NASCAR fans shocked as 13-year-old Kyle Larson beats future IndyCar partner, goes viral

It seems that the world is indeed a small place! And what better example than a flashback showing two iconic NASCAR drivers crossing paths decades ago? One of the drivers in question is Kyle Larson, who is preparing for the iconic “Double Duty.” And ahead of his highly anticipated Indianapolis 500 debut, social media took a trip down memory lane to bring back a never-before-seen photo that sent fans into a meltdown.

From karts to IndyCars

Alexander Rossi is not a new name on the IndyCar circuits. Winning the 100th running of the Indy 500 as a rookie in 2016 put him in the center of fan attention. And now he’s made headlines again when Reddit discovered his association with Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson.

The photo in question shows the two current McLaren teammates at a karting event, back in 2005. A Reddit user posted the photo and it began circulating the internet. Little did the young Larson and Rossi know that their Go-Kart rivalry would evolve into them becoming teammates for the next iconic Indycar event.

Rossi is currently the No. 7 Chevrolet driver for the Zak Brown-led team. With the initial aim of making it into F1, the driver moved to Europe as a teenager, but later returned to the United States after failing to secure a full-time position in Formula 1. And it was perhaps- being a good decision since he finished second and third in the Drivers’ Championship points standings (in the IndyCar series) in 2018 and 2019, respectively. And now he looks forward to May 26, where he will have the chance to snatch victory from his teammate.

But it seems Rossi already knows about Larson’s exploits. According to Autoweek, the 32-year-old driver thought:“(Kyle Larson) was going to be a fantastic addition. He’ll know right away. He is going to be a challenger to win. Reiterating his view, the driver said: “I don’t have to watch him run to know that. Oh, he’s phenomenal. I have said for a long time that he is one of the best in the world. This is not easy considering what he has accomplished in his career. It’s virtually unrivaled.

That said, fans were shocked to see that Larson and Rossi met long before they even crossed paths as adults.

Fans react to Larson and Rossi’s outburst in the past

As the shared photo circulated on social media, fans were transported back in time where they witnessed what looked like the beginnings of two future running prodigies.

“It’s crazy how things like this happen in life,” one fan wrote, commenting on how a person’s life path can lead to such unexpected reunions. “Awww, I love it.” Young Rossi and little Larson 😂” another fan commented.

Despite only a month age difference (Larson being born on July 31 and Rossi on September 25), the latter seems to have matured beyond his years while Larson seems very young. One fan pointed this out, writing: “Rossi is less than a year older than Larson, but looks years older in this photo.” Another fan just found this coincidence so cool, writing: “Now it’s cool”!

Another Redditor also spoke about the coincidence that brought the two drivers together 19 years later. “Nineteen years later, the dynamic duo returns to Indy!…. Hopefully without the Red Bull, though. This shit is POISON,” they wrote.

As the old Go-Kart rivalry and current teammates prepare for the upcoming race, fans now look forward to Larson and Rossi racing at the pinnacle of motorsport.