Dale Earnhardt Jr. sends warning to Kyle Larson after comments on Xfinity Series competition

Dale Earnhardt Jr. issued a warning to Kyle Larson after the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion said his main motivation in racing in the Xfinity Series is to embarrass the competition. If Larson decides to compete in any more Xfinity races this season, Earnhardt’s team, JR Motorsports, will be ready to go head-to-head against him.

“You know, I wish he would sign up for some more races now,” Earnhardt said on the Dale Jr. Download. “Because I know one race team, one owner and 160 employees that would love another shot. … He can expect that to absolutely nerf the other teams and our team. We have a relationship with them [Hendrick Motorsports]. We share information with them. They’re in our meetings and they take all the information we have and then they put it in his car. And he goes out there and runs good. It was just odd.

“… I don’t know why he didn’t lap the field. He was out there Saturday in the Xfinity race to lap the field, and he should’ve. … He had the field covered and he should the way he ran. I understand the point he was trying to make but the way he presented it only made me wish he would sign up for a few more races this year so we can have a chance. He’ll tell us the Hendrick car is full. They got [Corey] Day, Rajah [Caruth], [Jake] Finch — they got a season full. But there’s other Chevrolets out there and he won’t be in that sweet Hendrick equipment carrying him around that racetrack. But hey, he’s the difference maker, right?”

Kyle Larson reveals reason for racing in Xfinity Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. responds

But here’s the thing: Larson isn’t scheduled to run another Xfinity race in 2025. He’s thus far competed in two, and that’s expected to be the extent of it. There was a time when some of the Cup Series’ best drivers would compete in Xfinity races on the same weekend. Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and others frequently did it. The problem? Those drivers were winning too much.

NASCAR has since limited Cup participation. Cup drivers with more than three years of full-time experience are limited to a maximum of five Xfinity and five Truck Series starts per season. The final eight races of the season — the playoffs and regular season finale — are off limits to Cup drivers.

Larson has an issue with that. He wants the opportunity to compete more in Xfinity to prove a point to the younger drivers, as well as NASCAR.

“In Xfinity, I do get motivated, and this is going to come across like very cocky, but I want to embarrass them, honestly,” Larson told Kevin Harvick. “I want to embarrass NASCAR a little bit because they just don’t let Cup guys run anymore, and the kids probably think they’re in a good spot and they don’t know where the bar really is at.

“So, I like to go run those Xfinity races and just get 10-second leads to let them realize that they’ve got a lot of room to improve. I think that’s only better for our sport. When those young guys can compete with Cup guys, they’re better suited for the Cup Series once they get there. … I want to smash the field when I run Xfinity. That’s motivating to me, for sure.”