Kyle Larson Says He Wants to EMBARRASS NASCAR and Xfinity Series drivers
What’s Happening? Kyle Larson was the main point of conversation amongst NASCAR fans on social media regarding a quote from Kevin…
During the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. may have accidentally mentioned two previously unannounced drivers set to make starts in Hendrick Motorsports’ part-time No. 17 Xfinity Series entry.
During an in-depth conversation about Kyle Larson’s Xfinity Series pursuits, in particular, the NASCAR Cup Series Champion’s claim that he wants to “smash the field” when he races in the series, Dale Earnhardt Jr claimed that he wished Larson would race in more Xfinity Series races this season.
“I understand the point he [Larson] was trying to make, but how he presented it only made me wish he would sign up for a few more races this year.”
Earnhardt went on to joke that, if asked about expanding his schedule, Larson would claim that there isn’t room in the No. 17, his part-time Xfinity Series ride fielded by Hendrick Motorsports.
Earnhardt said:
“He’ll [Larson] tell us, ‘Well, the Hendrick car’s full. They got Day, Rajah, Finch, they got a season full.’ Well, [there’s] other Chevrolets out there. He won’t be in that sweet, sweet Hendrick equipment carrying him around that racetrack, but, hey, he’s the difference maker, right?”
What’s Happening? Kyle Larson was the main point of conversation amongst NASCAR fans on social media regarding a quote from Kevin…
While this was a chippy response from the NASCAR Hall of Famer, keen ears may have picked up on three names, Day, Rajah and Finch. Of course, Day is Corey Day, Hendrick’s dirt racing prodigy turned top prospect. Day joined the HMS Cup Series drivers as a part-time pilot of the No. 17 this season.
However, beyond Day, the first name referenced by Earnhardt is clearly Rajah Caruth, a Truck Series driver with ties to HMS. Shockingly, the third name mentioned is perhaps Jake Finch, who has ties to a Toyota team.
Caruth currently competes for Spire Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series. Finch, known for his Late Model pursuits, most recently raced with Toyota’s Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Season opener at Daytona.
Finch has never made a start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, while Rajah has a handful, including a one-off with HMS at the 2023 season finale in Phoenix. While Rajah getting another ride with HMS wouldn’t be shocking, Finch, who is scheduled to start this weekend’s ARCA race at Rockingham with Venturini, would be odd.
Per a press release from January, Finch still has Talladega, Michigan, Dover, and Bristol on his 2025 schedule with the Toyota Team. But perhaps Earnhardt, a former HMS driver whose team, JR Motorsports, works closely with the HMS No. 17, knows something we don’t.
It wouldn’t be surprising to learn that Earnhardt knows something, as the relationship between JRM and the HMS No. 17 goes beyond their use of HMS engines. As Earnhardt said earlier in the episode, “We have a relationship with them. We share set-up information. They’re in our meetings.”
While Earnhardt has these close ties to HMS, don’t take this quote to be gold. He was, of course, just making small talk and joking about how Larson would react to being asked about more Xfinity Series outings this season. It did seem, after all, as if he was pulling these names out of the back of his mind.
However, while Rajah would be a great name to use as an example, Finch is an odd choice. As a part-time car, these entries are technically possible, as the No. 17 has been known to take on the occasional outside, such as Caruth in 2023 and Boris Said in 2024.
What’s Happening? Hendrick Motorsports will enter a car in 16 NASCAR Xfinity Series races throughout the 2025 season. The No. 17,…
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