Kyle Larson, who embarked on his NASCAR Cup Series journey in 2014, clinched the title in 2021, marking a decade of his racing career in style. Christopher Bell, who joined the Cup Series in 2020, was making waves in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing back in 2018, while Larson was excelling in the Cup Series, driving the #42 car for Chip Ganassi Racing and consistently finishing in the top-10.
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However, the equation both drivers share is quite interesting. During a 2018 interview with Jeff Gluck, when Bell was queried about the greatest compliment he had ever received, he expressed:
“Honestly, this is gonna sound weird, but growing up and following (Kyle) Larson’s footsteps, the biggest compliment that people have given me is when they compare me to Larson because he’s the greatest race car driver I’ve seen. And so for people to have me and him in the same conversation, it’s pretty cool.”
Throughout their teenage years and into their twenties, Larson and Bell frequently competed against each other on dirt tracks across America. Despite Larson being based in California and Bell hailing from Oklahoma, their experiences ranging from the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa to Sprint Car Racing in Oklahoma equipped them with invaluable insight and skills that honed their competitive edge.
Now, both drivers have taken their rivalry to the NASCAR Cup Series. While neither managed to secure a spot in the Championship Four last season, they concluded the year before that impressively, finishing in fourth and second place, respectively.
The latest Bell vs Larson duel
Although drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) have clashed several times, their most recent showdown came during the 2025 Tulsa Shootout. Despite Larson’s dominance with more victories during the 2024 season, Bell’s return to the dirt saw him leveling the playing field.
He edged out Larson in a photo finish to win the non-wing outlaw feature at the 40th annual Tulsa Shootout. Both NASCAR Cup Series drivers revisited their racing origins on the Oklahoma dirt track, each vying for another moment of triumph within the walls of the renowned exhibition center. Both drivers have previously triumphed at the Chili Bowl, held at the same venue, piloting dirt midget cars.
Christopher Bell beat Kyle Larson in a photo finish at the Tulsa Shootout pic.twitter.com/lGhe49feDp
— Rubbin is Racing (@rubbinisracing) January 5, 2025
As the race unfolded, Bell took the lead in the final laps, with Larson advancing to second in the last few laps. On the final lap, the #5 HMS driver exploited the outer cushion in Turns 1 and 2, surging toward Bell’s rear bumper down the backstretch.
Bell rode high into Turn 3 as Larson took the lower line. However, the JGR driver held ground, pulling off an impressive maneuver off Turn 4 to win the Golden Driller trophy.
