"He kicked my a**": Kyle Larson reminisces on dirt-track rivalry with Christopher Bell ahead of NASCAR championship showdown

The NASCAR Cup Series finale is all set to crown the 2023 champion this weekend, with former dirt-track racing buddies Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell amongst the four drivers gunning for the title. Phoenix Raceway in Arizona is where the season is rounded off, as has been the norm for the past few seasons.

Christopher Bell lost the race at Homestead-Miami but secured a berth in the championship 4 after Kyle Larson did it in the first race of the Round of 8. However, both drivers are bound to have an intense battle on the track owing to their backgrounds in racing.

Christopher Bell has not reached the ultimate goal in the sport whereas Larson managed to clinch his championship off the back of a dominant season in 2021. Gunning for his first title in back-to-back Final 4 visits, the #20 Toyota Camry TRD driver will also be accompanied by William Byron and Ryan Blaney.

Looking back at their times as teammates in dirt midget racing, Larson looked back to when Christopher Bell showcased his consistency on the track and told news18.com:

“He kicked my ass for a few years straight, like every race, I don’t know if I ever beat him. He made me work really hard to get better as a driver, especially on the dirt track stuff."

Kyle Larson also elaborates on how the duo have always managed to remain super competitive yet fair with each other in the highest echelon of stock car racing and said:

“He’s always been a really fair, clean racer. We’ve had numbers and numbers of battles in stock cars, but mostly in dirt track. I’m typically the one that is the aggressor or the aggressive one in our battles. Probably push the limit of being dirty sometimes. For him to continue to race me clean, I definitely have a ton of respect for him. Always have."

Kyle Larson reacts to fan's ingenious Halloween costume

With the racing fans celebrating Halloween earlier this week, one costume designed by an ingenious fan for her son caught Kyle Larson's eye on social media. Innovatively wearing Larson's #5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, a fan was seen transforming into the same when kneeling.

Here's how the Hendrick Motorsports driver reacted to the costume:

"Love it! You win Halloween!"

The NASCAR Cup Series championship finale goes live from Phoenix Raceway this Sunday.