“It doesn’t matter”: Kyle Larson drops a clear take on NASCAR’s championship rotation decision

Kyle Larson, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion and driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, recently shared his thoughts on NASCAR’s decision to rotate the championship race venue in the future. This came during his media availability ahead of the Cup Series weekend at Kansas Speedway.

When asked for his view, Larson admitted that the rotating schedule was a positive change but downplayed its overall impact. He mentioned that due to his own history at Homestead, he would have preferred it over Phoenix, where the title race is scheduled to be held this November. He also added that getting to the championship race is the real challenge under NASCAR’s current playoff system.

"Everybody’s good everywhere, so it doesn’t matter a whole lot." he said (via Speedway Digest)

"My past history would say that I would be a lot better at Homestead than Phoenix, so I like that. But still you have to get there, and that’s really challenging to do in our format." he added.

The championship venue rotation is designed to keep the finale fresh and balanced, rotating between tracks like Phoenix, Homestead, and Las Vegas. NASCAR confirmed the change recently, and although fans expected enthusiastic reactions from drivers who are excellent at certain tracks, Kyle Larson approached the news with realism.

The 32-year-old is open to change and said it's “cool” that the tracks will rotate, adding that variety could help make the end of the season more interesting for both fans and competitors. Larson also mentioned that others, like Ryan Blaney, are strong at multiple venues, making it unlikely that the location alone will determine who comes out on top.

In terms of potential future hosts, Larson was excited about Kansas Speedway. He believes Kansas delivers high-quality racing thanks to its progressive banking, which allows for multiple racing lines and good passing opportunities. However, he did say it with a bit of caution, citing the November weather.

“You might have beautiful weather, or it could be freezing or snowing… you wouldn’t want any delays,” Kyle Larson said.

The conversation around track rotation comes as Larson heads into a busy racing month. He has shown strong form at 1.5-mile tracks like Kansas, where he recently took the pole position, outperforming Chris Buescher. According to stats, Kyle Larson has led 1,395 laps on 1.5-mile tracks in the Next Gen car, more than double the next closest driver.

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Dirt racing is still a priority for Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson is also pushing to bring more attention to another form of racing—dirt tracks. He encouraged fans to attend dirt races because of their pace, intensity, and entertainment value. Speaking at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas on May 9, he pitched dirt track racing as a fresh experience for fans used to NASCAR’s long-format events. Via ATYL Media, Larson said:

“Take a chance, come on out. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

“Shorter races, pretty intense racing too, so it’s more action packed, probably,” Kyle Larson added.

His statement came after he participated in a 30-lap main event in the High Limit Racing series, which he co-owns. Larson started his career on dirt and has continued to support the sport, winning events like the Chili Bowl and Knoxville Nationals.

Unfortunately, during the May 9 race in Kansas, a Lap 10 crash took out Larson, his High Limit Racing co-owner Brad Sweet, and two other contenders fighting for the $20,000 prize. Despite the setback, Larson is set to compete again on May 12 at Kokomo Speedway, a 0.25-mile dirt oval in Indiana.