Kyle Larson’s was to race at Richmond on the same day the Knoxville Nationals was scheduled. So, naturally, some fans wondered why he would even run the preliminary event if he could not make the main race. But Larson had no intention of giving up his shot at another Knoxville crown. After racing in Richmond, he made the frantic trip to Iowa and somehow pulled it off, winning his fourth Knoxville Nationals title. And that’s why Kenny Wallace is saying the complaining fans ‘deserve this a– chewing.’

“So, you might have b—— and moaned about the scheduling, the rescheduling, and this and that, but it didn’t matter cuz it f——- rained. All of you were wrong all the way around. You were wrong about everything. You deserve this a– chewing if you’ve made it this far.”

Kenny Wallace’s verdict came after a night that made the complaints surrounding Larson’s schedule look rather premature.

Larson had seemingly accepted that his NASCAR commitments would keep him out of the Knoxville Nationals. After winning his preliminary feature and securing the pole for Saturday’s 65th running, the odds appeared stacked against him.

Then Mother Nature intervened. As Kyle Larson focused on Richmond, rain repeatedly pushed back the Knoxville schedule. During a caution, crew chief Cliff Daniels delivered the news Larson had been hoping for. If the timing worked, he could still make it to Iowa. And it did eventually!

So, after finishing sixth at Richmond (The Cup race ended at 10:17 local time), Larson immediately left for Richmond International Airport. A chartered flight carried him toward Pella, Iowa, while more than 16,000 people reportedly tracked the aircraft.

A police escort then helped him reach Knoxville Raceway, where he arrived before the B-Main. Kyle Larson had missed hot laps. However, that hardly mattered. Larson looked completely at home once he climbed into Silva Motorsports’ No. 57.

He led all 50 laps of the A-Main feature and secured his fourth Knoxville Nationals crown. “It’s just wild how I’m here tonight,” Larson said after the race.

Interestingly, this time the weather worked in favor of Larson, which is rare. His previous attempts to run double have ended in heartbreaks.

Repeated Indy heartbreaks for Larson

In 2024, Larson attempted the Indianapolis 500-Charlotte 600 Memorial Day Double, but mother nature had other plans. Despite rain delays, he stayed at Indy and when he returned to Charlotte, the race got washed out due to rains. Christopher Bell was declared the winner.

That created another problem. Because the Charlotte race was a points-paying Cup Series event, Larson needed a NASCAR waiver to preserve his postseason eligibility after missing the start. NASCAR was initially hesitant before ultimately allowing him to remain eligible.

The drama surrounding his trip to Charlotte became almost as captivating as the racing itself. Fans tracked a small yellow aircraft online, desperately watching its progress after Larson’s early exit from the Indianapolis 500.

The hope was that he could still reach Charlotte in time. It never came together. Kyle Larson returned for another attempt in 2025, but the Double again delivered nothing but disappointment. He spun on Lap 91 of the Indianapolis 500 and finished 24th.

His night in Charlotte ended prematurely as well. Larson was caught in a multi-car accident on Lap 246, ending his Coca-Cola 600 before he could complete the challenge.

Two straight attempts had produced two brutally difficult experiences. The logistical demands, physical toll and repeated bad luck eventually changed Kyle Larson’s view of the Double. He indicated that another attempt was not worth the strain.

That made Saturday’s Knoxville journey feel almost poetic. Once again, Larson needed weather and timing to cooperate. This time, they finally did.