Betting on sports is banned in some countries and, for good reasons. For starters, it incurs financial risks. Moreover, it is highly addictive. However, did you know there’s an entire company that allows the fans to bet on individual player performances in five major American sports, with NASCAR being one of them?

With just a single race remaining in NASCAR’s Cup Series schedule from the final showdown at Phoenix Raceway, every motorsport enthusiast out there is feeling the urge to bet on their favorite driver. Interestingly, the three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is no exception.

The Stewart-Haas Racing owner placed his bets on the Hendrick Motorsports icon

Let’s wind the clock back to the opening playoff race at Darlington Speedway. Kyle Larson won it and made his way into the round of 12. After moving on to the round of 8 on points, Larson won the opening round of 8 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and corkscrewed his spot in the Championship 4. It just seems like this 31-year-old athlete somehow knows the exact moment to seal the deal every single time.

Yes, he makes mistakes. But he also rebounds from his mistakes in a way that most people cannot. Plus, throughout his eventful career in the world of stock car racing, he has mastered the art of driving the high line that veterans like Dale Earnhardt Jr. approve of. But that’s not it.

Kyle Larson has had a successful career even outside of NASCAR. He is a successful dirt racer, a midget car driver, and a sprint car expert. It goes without saying that this man really knows his craft. So much so, that even Tony Stewart couldn’t help but place his bets on the #5 Chevy star.

In a recent episode of the NASCAR Hub Live, NASCAR legend Bobby Labonte asked Tony Stewart who he would choose as the winner of this year’s Cup title. And Smoke didn’t even falter as he name-dropped his favorite contender. Of course, it was Kyle Larson. The SHR owner said, “I don’t know how you don’t bet on Kyle Larson going back to Phoenix and winning a championship again. I mean, Kyle’s just one of those guys that when the big shows come up and the big moments come up, he rises to the occasion.”

Stewart seemed to be so impressed by Larson’s talent behind the wheels of his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, that he exclaimed, “He’s another Kevin Harvick!” Tony Stewart is the only driver to have even won the IndyCar Championship (1997) and the Cup Series Championship (2003, 2005, 2011). A bold claim like that, and that too, coming from Stewart, is indeed an achievement in itself for Larson.

“He’s just one of those guys that when all the chips are on the table, he knows what it takes to get it done and the big pressure situations just don’t get to him. You cannot rattle that kid,” said Stewart, “He just goes, gets in the car and does his job. So, of the four that are in the hunt right now depending on what happens with Martinsville, I think I’d still put my money on Kyle Larson.”

Tony seems to have a lot of faith in Kyle Larson. Is that why, he sold an entire series to Kyle Larson, which Stewart has owned since 2015?

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Tony Stewart chooses Kyle Larson as the torchbearer of his Series

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The All-Star Circuit of Champions held its first race in 1970 and has been operating since then. Just a few weeks ago, the Tony Stewart-owned series held its first full-season competition with Kyle Larson as its first champion. And now, Stewart has transferred the ownership of this Sprint car racing series to The High Limit Sprint Car series, jointly owned by Larson and his brother-in-law Brad Sweet.

According to NBC Sports, despite being extremely proud of our accomplishments, Tony Stewart felt like it was time to give the responsibility to Larson and Sweet. Stewart admitted, “We have developed great relationships with corporate partners, tracks, promoters, team owners and drivers, all of which have contributed to the success of the All-Star Series. The time is right to pass the torch to Kyle and Brad.”

Kyle Larson couldn’t have been more thankful for Stewart’s trust in him. “Sprint Car racing is in a better place today because of the contributions Tony has made, including his ownership of the All Stars,” said Larson, “His commitment to giving back to the sport has been an inspiration to me, personally.”

“Brad and I share his passion for making the business side of the sport better for teams, drivers and sponsors, and we’re thankful for Tony’s trust in us to carry on what he started,” he added.

Although the 2024 calendar for the All-Star Circuit of Champions has not been released yet, it’s not unnatural for the fans to wonder what its schedule will look like, especially with Kyle Larson as its part-owner.

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