TULSA, Okla. — If you’re going to bring your son to compete in his first Tulsa Shootout, you might as well race, and that’s what Kyle Larson did Saturday night.
As a result, he added the WFO Outlaw Golden Driller to his shelf at the 40th annual Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink.
Fifteen years since his last appearance in the Tulsa Shootout competition, a then very young Kyle Larson earned a Silver Driller in the 25th running of the event.
Getting the lead from the onset, Larson was originally set to drag race Frank Flud into the first two turns, however a fueling issue sidelined the No. 81 before the green. Putting T.J. Smith to the pole instead, a misstep on the bottom allowed the CB Industries No. 83k room to run.
Pacing start to finish, the win was not without contest as the closing laps saw traffic enter the fold. Allowing Smith and seventh-starting Emerson Axsom to run down the No. 83k, the final two laps saw both take their shot but would not be able to overtake the NASCAR Cup Series Champion for the win.
Axsom held on for second, with Daison Pursley making the late race charge to third from 11th. Thomas Kunsman, Jr. crossed fourth. Making one last effort through the final two turns, T.J. Smith slipped to fifth.
A record-setting field of 275 drivers made up the WFO Outlaw field at the 40th annual Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered NOS Energy Drink.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 83K-Kyle Larson[2]; 2. 10J-Emerson Axsom[7]; 3. 86-Daison Pursley[11]; 4. 21K-Thomas Kunsman Jr[5]; 5. 14X-TJ Smith[1]; 6. 21S-Steven Snyder Jr[6]; 7. 2G-Garrett Benson[4]; 8. 73B-Braden Chiaramonte[3]; 9. 21X-Christopher Bell[17]; 10. 15N-Neal Allison[13]; 11. 24X-KJ Snow[8]; 12. 14C-Connor Gross[21]; 13. 65-Michael Faccinto[15]; 14. 2F-Jadyn Friesen[14]; 15. 93-Matt Carr[16]; 16. 11A-Brent Crews[20]; 17. 14N-Tyler Courtney[19]; 18. 05-Kris Carroll[9]; 19. 42C-Noah Carpenter[12]; 20. 88-Austin Torgerson[23]; 21. (DNF) 555-Jett Barnes[10]; 22. (DNF) 73M-Wyatt Miller[18]; 23. (DNF) 4T-Tyler Lupton[22]; 24. (DNS) 81-Frank Flud
