Kyle Larson

 Kyle Miyata Larson, born July 31, 1992 was an American professional driver in auto racing. He is a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East winner and the Rookie-of-the-Year as well as the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series rookie of the year and the 2014 Cup Series rookie of the year. In addition to his racing career in stock cars, Larson has been highly accomplished in dirt track racing having won at some of the most prestigious races including the Kings Royal, Knoxville Nationals and Chili Bowl Nationals. He also took home the 24 Hours of Daytona race with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2015.Racing careerEarlyCareerLarson racing a USAC Midget race in Born in Elk Grove on July 31, 1992, Larson was born. His parents watched the first race just a week after. He started racing at seven years old in karts that were outlawed in Northern California. As as a teenager, he raced open-wheel cars and raced in the United States Auto Club (USAC) midgets, Silver Crown and sprint cars, which competed with Keith Kunz Motorsports as well as Hoffman Racing with Toyota backing;[2In the beginning of his career in USAC one of the official racers gave Larson the nickname "Yung Money" in recognition of his skills. Also, he raced in the World of Outlaws sprint cars. His first sprint car race win came at Placerville Speedway, where he was among the youngest drivers to ever take part in. He took home the 4-Crown Nationals held at Eldora Speedway, winning in all three kinds of USAC cars on the same night. He is the only driver in the history of racing to achieve this feat.He took home two Silver Crown races that season and was awarded the series' Rookie of the Year. He also has the Ocean Speedway, Watsonville, California sprint car record, which he established in 2010. In 2012, he took home six USAC National Midget races including the Turkey Night Grand Prix. 8] Throughout his stock car career, Larson continued racing open-wheel race cars during midweek in addition to going to New Zealand in some off-seasons to race.Stock carsTouring seriesLarson's 2012 K&N Pro Series East Championship car.While Larson showed some interest in IndyCar racing, Larson was signed for the 2012 racing season by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (EGR) as part of the team's driver training program. In February 2012 at the Pete Orr Memorial Orange Blossom 100 at New Smyrna Speedway, Larson made his debut in a full-bodied stock car and took the win by leading the last lap. He won the race again at the speedway during the World Series of Asphalt a week later. 13. Larson completed his race in full time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in the direction of Rev Racing. In the first race of the season, at Bristol Motor Speedway, Larson placed 9th. Larson was on the pole at the Bowman Gray Stadium and finished 5th. He took home his first K&N Pro Series East win at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia. [15] Larson earned his 2nd career win in New Hampshire. Larson who was racing for Eddie Sharp Racing in the ARCA Racing Series, made his debut at Michigan International Speedway on June 15 in 2012. Larson finished 13th in the race. 17. Larson was the winner of the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship with two victories and 12 top tens in 14 races, overcoming the five victories of Corey LaJoie (son of two-time Busch Series champion Randy). Larson was named NASCAR's K&N Pro Series East's Rookie of Year. [18Larson Larson took home his first ARCA win at Pocono Raceway on June 7 the 7th of June, 2014. He started from pole position.Truck SeriesLarson's race-winning No. 30 truck in Rockingham in 2013. In June 2012 Larson was able to make his Camping World Truck Series debut at Kentucky Speedway in the No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado for Turner Motorsports. He finished 10th overall in the race. In April 2013, Larson won his first Truck Series victory at Rockingham Speedway. Joey Logano finished in a close second. At the time of the celebration, Larson performed donuts without his steering wheel in place his own, a technique he acquired when racing go karts. NASCAR asked Larson to keep his certificate attached because he would not have the same control over the car without it. He placed 2nd in the first Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway.In 2016, Larson joined GMS Racing to drive the No. Martinsville race. Larson was fifth in Martinsville. Larson was 4th at Martinsville, having started fifth. Larson was penalized for intentionally bringing out the caution. Larson's tire fell on lap 51 at Eldora Speedway. He was penalized for 20 laps per lap slower before receiving the chance to win a free pass, and then went on to win his second career win after beating Christopher Bell. In 2020, Larson announced he would return to GMS Racing to drive the No. 24 truck for the Homestead race in pursuit of the reward that was offered by Kevin Harvick to full-time Cup drivers to beat Kyle Busch Following his suspension from NASCAR, Larson was released from the team.In 2021, Larson joined Niece Motorsports to pilot the No. 44 truck to race the brand new Bristol dirt-racing. [30] Larson started 28th after the heat race was cancelled because of rain. He finished 35thXfinity SeriesLarson in his Nationwide Series rookie season in 2013.Larson's 2013 Nationwide Series car at Road America.In 2013, Larson moved full-time to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, driving the No. 32 Chevrolet Camaro for Turner Scott Motorsports. [31] On the last lap of the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway, he was involved in a violent collision in which his car was thrown into the air and struck the catchfence, completely ripping the front end of his car off. He was not hurt, but the debris injured a number of spectators in the stands. [32] During the inaugural Nationwide Children's Hospital 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Larson was thrown away from the track and into the tires on lap one. But, after being sent off three laps due to repairs, he was able to finish on the lead lap, finishing 14th. Larson was named the Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year after the season's finale at Homestead. Larson became the first Asian-American participant in Drive for Diversity to win an Rookie of the Year Award for a national touring series. Larson drove the No. Part-time and was driving the No. 42 car. At Bristol, Larson started on the pole and finished 2nd behind Kyle Busch. Larson was second at Auto Club Speedway on March 22nd and beat Kyle Busch (Kevin Harvick) and claiming his first Nationwide Series victory. [34][3535 Larson declared, "Those last 11-12 laps were my longest laps." It was a tight victory so many times. However, the way we won was special. Larson was celebrating his second career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway with burnouts in the race without a steering wheel. [36][37] On May 24, Larson earned his second career victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway, edging Brad Keselowski In 2015, Larson drove the No. 42 car part-time for HScott Motorsports. He won at Homestead-Miami Speedway after holding off Austin Dillon, and the first win for HScott Motorsports.In the year 2016, Larson continued to drive the No. 42 part-time at Chip Ganassi Racing, (CGR). Larson was the winner of Pocono in the final race of the season, but it was postponed due to rain on lap 53. He would win again later on in the season at Texas Motor Speedway.Larson's 2017 Xfinity Series car at Dover.Larson was a participant in 11 Xfinity races in 2017. He took the win at Auto Club Speedway after holding off Joey Logano. Larson took his 8th career win at Dover after leading 137 laps. 2022 Larson drove the No. 17 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports at Road America. He took the lead in the opening stage and led the majority of laps. However, he fell to Ty Gibbs in the final lap and was placed in second. [39Larson Larson drove the No. Larson drove Larson drove the No.88 car of JR Motorsports in Watkins Glen. He took his 13th career victory after Ty Gibbs and William Byron spun together during the final laps. Larson finished fifth at the race in September. Darlington race after three-car battle between Noah Gragson, Sheldon Creed and Sheldon Creed in the final laps.