It seems the world is indeed a small place! And what better example of it than a throwback showing two iconic NASCAR drivers crossing paths decades ago? One of the driver in question is Kyle Larson, who is gearing up for the iconic ‘Double Duty’. And ahead of his much awaited Indianapolis 500 debut, social media took a trip down memory lane to bring back an unseen photo that sent fans into a meltdown.

From Go-Karts to IndyCars

Alexander Rossi is not a new name in the IndyCar circuits. Winning the 100th running of the Indy 500 as a rookie back in 2016 put him smack-dab in the middle of fans’ attention. And now, he has grabbed headlines again as Reddit discovered his association with Hendrick Motorsports racer Kyle Larson.

The photo in question shows the two current McLaren teammates at a Go-karting event, way back in 2005. A Reddit user posted the picture, and it started circulating all over the internet. Little did young Larson and Rossi know that their then Go-Kart rivalry would evolve into them becoming teammates for the upcoming iconic Indycar event.

Rossi is currently the No. 7 Chevrolet racer for the Zak Brown-spearheaded team. Originally aiming to be a part of F1, the driver moved to Europe as a teenager but later returned to the US after failing to secure a full-time ride in Formula One. And perhaps that was a good decision as he finished second and third in the Drivers’ Championship point standings (in the IndyCar series) in 2018 and 2019, respectively. And now, he’s looking forward to May 26, where he’ll get a chance to snatch the win from his teammate.

But it seems Rossi is already aware of Larson’s exploits. As per Autoweek, the 32-year-old racer thought,“[Kyle Larson] was going to be a fantastic addition. He’s going to be up to speed right away. He’s going to be a challenger to win the thing.” Further reiterating his point, the driver said, “I don’t need to watch him race to know that. Oh, he’s phenomenal. I’ve said for a long time he’s one of the best in the world. That doesn’t come easily in what he’s accomplished in his career. It’s pretty much second to none.”

Having said that, fans were shocked to see that Larson and Rossi met way before they even became crossed paths as adults.

Fans react to Larson and Rossi’s blast from the past

As the photo shared to circulated across social media, fans were transported back into the past where they witnessed what looked like the beginning of two future racing prodigies.

“It’s crazy how things like this take place in life”, a fan wrote, commenting on how one’s life path can lead to such unexpected reunions. “Awww I love this. Young Rossi and tiny Larson 😂” another fan commented.

Despite only a mere month’s age gap (with Larson being born on July 31 and Rossi on September 25), the latter appears to have matured beyond his years while Larson looks very young. A fan pointed this out as he wrote, “Rossi is less than a year older than Larson, yet looks years older in this photo.” Another fan just found this coincidence so cool, writing, “Now that is cool”!

Another Redditor also talked about the co-incidence that brought the two drivers together 19 years later. “Nineteen years later, the dynamic duo return at Indy!….Hopefully sans the Red Bull, though. That shit is POISON,” they wrote.

As former Go-Kart rivalry and current teammates gear up for the upcoming race, fans are now eagerly waiting for Larson and Rossi to race at the pinnacle motorsport.