NASCAR has been searching for avenues and prospects to reach new audiences and expand its brand of auto racing. After years of association with tobacco companies in the past, NASCAR is now hopping on the trend of sports gambling with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing individual states to regulate sports gambling.

The drivers are the biggest influencers for the sport, and betting companies will be looking to rope in the stars of the sport to garner more engagement. However, not everyone is sold on sports gambling in NASCAR. Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson shared his reasons for not wanting to be linked to sports gambling.

Kyle Larson does not have an opinion about sports gambling in NASCAR

While the sporting league and governing bodies are expected to gain traction and better engagement, there are pitfalls and potential repercussions for the same. Larson does understand how online sports gambling helps NASCAR attract a new audience, but as far as his involvement is concerned, he likes to keep his distance from gambling of all sorts.

Larson shared his views on sports gambling in a press conference ahead of the Toyota Owners 400 race at Richmond Raceway. “I don’t gamble on sports. So maybe if I think I gambled on sports, I would have an opinion on it, but I don’t do any gambling.” Thus taking a neutral stance about sports gambling having a positive or negative impact on the series.

Although Larson does not fancy himself being involved with betting, he understands why NASCAR chose to go this route. “I do think that it would be and assume that it would be good for the sport overall just because you would attract probably a bigger audience and a new audience that maybe haven’t paid any attention to NASCAR racing. We can gamble, not we, but like you can gamble on NASCAR races right because of Draftking and all that, but see, I don’t know, I don’t gamble,” he added.

It’s fair to say that Larson has his focus in the right place, and given that he is starting the Richmond race on the pole, he is very much in the running to bag his second win for the season.

Larson and HMS drivers are favorites to bag another HMS win at Richmond

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The #5 HMS driver secured his first pole position of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season on Saturday afternoon. Larson was just a fraction quicker than his teammate, Chase Elliott, with a lap time of 22.438 at the 0.75-mile short oval race track. Also, Alex Bowman from the Hendrick camp is starting on the second row.

“Having the No. 1 pit stall here means a lot. So happy to do that. Happy to be in Group A for sure, and then the sun coming out a little bit there helps. Chase got real close there, so I was a bit nervous. Awesome day for Hendrick Motorsports… Good to be on the pole. We’ll see if it translates in tomorrow’s race,” Larson said via NASCAR.

Having already clinched a win at Las Vegas earlier this season, another successful run at Richmond will allow Larson to have more confidence for the crucial playoff rounds.

Read More: NASCAR Richmond Weather Update: Wet Weather Tires Added Amidst Skewed Numbers Surrounding Possibility of Rain