Key Take-Aways

• Kansas City Chiefs’ wide receiver Rashee Rice is under scrutiny following a major car crash in Dallas on March 31.
• The vehicles involved, a Lamborghini Urus and a Corvette, were reportedly registered under Rice’s name.
• Dashcam footage shows both cars racing before a six-vehicle pile-up on the North Central Expressway.
• Police reports suggest Rice may have been driving the Corvette involved in the accident.

“I’m just blessed to be a part of this group. Every single man or woman at Hendrick Motorsports, this win is for all of us, and every one of you. This is unbelievable. I’m speechless.” Those words from Kyle Larson captured the raw joy after winning his first title in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway, where he dominated by leading 101 laps. It was a dream run for ‘Yung Money’ at Hendrick Motorsports, where he won the title in his very first season with Mr. H’s team, securing ten wins in the process.

Fast forward to 2025, and Larson’s path to a second crown was contrasting to his first title win, as he led no laps in the final race, yet a third-place finish sealed it amid tire troubles and a late caution. The No. 5 Chevy, which was not the fastest car on the field that day, made Larson lean on strategy more than speed, a far cry from 2021’s domination. This shift in how victory unfolded this second time hinted at deeper contrast of the moment. What made crossing that line feel worlds apart this time?

A calm and silent victory lap

The real difference hit when Larson crossed the checkered flag third and sealed his second title, as Larson unpacked on NASCAR Live. “It was a bit different than the first championship we had,” he recalled. “I remember being just as excited crossing the start-fine line. Cliff came on the radio. Rick Hendrick came on the radio. NASCAR came on the radio. This time, like, my spotter yelled across the start-finish line, I did my yelling, and then it was just silence.”

In 2021, the radio buzzed with cheers from crew chief Cliff Daniels and team owner Rick Hendrick right away when Larson stamped his victory by crossing first at Phoenix Raceway, fueling Larson’s tearful gratitude. But four years later, the same title-winning moments felt a bit quiet. But what must be the reason behind that quiet stretch?

As Larson revealed the reason, stating, “You know, and nobody talked, because I think everybody was just surprised and screaming off of the radio, and yeah, so that was just an odd difference in feeling,” he explained, painting a picture in his mind of what might be happening in the pit box that he could only imagine from afar and could not be a part of the excitement at that moment.

But after the dust settled a little bit after the post-race celebration, Larson said, “I mean, really, I’m just speechless. I can’t believe it. We had an average car at best. We had the right front (tire) go down, lost a lap. Got saved by the caution,” Larson said post-race, echoing the surprise of turning an average car at its best into gold.

That 2021 beast helped Larson dominate the Phoenix Finale, leading out front for the final 25 laps to secure the title. But 2025? A tire issue dropped him early, and a late caution got him back in the mix, all while Denny Hamlin led 208 laps in vain.

Larson’s silence and calmness on those final two laps showed the chaotic nature of the moment, as he states, “I don’t know, I feel like typically in a normal race like then, I would be more nervous and anxious and excited, and I don’t know, I just felt pretty calm and ready for the restart. Like, I wasn’t nervous; I was just ready to try and execute what I needed to do to try and stay in front of Denny.”

Larson remembers his spotter’s frantic calls in those final two laps that kept him locked in about what was happening in the moment and didn’t let his mind be distracted by the pressure or nervousness about the race result. Those two laps “flew by so fast,” which was a different feeling for Larson because usually in pressure moments, time seems to pass by very slowly, but not this time.

And all these moments during the final moments and after the checkered flag falls make this 2025 title even more memorable for Larson. “It will help me kind of remember it forever.” He is referring to the moments that made this trophy even more special.

Keeping the fire lit without track time

NASCAR’s shrinking practice sessions, with just 20 minutes or none, force drivers to adapt and find ways to keep their skills sharp for those Cup runs. And Kyle Larson beats the rust by diving into offseason dirt tracks, a habit that’s kept him sharp since joining Hendrick in 2021. His 2025 title, with only three wins all year, leaned very much on that prep. Larson often prioritizes real-wheel feel across midgets and sprint cars to keep his instincts sharp.

“Yeah, it’s definitely interesting in NASCAR. Everybody probably has their own way of doing it. For me, that’s why I race in the offseason. I love to race, but I also use it as a kind of a tool to stay sharp, and you get less cobwebs when you get to the Clash,” Larson said. This approach paid off in Phoenix, where quick recoveries echoed his dirt-honed instincts. No skipped winters for him; it’s pure passion meeting strategy.

He maps it out tight: “Hopefully, if the weather breaks, we’ll get to race midgets this weekend at Placerville, and then I’ll be back in a couple of weeks for a Turkey night in Ventura. Then I go to Australia for a weekend over New Year’s and then the Tulsa shootout.” These back-to-back races build muscle memory, which will help Larson in the crunch or pressure moments in Cup runs.

One example of this is when Larson himself admitted he did not feel any pressure or anything like that in the final two laps of the title finale. That’s the time when these back-to-back races help a driver to stay calm and composed and rely on their skill. Perhaps the reigning champ is already laying the groundwork to defend his title in 2026.