Kevin Harvick praises Kyle Larson fueling Denny Hamlin rivalry after Bristol win

Kyle Larson dominated the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway over the weekend. However, the more interesting storyline after the race was the shot the Hendrick Motorsports wheelman took at Denny Hamlin, adding fuel to the fire of their rivalry.

Hamlin had won the previous two races, and was looking for No. 3 in a row, but Larson put a stop to it. He made sure to point that out while speaking with the fans after the win: “You know, if Denny’s in front of me, it could be a totally different story and be really hard to pass him,” Larson stated, regarding Hamlin’s runner-up finish. “But glad to stop his three-peat. We hate to see him win. I’m sure you guys do, too. But it’s just good to be back here in Victory Lane.”

Kevin Harvick is a fan of Larson playing into the rivalry with Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran likes to antagonize the crowd, and Larson playing the hero is exactly what NASCAR needs, according to Harvick.

“I love it. I love to see somebody playing the other side of the fence,” Harvick said, via Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour. “Let the villain be the villain and let’s antagonize — let’s poke the villain.”

While Larson’s on-track abilities are highly-publicized, the comments lend credence to Harvick’s comments that the Hendrick Motorsports is privy to keeping things fresh off the track as well. He knew exactly what he was doing with his pointed comment towards Hamlin.

“Let’s not take away from the fact that Kyle Larson is paying attention. Kyle Larson is paying attention, and he also knows how to put on a show. He also knows how to play to the crowd,” Harvick added. “He’s underrated in a lot of categories. He’s not underrated as a driver, but he’s underrated in a lot of categories off the racetrack.

“Now, you’re starting to see this personality from Kyle Larson, playing into the things that are said around him. When he got the first opportunity — obviously, he and Denny are friends, but he definitely — those fans love him. Right now, Kyle Larson is the most popular driver on the circuit.”

As you can tell, the rivalry between Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin is something that could captivate fans, media members and other drivers throughout the 2025 campaign. Time will tell if these two continue dueling over the next couple of months, but they’re both certainly well-positioned for runs at the title this season.