Kyle Larson began the season under the microscope of social scrutiny and ended it by winning the NASCAR Cup Series championship.
The 29-year-old went from being suspended from NASCAR in 2020 to enjoying the most successful season any NASCAR Cup Series driver has had since Jimmie Johnson in 2007. That was the last time a driver won 10 Cup Series races in a season.
Larson’s season of redemption in NASCAR could also be called a season for the ages.
The Elk Grove, Calif., native is also a throwback to the days of A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Bobby Allison and Tony Stewart when racers competed throughout the week and earned legions of grassroots race fans across the United States.
When he won the NASCAR Cup Series title in a dramatic last-lap battle with Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin at Phoenix Raceway, it was his 29th victory of the season. In addition to 10 Cup Series races and the NASCAR All-Star Race, Larson won 19 events while racing three different types of dirt-track cars.
Among those were some of the most prestigious events in the sport, including the Kings Royal and Knoxville Nationals winged sprint car races, the Chili Bowl Nationals and BC39 for midgets and the Prairie Dirt Classic for dirt late models.
He did all of that while overcoming the fallout from having used a racial slur during an online sim race in April 2020 that led to his suspension and the loss of his NASCAR ride with Chip Ganassi Racing.
Larson turned things around off the race track in a story of redemption as impressive as winning a championship.
“If I were to go back and think about it, there were a lot of points last year where I didn’t think I would get to race in another NASCAR Cup Series race or stock car race in my life,” Larson said. “I accepted it and moved on and was excited about a life as a sprint car racer because that is something I always wanted to do, just not at 28 years old.
“Not even a year later, to see the success I’ve had in the Cup Series and a championship is surreal, but it’s not something I’ve thought of too often.”
While suspended from NASCAR in 2020, Larson returned to his dirt-track roots and won 46 dirt-track races. Simultaneously, he completed sensitivity training and worked behind the scenes to better himself.
Larson was reinstated to NASCAR last October and was eligible to return to competition Jan. 1. Eight days after he was reinstated, Hendrick Motorsports signed Larson to a multi-year contract to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet. Hendrick companies, including HendrickCars.com and Nations Guard, were the primary sponsors.
Team owner Rick Hendrick also permitted Larson to continue racing regularly on dirt.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d ever top what I was able to accomplish last year winning 46 times and about 50 percent of my races,” Larson said. “This year, I haven’t won as many races, but I’ve gotten more big wins.
“There is a lot I’m proud about, but this year I raced so many different types of cars. I was able to win a marquee event in each of the cars that I raced, the Chili Bowl and the BC39 in midget; Kings Royal, Knoxville Nationals in a sprint car; the Prairie Dirt Classic in a dirt late model; and a handful of big wins in the Cup Series. And to top it off with a Cup Series championship.
“I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to top this year, but I hope I can someday.”
What makes Larson unique is how he connects to the common man.
“Even if I was just racing NASCAR every weekend, I’d still be one of whoever,” Larson told SPEED SPORT. “I’m no different than any normal person. I’m out there doing something I love and if they want to follow it, that’s awesome.”
A trip back to his racing roots is how Larson helped rediscover himself. That, in turn, has helped race fans rediscover NASCAR racing.
“I think my fan base has grown a lot with all the winning I did last year and then coming back to NASCAR,” Larson said. “That is something that has made me happy.
“At the dirt races and even here, I’ve had a lot of fans tell me I’m the reason they are watching again. That makes me feel special that I’m doing something good for our sport of NASCAR. I hope to continue to help grow it.”
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