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For the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, Kyle Larson is bringing back another classic Terry Labonte-inspired NASCAR paint scheme. Getting to do these throwback schemes has allowed Larson to get to know Labonte more in the last couple of years.
Last season it was Corn Flakes. This year, the Frosted Flakes car is back. Well, it is a HendrickCars.com look-a-like. So, not the same, but very cool in its own right.
Speaking to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, Larson was asked about his relationship to Labonte. Before, as a fan of racing, and now, as he has gotten to know him.
“I don’t know, I mean, I didn’t watch a whole lot of NASCAR back then,” Larson explained. “I don’t know, obviously, I was a Jeff Gordon fan. There was never anybody I remembered like not cheering for. Like, I ate Kellogg’s, so I’m sure I was a Terry Labonte fan.”
Kyle Larson joined Hendrick in 2021. Since then, he has gotten to know Labonte.
“Jeff’s told a lot of stories about how much of a tough competitor he was,” Larson explained. “Like, his personality is very quiet. But like, I remember Jeff saying, you never really knew what he was thinking. When he would pay you back, he would pay you back big. So, I thought that was really cool. Yeah, just the little bit I’ve been around him now since I’ve been at Hendrick, yeah, he just seems like a great guy, down to earth, easy going. Very similar like, I feel like myself you know, just quiet, calm, mellow. All that. Yeah, he’s just a legend so it’s cool to get to spend a little bit of time around him and doing things like this.”
Kyle Larson honoring ‘legend’ Terry Labonte
A legend, indeed. I’m sure Terry Labonte is honored to have Kyle Larson representing his old looks on the track. Larson already has a championship and 30 career wins. He won’t turn 33 until this July and has barely entered his prime as a race car driver.
Fresh off his win at Homestead-Miami, I’m sure Kyle Larson has big plans to get to victory lane at Darlington as well. He can run right up on that wall better than almost anyone in the Cup Series.
The chances of Larson winning at Darlington are pretty good. He has a Southern 500 win and is great at these intermediate tracks. Even at Chip Ganassi, Larson was pulling off top-three finishes regularly at The Lady in Black.
Are we going to see Kyle Larson park this Frosted Flakes-inspired car in victory lane? Or will it be another rough day at Darlington for Larson, like it was last spring in May?
More must-reads:
- Denny Hamlin has revealing comments about his future after signing extension
- Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Denny Hamlin has revealing comments about his future after signing extension
The fat lady is yet to serenade Denny Hamlin's NASCAR career, but she's slowly beginning to warm up. On Friday, it was announced that Hamlin signed a two-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing — an extension Hamlin says is "most likely" the final one of a career that has spanned two decades. Should 2027 be Hamlin's final season, it would be his 22nd year of full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition. Hamlin, 44, is a 58-time Cup Series winner and leads the series with four victories this season. Even in the twilight of his career, Hamlin is one of the best drivers in the garage — and that's completely intentional. "The ability to win week in and week out, that's a high motivating factor in wanting to do this," Hamlin said in a news conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday. "Certainly, as competitive as I am, I'm motivated by being able to win." "Who knows what could happen three years from now?," Hamlin said when asked about why he didn't opt for a longer deal. "I just want to make sure I give them (Joe Gibbs Racing) proper time, make sure I commit to them for not one year, (but) multiple years, let them continue to try and build the program. But no particular reason — if I was 26 I would take 10 years. I want to make sure I'm still at peak form in my final year." Hamlin will go for first Brickyard 400 win on Sunday, and a win at Indianapolis would give him a victory in all four of NASCAR's crown jewel races.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
ESPN Predicts Mets-Twins Trade One Week Before Deadline
The New York Mets are a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, but their pitching staff is still injury-ravaged despite the recent returns of Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Brandon Waddell (hip), Dedniel Nuñez (elbow), Max Kranick (flexor), Paul Blackburn (shoulder), Tylor Megill (elbow), Griffin Canning (Achilles), Drew Smith (elbow), A.J. Minter (lat), Danny Young (elbow), and Christian Scott (elbow) are alll on the Mets' IL. The MLB Trade Deadline is July 31 at 6 p.m. EST, so the front office has one week to add healthy arms from around the league this season. ESPN's David Schoenfield predicted on Thursday that New York would trade for a Minnesota Twins reliever. "One guarantee of the trade deadline: The Mets will add to the bullpen, probably with more than one trade. Though the rotation still ranks fifth in ERA, that was built off a hot start," he wrote. "More importantly, the only Mets starter to complete six innings since June 7 has been David Peterson. As a result, manager Carlos Mendoza has run relievers Reed Garrett, Huascar Brazoban, Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek into the ground. The bullpen had a 2.78 ERA through May, but that figure is over 5.00 since the beginning of June (ranking near the bottom of the majors)." "The Twins have two high-profile relievers in [Jhoan] Duran and [Griffin] Jax, both of whom are under team control through 2027, so they'll be much more expensive than your usual short-term relievers if the Twins decide to trade one or both," he continued. "Duran would be harder to deal -- but bring more in return -- so we'll say Jax will go. Don't be fooled by his 4.09 ERA: He has 68 strikeouts and 12 walks in 44 innings with a 97-mph heater. He's an elite strikeout reliever, the type you want on the mound in October." The Mets are hot despite their injuries, as they're on a four-game winning streak and just swept the Los Angeles Angels. Next up is a road trip against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. New York right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48 ERA) will face Giants right-hander Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08 ERA) on Friday.
Raiders HC Pete Carroll expands on decision to release DT Christian Wilkins
For the first time since the Las Vegas Raiders' shocking release of DT Christian Wilkins on Thursday, head coach Pete Carroll fielded questions about the move. "To make our decision, we watched our way through the whole thing," Carroll told the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vinny Bonsignore. "We're keeping really clear with what we said. I think there was no clear path to his return, and we just had to move on." Wilkins was injured in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos last season, suffering a foot injury that would put him on the IR after five games. It was not what the Raiders had hoped for after then-general manager Tom Telesco signed him to a four-year, $110 million deal in March 2024. Initially, Wilkins did have surgery, but wasn't healthy by the time organized team activities started, and his rehab proved to be a "challenging process" as described by Carroll a few months ago. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Las Vegas reportedly wanted Wilkins to undergo another foot surgery, but he declined, which led to the release of the six-year pro from Clemson. The Raiders are attempting to void $35.2 million in remaining guarantees that Wilkins was owed on his contract. The NFLPA filed a grievance against Las Vegas as a result. Wilkins was brought in to help star pass rusher Maxx Crosby create problems for opposing offenses. The Raiders got a brief look when Wilkins recorded 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and two sacks before he got injured in the second quarter. The injury was unfortunate for Las Vegas, which had counted on Wilkins to produce similar results, as he had in his last three seasons with the Dolphins, recording 17 sacks, including nine in 2023. Perhaps Raiders GM John Spytek saw this coming when the silver and black selected Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues in the 2025 NFL Draft. While there is still time to find the next player to fill the void left by Wilkins, there is a massive hole in the interior line.
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