, and Larson could use a taste of his own medicine now and then.

“Yep. These people would defend a right-rear hook if Larson was the one getting hooked.” A right-rear hook is the nastiest move in oval racing, diving into someone’s right rear to spin them straight into the wall. NASCAR cracked down hard, like when Bubba Wallace got suspended for hooking Larson at Las Vegas in 2022.

Larson was the victim then, and a lot of fans backed him. This takes says some Larson supporters are so ride-or-die they would excuse even a hook if it happened to him again. It is about calling out what looks like a double standard in the fanbase.

“Guess Larson’s car doesn’t have a brake pedal?” Dirt fans love to joke that a guy could have avoided trouble by hitting the brakes sooner. Larson is known for flying into corners at full speed, throwing big slides in midgets, sprint cars, and even Cup.

“I’m so done with Larson. Every week he does nothing and gets no wins, except when he’s racing against someone who deserves the win more than him, then he pulls some bullshit out of his ass and wins.” Kyle Larson has had some up-and-down years lately, 2023 and 2024 especially, plus parts of 2025.

He has the speed to dominate, but things fall apart, like eight DNFs in 2023, even with a strong car, or 2024 slips at Darlington with a wreck, Kansas with a photo-finish loss, and Gateway with a breakdown. Still, he pulls off wild wins, like the crazy All-Star or clutch Sonoma. Some victories feel last-second or lucky, like taking Watkins Glen from Elliott in 2022 after Elliott led most of it. Fans get tired of the pattern. Fast car, no result, then a miracle win when someone else had it in the bag.