Kyle Larson on evolution of rivalry with Christopher Bell: ‘It pushed me to get better’

Kyle Larson has had his fair share of battles against Christopher Bell. From dirt tracks in Midget and sprint cars to vying for NASCAR Cup Series championships, the two seem attached at the hip at times as rivals eager to best one another. That will be the case once again in the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with just one point separating the duo and a spot in the 2025 Championship 4 on the line. MORE: Cup Playoffs standings | Martinsville schedule The two have never been far apart. But what once was a rivalry fueled by Larson's envy on dirt tracks across the country has grown into a true appreciation for his craft. "It's definitely evolved for sure," Larson said about his relationship with Bell in a Wednesday teleconference. "I hated seeing him beat me all the time on dirt. Like, it really -- not affected me, but it pushed me to get better, which was nice. So I appreciate that as a competitor. But yeah, I mean, he was in the same equipment as me and beating me every night for three years, it seemed. And then, I would say once he got to NASCAR, though, I always really like seeing him do well. And I think that's because I like to root on guys that come from the dirt background and whatnot. "So, yeah, whenever he wins, I don't get as upset as when I did when he was winning dirt races." Indeed, Bell went on a tear at the famed Chili Bowl Nationals, winning the Golden Driller trophy in three straight appearances from 2017-19, with Larson a painful runner-up in 2019. Larson finally broke through for his first two triumphs in 2020 and 2021, though, besting Bell heads-up in January 2020 with Bell second. By then, Larson had already completed six Cup seasons while Bell was prepping for his first. Nearly six years later, the two remain unquestionably atop the NASCAR Cup Series as the sport's elite. Larson has accumulated a total of 32 wins, 10 of which came in an outstanding run to his Cup championship in 2021. Bell, the 2017 Craftsman Truck Series champion, is playing catch-up and performing well in his pursuit, earning a career-high four wins in 2025 that bumps his total to 13, bolstering his resume with four consecutive multi-win seasons in NASCAR's highest level. Since 2022, Bell has averaged a final points ranking of 3.5; Larson has averaged a 4.5. Larson is well aware of Bell's ability to strike any given weekend. And now, he doesn't look at that prospect with the same disdain he once did. "Having us battle for championships in the past together or trying to make the final four like this weekend, I think it's cool," Larson said. "And I think it says a lot about the dirt racing community and drivers there, outside of just us, too. We've had lots of battles, lots of first- and second-place finishes, both in NASCAR now and dirt." Bell rejoined the dirt ranks in 2025 for a brief time, returning to his sprint-car roots throughout the season. "I don't think it went as well as he wanted it to, so now he might be retired again," Larson quipped. "But no, it's still cool to race with him on Sundays."