Kyle Larson sweeps Sunday night races at Merced Speedway

Just a couple of weeks removed from the NASCAR Cup Series finale, Kyle Larson has won a couple of dirt races at Merced Speedway. Larson swept the doubleheader on Sunday in the USAC Midget race as well as the 360 Sprint Car event.

Kyle Larson can’t stay away from the racetrack too long. He went out west to California and came away with a pair of wins. He had not raced in a Midget since his dominant win at Knoxville Nationals in August.

In USAC competition, Larosn brings his total to four wins in the last five starts. That dates back to November of 2023. He has more dirt races lined up before the end of 2024 as well.

After his win on Sunday, Larson expressed relief after being out of the Midget car for so long.

“We’ve been really good whenever we’ve ran the Midget at all these California tracks except Merced, I feel like,” Larson said to Drake York of FloRacing.

Kyle Larson even avoided a MAJOR disaster in the 360 race. He went up high in Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 8 of 30 and it about took him out. He jumped around and wheelied, but drove through it and won by about four seconds anyway.

🤠 Scary moment for leader @KyleLarsonRacin during the 360 Feature at @Merced_Speedway! pic.twitter.com/DBrNxICqlq

— FloRacing (@FloRacing) November 25, 2024

“We’ve been average at best [at Merced], and we’ve had a couple races we were really, really bad,” Larson went on after the victory. “Felt good to get a win there. I was honestly surprised how good I could get through the holes. I don’t know if the track opened up enough for me to keep my wheel spin where I needed it. But yeah, I was a little nervous going into that feature because the Sprint Cars go through the holes way easier than the Midgets.”

Kyle Larson adds another win to his 2024 total. Across all of the series and disciplines that he has raced this year, he has 19 total wins. Nine of those came in the 410 Sprint Car and six in the NASCAR Cup Series. He picked up a single win in the Xfinity Series, 360 Sprint Car, Dirt Late Model, and the Midget car. Just a racer’s racer.

Kyle Larson is still racing in 2024

This year could end with more wins for Kyle Larson. He is constantly competing and always behind the wheel. He has another race this week at Ventura Raceway. But coming up soon, he may have more competition.

Joe Gibbs Racing has changed their policy on dirt racing. That means Christopher Bell is heading back to his sprint car to compete against the likes of Larson and the dirt regulars.

“One thing I like to do when it comes to dirt racing is I don’t like to make a schedule,” Bell said of his 2025 plans. “I really just go week-by-week and if I think a week looks quiet, I’ll look for opportunities to go race and then it’s a matter of who has a car available and can I get in it, things like that.

“I’m definitely not going to make a schedule so to say, but yeah, I’ll take it week-by-week. It’s nice to know that it’s in my hands and the competition department’s hands. I’m excited about it and looking forward to reconnecting with my dirt fans.”

Hopefully, we see Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson go head-to-head on a dirt track soon. But it is nice to have Bell back, regardless.