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“Should’ve Been Rowdy”: Fans React to Kyle Larson Being Named as the Cover Driver for NASCAR 26 Game

Yahoo! Sports - News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

20 June 2026 at 00:36

Feb 11, 2026; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) during qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson was announced as the cover driver for the ‘NASCAR 26 The Game’, developed by iRacing. However, the fans weren’t pleased with the decision to put Larson as the cover driver and conveyed their discontent.

NASCAR 26 The Game is set to be released later this year in September. The stock car racing series revealed the cover driver for the game ahead of the race weekend in Coronado. As the announcement was made, many fans highlighted how Kyle Busch should’ve been the cover driver.

“Should’ve been Rowdy,” mentioned a user
Another wrote, “Shoulda been KyBu (Kyle Busch)”
“Waiting for the Rowdy Edition,” commented another

Kyle Busch suddenly passed away on May 21, 2026, after battling pneumonia, which progressed into sepsis and led to complications. Many wanted Busch to be on the cover as a tribute to the legend. Some wondered whether the Busch family was even approached by NASCAR and iRacing, as they commented,

“I’m not sure if the Busch family was approached regarding the approval of him being on Cover, if they rejected the idea then cool, if not, then he was robbed”

Some questioned how Joey Logano didn’t get to be on the cover of NASCAR 25 as the defending champion, but Kyle Larson gets the spot all to himself for this year’s game. Christopher Bell, William Byron, and Ryan Blaney were the three drivers in last year’s game.

“So Joey Logano didn’t get a cover in 25 as defending champ but Kyle Larson does now?” commented a user
Another mentioned, “Thank god you can change covers on steam😭😭✌🏾”

Kyle Larson was announced as the cover driver on Thursday by iRacing and NASCAR during a live event. The event included Larson performing donuts on the historic USS Midway aircraft carrier in Coronado.

Kyle Larson ‘not stressed’ about winless Cup series streak

NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) races during the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Sunday, May 31, 2026.

Kyle Larson’s last Cup series race win came over a year ago at the Advent Health 400 in Kansas, the 12th round of the 2025 season. While Larson hasn’t won a race since then, he’s been running in the Top 5 and isn’t stressed about the winless streak.

Speaking on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, Kyle Larson said,

“I feel like, man, we’re doing a good job with what we have. We’re sixth in points, we’re not too far out of fourth. So, yeah, sure I want to be winning right now and all of that, but I’m not going to stress myself out about it either because I understand that there’s still work to be done to get to where we need to be. And two, we’re running inside the top-10, we’re not running outside the top-10.”
“I think that would feel more like a slump. I don’t really feel like we’re in a slump at the moment. So, just gotta keep our heads down, stay focused on us, and it will come together,” he added

Kyle Larson was in the lead for the majority of the first stage at last weekend’s Cup race at Pocono and finished in P5.

Corey Heim Reveals 23XI’s ’Take Bigger Risks’ Advice Ahead of Full Time NASCAR Cup Drive in 2027

Yahoo! Sports - News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

19 June 2026 at 22:59

May 3, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; 23XI Racing driver Corey Heim (67) is introduced before the start of the 2026 Wurth 400 cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Corey Heim is set to make his full-time NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2027, as he will replace Riley Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota. The defending Truck Series champion detailed the 23XI boss’ advice for him to take bigger risks as he prepares for 2027.

Heim made his Cup Series debut in 2024 for Legacy Motor Club, driving the No. 43 Toyota in a couple of races. Heim has run 12 Cup races in the last three years, five of which were this year.

At Kansas earlier this year, Heim finished P15, but the No. 67 Toyota had the pace to finish inside the top 10. In a recent interview with ESPN, the 23-year-old recalled his conversation with 23XI Senior Director of Competition Dave Rogers after the Kansas race.

Rogers’ advice to Corey Heim was to take bigger risks, even if it came at the cost of hitting the wall and wrecking, as 23XI wanted him to be prepared ahead of the full-time drive in 2027.

“He was like, ‘Hey, man, I don’t want you to wreck our cars or anything, but it’s OK if you take these bigger risks and learn. No one is going to think poorly of you if you hit a wall or do this or that to hinder the result because you took those risks. We want you to be ready for 2027 and learn from mistakes,’” said Heim.
“I feel like I’ve been thinking about that a lot, in regard to my decision-making and my mindset throughout a race. It’s not as much about results as it is learning and being prepared to be full-time next year,” he added.

Corey Heim is set for 12 Cup Series starts this year and has already raced in five, leaving seven more races this season before he takes over the No. 35 Toyota from Riley Herbst.

“I’m in every single meeting”: Corey Heim details preparation for 2027 full-time drive

May 3, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; 23XI Racing driver Corey Heim (67) drives during 2026 Wurth 400 Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

After a record 2025 Truck Series season in which Corey Heim won the title with 12 wins to his name, he’s no longer driving full-time in the Truck Series this year. The 12 Cup Series races and a handful of Truck races are what Heim is racing this year.

Highlighting the preparation going on for 2027 off the race track, Heim said:

“I’m pretty much as involved as a full-time driver [would be]. I’m basically in every single meeting. I don’t sit in on the debriefs on the races that I don’t run, but the prep side of things, our meetings to look over previous races, I’ll be in those meetings.
“I work out there every day, and I do the simulator two or three times a week. I pretty much prepare as if I’m a full-time driver in case something happens to one of their guys and I have to sub in at the last second. I think that’s the vision they had for me from the beginning as well.”

Heim has made five Truck Series starts this season and has won three of those races, with the most recent win coming at Michigan.