With a title to defend, the pressure can be a tad intense. That was the situation for Kyle Larson, as the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was seeking a grand start to 2026. The Hendrick Motorsports star made a big entry in the 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals, from winning initial events to clinching the pole. However, his excitement on D-Day may have spilled over the prerequisite control limit.

A topsy-turvy affair for Kyle Larson

“@KyleLarsonRacin has nowhere to go in a jangled lap traffic mess as CJ Leary slowed in front of him. He ends up flipped on the backstretch and out of Golden Driller contention while chasing Axsom for the lead on Lap 16/55,” Walkapedia posted on X. Toby Christie added to that: “Lapped traffic got into trouble ahead of the leaders, and Larson gets hooked, and goes flipping from inside the top-three. Wow.”

Well, certainly not a good day for Kyle Larson. His Golden Driller contention seemed solid at first, as destiny seemed aligned. He won the qualifier and A-Main earlier in the week and took pole position after the pole shuffle on Saturday. He was leading the pack when the main feature began. However, his HendrickCars.com vehicle flipped upside down on lap 16 of 55, effectively sealing his title hopes.

Along with Kyle Larson, there were other former Golden Driller winners in the race. They included Christopher Bell, Tanner Thorson, and Logan Seavey. However, none of the high-flyers seemed to get the better of some talented youngsters. One of them was definitely Jett Barnes, a 14-year-old prodigy who won the Chili Bowl Championship A-Main. He shotgunned a drink as part of his victory celebration.

Kyle Larson’s crude defeat comes as a significant blow, especially after his trend-setting wins in 2025. Besides winning the Chili Bowl and the Cup Series championship, he won big in High Limit Racing as well. He won his second straight victory in the High Limit International main event in Perth, pocketing $110,000 in Australian dollars for the sprint car win.

But in January 2026, Kyle Larson is already nursing his wounds. As a fourth Chili Bowl title just slipped out of his hand.

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A young rival soars to glory

From the start of the 2026 Chili Bowl efforts, a certain racer has been going all out. That is none other than Emerson Axsom. From winning the preliminary feature to giving Kyle Larson no rest during the Pole Shuffle, Axsom has left no stone unturned. And the 21-year-old Franklin, Indiana native got it done at the Chili Bowl Nationals main event on Saturday.

Emerson Axsom won the 2026 Chili Bowl National title, emerging victorious in the wild 55-lapper event. It marks a grand achievement on his sixth start in the CB Nationals event. Axsom stood up proudly on his No. 39A vehicle, beckoning to the cheering crowds. He became the 24th champion in the 40-year history of the Chili Bowl.

Being part of the star-studded Keith Kunz Motorsports team, Axsom had support from the finest. That included two-time winner Logan Seavey. Axsom said earlier this week, “Having a guy like Logan Seavey in your corner, he didn’t have to help me tonight. We’re going to be racing each other on Saturday night, and he chose to help me and give me a lot of pointers. So thankful for that.”

While the young guard rises to glory, the older guard needs to revisit their strategies. Kyle Larson will have to do so, as his NASCAR grind begins in a few weeks.