Kyle Larson Leaves the Door Open to a Shock NASCAR Exit to Pursue His Father’s Dream

Published 01/27/2023, 4:11 AM EST

For NASCAR fans, Kyle Larson is one of those generational talents who has enriched the quality of the sport with their performances. But then there’s an aspect of the Hendrick Motorsports driver that may or does result in a worrying scenario for the future.

That is his love for racing. It has not only made him committed and successful in NASCAR, but may also take him away from the sport in the future as his passion eclipses his curiosity.

One such example could be his move to INDYCAR in the future that may happen. And it’s not even that Larson rules it out, either. For him, it is a possibility simply because of the deep connection he has with that form of racing.

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Kyle Larson has a long connection with INDYCAR

In a recent interview with The Racer’s IndyCar podcast, the 2021 Cup Series champion revealed how his father was a huge INDYCAR fan when he was growing up. And that played into his mind as well in his childhood and formative years.

“Definitely, when I was a kid, he liked INDYCAR a lot more than any other form of racing, especially INDY500. When I went to Indiana in 2011 to be a full-time USAC racer, my dad probably wanted me to go INDYCAR racing more than NASCAR and things didn’t work out for me in that direction,” Larson said.

But it didn’t work out for him because he wanted to steer his career more towards left turns in a stock car than road courses in a single seater. Despite this, he hasn’t taken his eye off the single-seater.

“I’ve always paid attention to INDYCAR. I’ve definitely always paid attention to INDY500 because it’s been a race I’ve known. It’s special to my dad, it’s really special to me too,” he said. “It’s been a race I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time.”

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Larson doesn’t rule out a full-time INDYCAR season

After emphasizing his history and affinity for INDYCAR, Kyle Larson revealed his admiration for a former Hendrick Motorsports legend’s career trajectory, which he might replicate too.

“I’ve been very intrigued by what Jimmie (Johnson) had attempted to do last couple of years, being a full-time INDYCAR racer. I thought that was a huge task for somebody of his age,” Larson said.

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Larson, who often pushes his comfort zone’s boundaries, added that he could see himself, “some way down the road,” doing things that are “way out of” his comfort zone.

“Doing one race is out of my comfort zone but maybe doing a season down the road would be cool but the opportunity would have to be right,” he revealed.

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“So who knows?”

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Written by:

Shaharyar is a NASCAR writer at EssentiallySports. A graduate in Journalism from Amity University, he has been a passionate follower of motorsports for a better part of the decade. While Kyle Busch is always his first pick, he also considers Kyle Larson a legend in the making.

Edited by:

Akash Pandhare

Kyle Larson Leaves the Door Open to a Shock NASCAR Exit to Pursue His Father’s Dream

Kyle Larson has a long connection with INDYCAR

Larson doesn’t rule out a full-time INDYCAR season

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