Interview
NASCAR Cup Nashville
Kyle Larson: "NASCAR has always been my No. 1 priority"
Kyle Larson would like to clear something up – NASCAR is where his focus is and where he has always hoped to compete.
Jim Utter
Edited: Jun 23, 2021, 4:26 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Larson’s extensive sprint car background, including his continued participation in numerous races during the Cup Series season, have often raised questions over whether NASCAR was where he really wanted to be racing fulltime.
Following his victory Sunday in the inaugural Cup Series race at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway – his fourth consecutive win (including the All-Star Race) – Larson tried to put those doubts to rest.
Larson, 28, was asked about being allowed to do a lot of extra racing since joining Hendrick Motorsports this season – something team owner Rick Hendrick has generally discouraged his drivers from doing.
Read Also:
“It’s worked out really great for me. Cliff (Daniels, Larson’s Cup crew chief) I think understands that when I race, I get better. I just kind of go through with him on what races I want to run,” Larson said.
“He’s been cool to let me race as long as it’s not interfering with anything I’ve got going on with the NASCAR team because that’s always been my No. 1 priority, even in the past. I know a lot of people don’t think that.
“NASCAR has always been my No. 1 priority. I don’t miss anything. I don’t go race a dirt race when I could be doing something else with the NASCAR team, whether it be a sponsor appearance or sim day or whatever.
“I’m there for the NASCAR team. I’ve kept it that way.”
The benefits
There’s no doubt Larson keeps a hectic schedule but racing and competing for wins is what drives him and he believes being successful in one type of racing can help him become better in another.
“I think all the racing helps for everything. I win a Cup race, it helps me for dirt racing. I think, too, even though it’s different race cars, looking at the driver telemetry data and stuff helps when I go race a sprint car, as well,” he said.
“Then, too, I think just racing a lot (helps). I’m in racing situations more than anybody else in the world really, but especially in Cup. I think that helps me stay sharp, it helps me be aggressive, it helps me understand what things are doing, tracks changing, stuff like that.
“Too, I think you’re just getting into a rhythm and staying in a rhythm, where none of these guys are going to get back in a car until Saturday. I think it’s a big advantage for me to be in a car multiple times throughout the week.”
Right now, Larson’s team owner seems to agree.
“It makes him better to drive all these different cars, especially those high-horsepower cars on dirt,” Hendrick said of Larson. “The one thing that Cliff has talked to me about is (Larson) spends as much time or more time than any other driver in the shop.
“If he wants to race, he’s got this as a priority. I mean, he digs and digs and digs. It’s all he thinks about. I think he’s happier. I want him happy. I don’t want him hurt. I’ve kind of given up on these (stopping) guys wanting to drive.
“The crew chiefs and I have talked about it. They think it’s good. The safety deals are better. I’ve told them all they can drive what they want to.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Ross Chastain rebounds for career-best finish at Nashville
Next article Jeff Gordon to be vice chairman at Hendrick, leaves FOX Sports
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jim Utter
Erik Jones agrees to multi-year contract extension with Legacy Motor Club
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Erik Jones agrees to multi-year contract extension with Legacy Motor Club
Goodyear's option tires at Richmond "were like Mario Kart with a star"
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
Goodyear's option tires at Richmond "were like Mario Kart with a star"
NASCAR: Austin Dillon move was "really close to crossing the line"
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
NASCAR: Austin Dillon move was "really close to crossing the line"
Latest news
Winner and losers from MotoGP’s cancelled Australian GP weekend
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 min
Winner and losers from MotoGP’s cancelled Australian GP weekend
Inside COTA's Turn 1 clubhouse and its plans to build a second track
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
19 min
Inside COTA's Turn 1 clubhouse and its plans to build a second track
Max Verstappen puzzled by Q3 grip loss, but Austin shows how far Red Bull has progressed
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Max Verstappen puzzled by Q3 grip loss, but Austin shows how far Red Bull has progressed
Carson Hocevar says Zane Smith feud is "pretty one-sided"
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
3 h
Carson Hocevar says Zane Smith feud is "pretty one-sided"
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe