Kyle Larson’s Darlington car is a throwback to his first go-kart

MAG1K Motorsports resurfaces for Kyle Larson

For one weekend of the year, NASCAR throws it back to days of old. Kyle Larson’s 2021 Darlington Raceway paint scheme is a throwback to his early go-kart racing career.

The paint scheme mirrors Larson’s first go-kart which launched his racing career. His debut came in the late 1990s.

The car features the Mag1k Motorsports logo. The name stand for Mike, Andrea, Janet, including Kyle. Larson’s number was 1k. Instead of using an I, they used the number 1 to complete the name of the team.

Kyle Larson comments

“That was important for me to get that logo on the car because that’s our family team,” Larson explained.

The kart was purchased from their neighbors.

“It’s neat that they allowed me to throwback to my first go-kart,” Larson said. “A big shoutout to Hendrick Automotive Group for that. We could have easily done an old Terry Labonte scheme or something like that, but for them to allow me to get back to my grassroots of how I got my career started is definitely special to myself and my family.”

But, the paint scheme isn’t the only throwback reference for the weekend. Larson will also be fitted with a similar firesuit as well as a helmet from his early racing days.

“My dad painted a helmet for me and then it got stolen out the back of our truck after a race,” Kyle Larson said. “So, this is the second custom-painted helmet I had. My dad painted the first one and our neighbor and friend, Gary Morgan, painted this one.”

Kyle Larson - Go Kart
Kyle Larson – Go Kart

Mike Larson reflects on the start of Kyle’s racing career

“Kyle and I made the decision to buy that car, didn’t say anything to Mom,” Mike Larson said. “It was one of those ‘Let’s just keep this to ourselves and get the car home, and then we will deal with the apologies.’ “

Mike explained, “We pushed that car from that house, about 100 yards away, over to ours and rolled it up into the garage, and I remember her coming out saying, ‘What is this?’ Kyle and I just both kind of smiled at her and said, ‘We’re going racing.’ Obviously, she accepted it, but that car was orange – that was their colors.”

Larson will run the throwback scheme at Darlington Raceway on Mother’s Day. The race will air on Sunday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET via FS1.

Kyle Larson
2021 Darlington Raceway
Throwback
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Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports | Darlington Raceway | NASCAR

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