This did not age well for Kyle Larson. As the NASCAR champion enters the new year, ready to add yet another legendary chapter to the Christopher Bell-Kyle Larson rivalry at the Chili Bowl, his threats against the Joe Gibbs Racing driver seem to have come crashing down. Looking to beat the three-time Golden Driller, the Monday Heat 6 race unraveled his plans.

Right before the events started, the Elk Grove native made a bold claim about wanting to beat Christopher Bell.

” Like right now, I don’t know, I don’t really think about the Swindells, I just, you know, Christopher and I have had a lot of battles, you know, in this building, but also outside of it, I would really like to just pass him and then worry about the Swindells, but no, so yeah, I haven’t really thought past much of just trying to get one more than him,” he said.

However, that challenge fell flat as Kyle Larson headed onto the battlefield this Monday.  Heat 6 at the Chili Bowl Nationals delivered drama and standout performances, but all eyes were on the Hendrick Motorsports driver.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup champion got tagged in the right rear entering Turn 1, a terrifying moment that nearly sent him flipping. Yet Larson’s quick reflexes kept the car upright, avoiding a bigger wreck and allowing him to stay in the hunt.

From there, he fought his way back to 6th in the opening segment and third in the second, earning 101 points. After six of nine hits, he sits ninth overall, a reminder that even the best drivers can be tested on Tulsa’s short-track chaos.

For Larson, it wasn’t the clean start he hoped for, but his recovery underscores why he is a threat even when the odds are stacked against him. With three heats remaining, every point matters, and the leaderboard is far from settled.

And while Larson was left licking his wounds in the ultimate Bell-Larson showdown, Jake Andreotti was the night’s biggest mover. He climbed from eighth to second and earned 123 points, just behind McIntosh’s 125.

His drive turned a pack start into a major points haul, shaking up the leaderboard. Gary Taylor Jr. moved from 3rd to win his heat, taking 110 points and placing sixth overall. However, this doesn’t mark the end of Kyle Larson’s Golden Driller ambitions.

With the Chili Bowl event just getting started, a lot can change. But in the midst of it all, Christopher Bell revealed that he is more than stressed out this year.

Christopher Bell sounds off on his stressful Tulsa attempt

Over the years, Christopher Bell hasn’t really been a stranger to the Tulsa event, winning three consecutive times, matching a feat of only three other drivers. But in 2026, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver faces a challenge unlike anything he has encountered before.

“It’s gonna be more stressful than just driving,” Bell admitted. “Whenever you show up to drive for Keith, you know the car is going to be good. He has such a historic career there that you the car is gonna be good. You just gotta do your part driving.”

Bell is stepping into an entirely new territory. While most of his past experiences were under. Keith Kunz Motorsports; this year, he has assembled his own car and will compete both as owner and driver. That responsibility brings a new level of pressure.

However, as his ex-team faces challenges in 2026, Bell isn’t the one to save them this time. He is now fully accountable for both his performance and his own equipment. This shift marks a new chapter in Bell’s midget racing journey, one where he balances the thrill of competition with the weight of ownership.