NASCAR on TV this week

Happy Hour: Is Kyle Larson Really Better Than Max Verstappen?

On this week’s Happy Hour, hosts Trey Lyle, Michael Massie and Caleb Barnes are joined by Frontstretch‘s Danny Peters to talk the debate sweeping the motorsports world: Is NASCAR’s Kyle Larson or Formula 1’s Max Verstappen the best driver?

Larson added fuel to that debate this week when he told FloRacing, “I know in my mind I am better than him [Verstappen] as an all-around driver.” The Happy Hour quartet weigh in on who they believe is better between the two elite drivers.

The guys also predict which of the drivers currently in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs could win their first title, with the frontrunners being Christopher Bell, William Byron, Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick. They then discuss whether Austin Dillon has any chance of overturning NASCAR’s decision to not count his Richmond Raceway win toward playoff eligibility when the appeals board hears the case.

See also
Thinkin’ Out Loud at Michigan: Tyler Reddick Is a Championship Lock

It didn’t take much for Corey LaJoie‘s car to go airborne when he spun at Michigan International Speedway on Monday (Aug. 19). Is that something NASCAR should be concerned about? The guys give their takes.

In the bonus segment, with Backyard Baseball making a comeback, the gang select which old NASCAR games they wish would get made again.

Watch the whole show below or listen to the audio version wherever you get your podcasts.

About the author

Podcast Director

A Graduate of Virginia Tech in Sports Media and Analytics, Trey Lyle has been covering NASCAR since 2021 as the producer of the Fast Lane with Ed Lane on VTRN Sports 93.3 FM in Lynchburg, Va.

Trey joined FS in 2023 to cohost Happy Hour and help out on the podcast front as the producer for Brining the Heat with Bryan Nolen. Now, he oversees the entire podcast operation for Frontstretch.

 

Content Director

Michael Massie joined Frontstretch in 2017 and has served as the Content Director since 2020. Massie, a Richmond, Va., native, has covered NASCAR, IndyCar, SRX and the CARS Tour. Outside of motorsports, the Virginia Tech grad and Green Bay Packers minority owner can be seen cheering on his beloved Hokies and Packers.

Content Director

Caleb began sports writing in 2023 with The Liberty Champion, where he officially covered his first NASCAR race at Richmond in the spring. While there, Caleb met some of the guys from Frontstretch, and he joined the video editing team after graduating from Liberty University with degrees in Strategic Communications and Sports Journalism. Caleb currently work full-time as a Multi-Media Journalist with LEX 18 News in Lexington, Kentucky and contributes to Frontstretch with writing and video editing. He's also behind-the-scenes or on camera for the Happy Hour Podcast, live every Tuesday night at 7:30!

Content Director

Danny starts his 12th year with Frontstretch in 2018, writing the Tuesday signature column 5 Points To Ponder. An English transplant living in San Francisco, by way of New York City, he’s had an award-winning marketing career with some of the biggest companies sponsoring sports. Working with racers all over the country, his freelance writing has even reached outside the world of racing to include movie screenplays.

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RCFX1

This has been getting a lot of play in the press but ‘all around driver’ is the key phrase. Max may be great with F1, and way back when, in carts. Larson has been driving and winning in all kinds of series. That’s what he really was saying. Max is Max, mostly because of the Red Bull car.

Jeremy

Interesting discussion, but I don’t think there’s any comparison to be made. Kyle Larson has won races in USAC, the Rolex 24, NA$CAR Champion. He also didn’t embarrass himself too badly in his first and only Indy 500 start. Until Verstappen steps outside of open wheel, he cannot be considered an all around racer, much less compared to drivers the likes of Kyle. Not a knock on Max, but just a fact. He’s unproven outside the world of F1.

I will say this though, Kyle Larson is the one guy Tony Stewart says is “the best driver I’ve ever seen”, and that’s a BIG compliment from a guy who grew up with AJ Foyt as his idol, and himself has won and been very successful in multiple racing series/styles.

DoninAjax

The key words are “the best driver I’ve ever seen”. The correct answer is Mario! But I am partial to Jim Clark!

Last edited 2 months ago by DoninAjax
Ellenjay

NASCAR and Liberty Media got together and realized there was races still to run, but football season is here.