NASCAR fans love a good conspiracy theory almost as much as they love a photo finish. Whether it’s a driver “letting” a legend win their farewell race or suspicions that certain teams get a little extra help from the officials, these stories fuel endless debate in the grandstands and online. But every so often, a theory comes along that’s so juicy, so tangled in rivalries and timing, that it takes on a life of its own. That’s exactly what happened after Kyle Larson’s heartbreaking near-miss at the Xfinity race at Homestead earlier this season. A wild new theory emerged suggesting Larson and Hendrick Motorsports were denied NASCAR’s iconic triple crown by more than just racing luck.
Kyle Larson’s weekend sweep stopped by Toyota?
Kyle Larson arrived at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March 2025 with a shot at NASCAR immortality. The Hendrick Motorsports star set his sights on a weekend sweep, eyeing a win in the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series at Homestead. Only one driver, Kyle Busch, had ever accomplished this rare feat. Rowdy did it first in 2010 at Bristol and again in 2017 for Joe Gibbs Racing’s Toyota, and Larson’s blend of speed, adaptability, and relentless drive made him a real threat to join that exclusive club with Chevrolet.
Larson’s weekend started with a dramatic win in the Truck Series. He overcame a late spin and surged through the field for a last-lap victory. He followed up with a commanding performance in the Cup Series, capturing his 30th career win after battling through adversity and outdueling teammate Alex Bowman. However, his shot for a sweep was done before Sunday, as the Xfinity race on Saturday saw a dominant showing end in misery.
In the Xfinity Series, Kyle Larson’s luck ran out. After leading 132 laps and having as much as a 17-second lead on the field, Larson was looking poised to continue his winning run from the Truck Series into Xfinity, leaving him one race away from glory. However, a late caution was caused by Toyota JGR driver Taylor Gray’s spin bunched up the field and squashed Larson’s lead. On the ensuing restart, contact from Sam Mayer lifted Larson’s rear tires, allowing Justin Allgaier to seize the win. Larson finished fourth, ending his bid for the iconic Triple Crown.
More recently, a wild conspiracy theory has appeared on X regarding Larson’s near-miss, weaving in names from NASCAR’s murky history. The theory claimed Michael Waltrip, yes, that Waltrip from the infamous 2013 Richmond Spingate scandal with his old Michael Waltrip Racing team, was called on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, specifically after the Larson-Gray incident, for a reason. And the reason is as outlandish as you might think.
It’s not a coincidence that Kevin Harvick had Michael Waltrip on his podcast just days after Kyle Larson called out Ty Gibbs. After all, Ty Gibbs owns the car of Taylor Gray, who intentionally spun to cost Larson his Homestead Xfinity win.
Toyota cheating will always be a thing pic.twitter.com/ncBgcBnSuO
— whatsundersteer (@whatsundersteer) April 19, 2025
Back in 2013, at Richmond Raceway, MWR’s Clint Bowyer intentionally spun his car late in the race. The move was designed to bring out caution and manipulate the outcome and help Bowyer’s teammate, Martin Truex Jr., secure a spot in the Chase (now known as the playoffs). The orchestrated spin set off a chain reaction: other MWR drivers pitted or changed their strategy, further influencing the results. NASCAR’s subsequent investigation uncovered the scheme, leading to historic penalties. Truex was removed from the Chase, MWR was fined $300,000, and the team’s reputation was left in tatters.
This fan claimed that Taylor Gray’s spin was the reason for Michael Waltrip’s appearance on Kevin Harvick’s podcast after Larson’s loss at Homestead, quickly drawing parallels to MWR in 2013. The fan further pointed out that Taylor Gray drives a car owned by Ty Gibbs, who had recently been name-dropped by Larson for his lack of progress transitioning from 2022 Xfinity Champion to Cup Series struggler. The theory goes that Gray’s late-race spin was a deliberate attempt to trigger a caution and cost Larson the win, as Gray, driving for Toyota, did not want Larson’s Chevy to make it to victory lane and have a shot at the weekend sweep, a record that only Toyota has with Kyle Busch.
However, it’s a massive leap to equate the two. While Spingate was a proven, coordinated team effort with clear intent and consequences, there’s no evidence to suggest the Homestead incident was anything more than racing chaos. The comparison, while dramatic, relies more on NASCAR’s history of colorful controversies than on any credible link between the events.
Larson fires shots – The thing that started it all
Much of the conspiracy theory hinges on Kyle Larson supposedly “taking shots” at Ty Gibbs. But in reality, Larson’s words targeted something bigger: the entire Xfinity Series-to-Cup pipeline. His interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio wasn’t a personal attack on Gibbs, but a critique of NASCAR’s evolving driver development system. He just used Ty Gibbs as an example.
Despite Gibbs’ Xfinity Series championship pedigree, Larson noted that the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has yet to secure a Cup Series win. Larson meant to emphasize that today’s up-and-coming drivers often lack the depth of experience that was once standard before entering the Cup ranks. And this is NASCAR’s fault for not providing Xfinity drivers enough exposure before they move to the Cup Series.
Kyle Larson cited his own path. This includes racing against Cup legends like Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson in the lower series. This proved to be a key factor in his development. According to Larson, NASCAR’s recent restrictions on Cup drivers participating in lower series events to 5 races a season have left inexperienced drivers like Gibbs less battle-tested and less ready to compete at the highest level. “I really like Ty Gibbs. He was an Xfinity Series champion, but he’s yet to win a race. I think a lot of that comes from just the limits that NASCAR has put on,” Larson explained. He suggested that the current system is failing to adequately prepare drivers for the rigors of Cup competition.
As Gibbs continues to search for his first Cup victory amid mounting pressure and visible frustration, Larson’s remarks serve as both a critique of NASCAR’s development pipeline and a reality check for the sport’s next generation. As far as the conspiracy theory goes? Well, the claims do not add up, and right now, it seems like a fan grasping at straws. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
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