Kyle Larson made a late entry into the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, while also competing in a dirt late model event in New Mexico.
Larson's qualifying night was on Thursday, and things certainly didn't go the way he was hoping for. The two-time Chili Bowl winner had an adventurous night that ended in a crash.
Larson started the evening in Heat Four and was fighting well into the top five spots of the heat when he had some trouble with four laps to go. Slight contact with another driver during the heat caused Larson to flip upside down.
FloRacing shared Larson's crash to its X page.
? CONTACT and @KyleLarsonRacin is upside down at the #ChiliBowl!
Both drivers okay. @cbnationals | @NosEnergyDrink
? https://t.co/37DKpNQBRF pic.twitter.com/SlDHySDEb8
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 12, 2024
Larson came into the night knowing he was going to have a lot of work to do if he wanted to advance to Saturday night's Main Event. Anything less than advancing from the A-Main on Thursday meant he was likely out of the Chili Bowl.
After his crash in his heat, he finished fourth, pushing him into the 12-lap C-Feature of the night. He won that race, qualifying him for the B-Feature, where he climbed to second in just 15 laps and booked a spot in the A-Feature.
Though he reached the 20-lap A-Feature, he started 20th, and needed to finish in at least 2nd place to automatically qualify for Saturday's Main Event.
Unfortunately, the 2021 Cup champion's A-Feature was the end of his Chili Bowl run. While he raced his way from 20th to 11th, he suffered yet another wreck.
The damage from his second wreck of the night was enough to end his 2024 run in Tulsa with six laps remaining in the race.
Here's the video from his second wreck of the night posted on social media by FloRacing.
? @KyleLarsonRacin gave it his all in the #ChiliBowl prelim but his race is over!@cbnationals | @NosEnergyDrink
? https://t.co/37DKpNQBRF pic.twitter.com/rQcg26inGs
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 12, 2024
It was a rough ending to the night for Larson in search of a third Golden Driller trophy, but now he can focus on trying to win the Wild West Shootout in New Mexico.
