Kyle Larson knows Michigan International Speedway better than most of the current crop of drivers, with three wins at the track. However, the two-mile oval has taught him that it can be a driver’s best friend one moment and worst enemy the next. It’s wide. It’s fast. Most importantly, it’s ruthless. And if there’s one thing Larson’s learned over the years, it’s how quickly things can unravel—especially when strategy enters the mix.

Heading into the 2025 race weekend, Larson looked poised for another strong run. His No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy qualified 5th and had pace, with Larson being in the mix all day. But this wasn’t going to be another Michigan masterclass. Instead, it turned into a game of patience, pit calls, and one annoying run-in with Richard Childress’ grandson. After climbing out of the car, Larson didn’t hold back. What followed was a refreshingly honest post-race debrief.

A day of fuel management, frustration, yet a strong finish for Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson’s 2025 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan wasn’t smooth sailing, but he finished fifth despite all the chaos. The #5 finished 3.279 seconds behind race winner Denny Hamlin. But, from the drop of the green, the Hendrick Motorsports driver had his hands full. Not just with the competition, but with a finicky car and a familiar name pestering him around the oval.

Fuel strategy was the name of the game late in the race for Kyle Larson. “I was saving fuel from the drop of that green flag on that restart,” he admitted. “But I wasn’t dropping back because the saving fuel was my balance was really bad at that point.” The race restarted on lap 152. But Larson’s car…it just didn’t feel right. Larson had already been reporting voltage issues since lap 138. And when a car’s balance is off, it makes everything harder, especially at a place like Michigan, where speed and stability matter.

But, even before all this came a spicy moment with Ty Dillon. In Stage 2, Larson squeezed Dillon up into the wall off Turn 4 while scrapping for 16th. When asked about it post-race, Larson didn’t sugarcoat it. He explained, “I was just kind of fed up with him [Ty Dillon] at that point, and he was just mirror driving.” Mirror driving is when a competitor focuses on blocking by watching their mirrors, rather than racing forward aggressively. This can lead to frustration, especially for a driver like Larson, who prefers to race hard and clean. The tight quarters of Turn 4 left little room for error, and the clash was a flash point in an otherwise measured race.

Despite missing out on a Michigan win for Hendrick Motorsports since Jeff Gordon in 2014, Larson still managed a solid result. “I was junk kinda all day… We were not very good, but we made the most out of it, so I’m proud of that.” Indeed, Larson’s record at Michigan is rock solid. With three wins, two poles, seven top-fives, and nine top-10s, he ranks as one of the most successful active drivers at the track. However, the sting of leading no laps and picking up his only stage points with a seventh place in stage 1 evidently hurt the 2021 Cup Series Champion.

Kyle Larson’s day was a reminder that even for the most accomplished drivers, Michigan can be as unpredictable as it is rewarding. Through patience, experience, and a bit of grit, Larson turned a tough day into another strong finish, adding to his impressive legacy at one of NASCAR’s most demanding tracks.

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Kyle Larson’s verbal barrage at Denny Hamlin

Kyle Larson’s Sunday at the FireKeepers Casino 400 was anything but calm. From feisty radio chatter to door-slamming drama, Larson’s afternoon had all the makings of a classic NASCAR tension storm. Early in the race, he and Denny Hamlin got up close and personal, trading paint in a tight battle that nearly ended in disaster. Hamlin pulled off a slick save, but the contact left both drivers visibly irritated.

Larson didn’t hold back on the radio after the Hamlin clash: “Look out the f—— windshield, Denny, instead of the f—– mirror.” He clearly felt blocked and boxed in. But then, when he dished out a similar move to Dillon, fans were quick to point out the double standard. Prime Video viewers caught the irony. Kyle Larson, who had just blasted Hamlin for mirror driving, pulled the same kind of hard-nosed tactic a stage later. When asked about his mirror driving incident with Hamlin, Larson said, “It was just tough to pass, so whatever.”

In the end, Larson walked away with a strong finish and no wrecked car. But the day highlighted the emotional rollercoaster that comes with racing at 200 mph. He was fiery, aggressive, and unapologetic. The Michigan race was a reminder that even NASCAR’s elite can blur the line between racing hard and racing hot-headed.