Kyle Larson put in one of the most dominant seasons in NASCAR history in 2021 on his way to winning the Cup Series title. Unsurprisingly, if stats are anything to go by, the HMS driver has carried that momentum into the Next Gen era, having the most top-5s since the new car was introduced. While Yung Money does not have a beef with anyone in particular, the closest thing to a rivalry involves good friend Denny Hamlin, who holds a 6-0 record against the Hendrick ace.
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The two drivers have finished 1-2 in six races so far, with Hamlin ending on the winning side each time and Larson finishing behind the JGR driver. The first two instances occurred during his Chip Ganassi Racing days, at Richmond in 2016 and New Hampshire in 2017. Even during the 10-win season in 2021, Larson couldn’t get the best of Hamlin in the playoff race at Darlington.
Last year at Kansas, where NASCAR heads to this week, Larson almost had the deal sealed before a last-lap pass allowed the 23XI Racing owner to get the best of him yet again.
At last year’s playoff race at Bristol, where Hamlin made the “I beat your favorite driver” chant, it was Larson who saw the back of Hamlin’s car as the flag waved. The most recent instance was last week at Dover, where Hamlin took home his third win of the season, with Larson taking home his fifth top-5, maintaining his position as the regular season points leader.
Overall in the Next Gen era, both drivers have equal wins (eight each), trailing only William Byron (11). Larson has 33 top-5s (first in the series) and 42 top-10s since the beginning of the 2022 season, with Hamlin following closely behind at 27 top-5s and 39 top-10s.
While there is not much to choose between the two Championship contenders, it does seem that Hamlin has the psychological edge over the HMS driver, a factor that could prove crucial, considering both drivers are predicted to make a deep playoff run this year.
