Kyle Larson Admits to “Getting Nervous” at COTA and Not Because of His NASCAR Competitors

Neha Dwivedi | 02/03/2026
Kyle Larson waits by his car before the NASCAR Cup Series Duel during Speedweek, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.

Kyle Larson crossed the line in sixth at the 2026 DuraMAX Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday. The finish came after a race spent in the thick of the pack, trading blows with Christopher Bell, leaning on doors in tight quarters, and slipping past Ryan Blaney late. But the result came the hard way, with heat and failing equipment.

Larson conveyed that the trouble began early in the 95-lap event. Several drivers reported that their cooling systems quit during the run, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Radio traffic from Larson’s car reflected the strain as he searched for ways to stay in the fight. He said per NBC, “It’s extremely hot here, the cold shirt is definitely not working. Never had started to feel like it did anything.”

In his post-race interview, the Hendrick Motorsports driver said that he managed the situation by focusing on hydration, dumping water on himself, and putting ice on his chest. He noted, “Thankfully, I had enough fluids in me. I started feeling progressively better as the race went on, with just dumping water on me, putting ice on my chest, and drinking a lot of fluids.

“I felt good there at the end, but I was hot early in the race. I was getting nervous.”

“But I think it kind of cooled down outside, too, which helped. All in all, it was a great day for this No. 5 Chevrolet team. It was good to get our first top-10 finish of the season, and hopefully we can just build off of it,” he continued.

Others were sadly not as fortunate. Alex Bowman climbed from his car with more than 20 laps to go and headed to the garage, unable to continue. Myatt Snider took over the No. 48 for the closing stretch. AJ Allmendinger, who finished ninth, lay beside his car after the checkered flag and required fluids from medical staff. The No. 5 driver, however, somehow managed to keep it together and saw the distance through.

However, the heat wave did not just hamper the Cup drivers’ race. In the Truck race at St. Petersburg the same weekend, drivers felt the toll, too. Tyler Reif was taken to a medical facility for treatment after the race and later released. Reif finished 16th in an event won by Layne Riggs.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Hendrick Motorsports Kyle Larson NASCAR Cup Series

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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