Kyle Larson, so far, has not been able to catch his breath so far. On Friday, during the series finale for the Joker’s Jackpot, metal flew on turn 1 itself. Just seconds into the 40-lap race, five cars crashed when Buddy Kofoid lost control of his car while making the turn. Amongst the names of Hunter Schuerenberg, Brady Bacon, Bill Balog, and Tyler Courtney was Kyle Larson’s brother-in-law, Brad Sweet. However, in the brutal clash, Sweet made a safe escape but Courtney was hospitalized.

Kyle Larson’s star-in-the-making, Tyler Courtney, got tangled in the chaotic clash.  Before stopping, the No. 7BC Sprint Car flipped and then crashed into the catchfence. While still upside down and Courtney inside, Hunter Schuerenberg’s car clipped into his to make matters worse. He was quickly taken to the nearest hospital and hours later, his fiancee confirmed he was fine after what the commentators called a “complete chaos.” However, Sweet’s luck didn’t work on Saturday. 

In King’s Royal 10-lap heat, the veteran was racing for a transfer spot. But, on turn-1 of lap-4, Sweet slammed into the catchfence. His car then spun violently across the track, contacting Cale Thomas. Flipping after the collision, his car eventually landed upright on its wheels and Sweet was able to climb out. However, after talking to the safety crew, he was stretchered to the infield medical center and then transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Thomas also exited under his own power and received medical attention.

World of Outlaws shared the update with their tweet, writing, “Red flag flies in Heat 1 as Sweet gets into the fence in turn 1 and goes over, and Thomas comes in and makes contact. Both have been helped from their cars and are communicating with safety personnel as they are seen for further evaluation.” No further updates are yet available on Sweet.

Though most drivers walk away, the incident highlights how unpredictable and dangerous Eldora’s banking and surface can be, even before the main event begins.

As for Kyle Larson, during the lead-up to the prestigious $200,000-to-win 42nd Kings Royal weekend just a few days ago, he returned to Eldora Speedway for three consecutive nights of racing. The Hendrick Motorsports star kicked things off by winning Wednesday’s $100,000 Kubota High Limit Racing Joker’s Jackpot, his 10th career victory at the track, followed by a thrilling outing in the Knight Before World of Outlaws feature.

However, before Larson could make his mark in the Kings Royal main event, tensions flared between him and a longtime on-track rival, David Gravel, as the two drivers clashed during the race. Amid this turmoil, Kyle Larson, sidelined by these events in the mounting rivalry, was forced to balance a personal concern with a professional focus in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Kyle Larson reveals his plans to overcome his Cup Series slump

After another turbulent Eldora weekend, Larson addressed whispers about his recent NASCAR Cup Series slump with trademark honesty. He admitted, saying, “I think it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why… I’ve made mistakes… Our cars are a struggle…we’re looking at someone who tracks the Poconos, the Michigans… the places that we struggle on speed.” Larson acknowledged that every summer brings a dip in pace, particularly over eight races, where his average finish slipped into the high teens, well below his usual standard.

He noted, “You just haven’t personally, the driver, figured out what it is behind the wheel to kinda manage the tire.” Reflecting on this mid-season hurdle, he remembered similar dips in 2022 and 2023 that were ultimately overcome through focus and incremental gain. Larson and his Hendrick Motorsports team are now “maximizing our days,” aiming to minimize damage from poor starting positions of mishaps and leverage data-driven improvements.

The No. 5 driver said, “We’re executing even better in maximizing our days, which is really important in this sport.” As the headline chase approaches, the wheelman is working to cement resilience over raw speed, turning adversity into momentum for the playoff push.