Billionaire Elon Musk has once again stirred up public opinion by announcing that he will reward NASCAR driver Kyle Larson with $500,000 and a Tesla if he publicly refuses to celebrate Pride Month. Musk stressed that it is time to end the “WOKE era”, continuing to stir up controversy on social media, especially on X. The keyword “Elon Musk Kyle Larson Pride Month” quickly became a hot topic. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and owner of X, has been relentless in criticizing the “WOKE” movement in recent times. Previously, he announced a $100,000 reward for Denver Broncos players who refused to celebrate Pride Month and threatened to confront supporters of the movement, including driver Joey Logano.
This time, Musk targeted Kyle Larson, who caused controversy when he refused to celebrate Pride Month this morning, citing that “WOKE” was not worth remembering. Musk appears to be using the big reward to encourage Larson to continue to stand firm.
Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, has been in the spotlight for his controversial comments. He believes that sports should focus on competition rather than social issues, a view that has received both support and criticism from fans. With Musk’s attractive offer, many on X have begun to speculate whether Larson will reaffirm his stance. Some say the reward could put more pressure on Larson, especially since NASCAR has faced criticism for its handling of social issues.
Reactions from the community have been mixed. Some have supported Musk and Larson, saying they are defending traditional values. However, many others have criticized Musk’s actions, saying that using money and gifts to influence personal views is inappropriate and could cause further divisions. On X, hashtags like #ElonMuskKyleLarson and #PrideMonth2025 are generating millions of interactions.
Elon Musk’s offer to Kyle Larson continues to heat up the debate about the role of social movements in sports. Will Larson accept the award and publicly oppose Pride Month again?