Kyle Larson leads NASCAR in merchandise sales after…

Kyle Larson leads NASCAR in merchandise sales after difficult Indy-Coke 600 double

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson has emerged as NASCAR's merchandise sales leader halfway through the 2025 regular Cup Series season. Despite a disappointing end to The Double during Memorial Day weekend, in which he failed to finish both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600, Larson's commercial appeal continues to grow as he challenges seven-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award winner Chase Elliott.

The popularity of the 32-year-old driver coincides with his impressive on-track performance through the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. At the midway point, he has three race wins under his belt, eight top-five finishes, and nine top-10 finishes.

Despite his successes on track, Larson has also been met with criticism off of it. Following the race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, when he competed in the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series, the driver claimed that he wanted to "embarrass" the Xfinity Series drivers. He said on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast at the time:

“In my head when I pick the races, the triple is not really the reason why I do it. In Xfinity, I do get motivated - and this is going to come across as very cocky - I want to embarrass them honestly.

“I want to embarrass NASCAR a little bit because they just don't let Cup guys run anymore. The kids are probably thinking they are in a good spot and they don't know where the bar is really at. So I like to go and run those Xfinity races and get 10-second leads to let them realise they have got a lot of room to improve and it's only better for our sport too.

“When those young guys can compete with Cup guys, they are better suited for the Cup Series when they get there. I want to smash the field when I run Xfinity. That's motivating me for sure.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of those who took issue with Larson's comments.

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

“The first thing he said, I didn’t like. He said he wanted to embarrass the field, and he wanted to embarrass NASCAR, and he was not happy that they limit the races the Cup guys can run. The rest of the point he made was valid,” Earnhardt Jr. said.

According to a report from Sports Business Journal, merchandise sales at the Coca-Cola 600 were the highest since 2010, and this included Larson products centred around his attempt at The Double.