Kyle Larson: “I’d say that racing on the World of Outlaws tour full-time is my main goal”
Kyle Larson is in the midst of separation anxiety. For the majority of the year, Kyle Larson is glued to a racing seat. Whether it’s NASCAR or a dirt sprint car, he’s busy. Until the snow falls…
“I get super bored in the off season. I wish I could go race more, to kinda make it go by faster.”
Kyle Larson discusses all things dirt racing via the Open Red podcast. Listen to the audio below with hosts Ross Wece and Justin Fiedler.
In August, Kyle Larson had to persuade his NASCAR Cup Series owner to let him run the Knoxville Nationals. With some relentless influence from the dirt racing fan base, he was given the all-clear to go race.
Larson went on to finish 2nd in the 2017 Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway. The next day, Kyle Larson climbed into his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series machine at Michigan International Speedway. He drove it to victory lane. Chip Ganassi was excited, so excited that he took out his excitement on Kyle Larson’s head.
Kyle Larson is a dirt guy, through and through. Yet, he runs full time in the premier side of asphalt oval racing.
Do you have your 2018 dirt schedule completed?
“I have a big master schedule,” Kyle Larson stated via the World of Outlaws Open Red podcast.
“Which I have to narrow down to 25 races. Which stinks because I have 35-37 on there. I hated to see Canada cancel. But, then I’m like, ‘Well, that opens up two other races that I can go run.’ ”
In Kyle Larson’s NASCAR contract there’s a dirt racing clause. Larson is only allowed to run 25 dirt races during the season. That’s the deal he has worked out with Chip Ganassi, not too take away too much focus from the main job.
Beyond that, Kyle Larson isn’t allowed to race anything the night ahead of a NASCAR Cup Series event. That’s not just the race itself. That includes practice sessions. So, if NASCAR practice is scheduled for Friday and the race is schedule for Sunday, Larson has to take Thursday-Sunday off. That leaves Monday-Wednesday, open for sprint car racing.
Ohsweken Speedway has canceled all their major events for 2018. That’s what Kyle is referring to when he states that Canada canceled. The canceled events included the World of Outlaws show. The reason comes down to a lack of parking at the speedway.
“I’m going to run less midget stuff next year. To get a couple more sprint car races in — Yeah, I want to race the sprint car a lot more.”
Is there anything you want to run that you haven’t?
“Yeah, I was bummed when Smoke got rid of the Prelude to the Dream. A dirt late model is at the top of my list, of cars that I’ve not yet raced.”
“But, I only have 25 races. I have people approach me and ask if I want to run their car. I’m like, ‘Yeah! But I can’t.’ I have to pick and choose a lot.”
This isn’t the first time Kyle Larson has stated interest in running a super late model on dirt. He made a similar statement back in September 2017.
Related: Kyle Larson wants to run a dirt late model
Recently, Kyle Larson became the full owner of his dirt racing team. Larson Marks Racing fields a dirt sprint car full-time on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series tour.
In 2018, that team will enter under a new title, Kyle Larson Racing Team. Larson will become the sole owner.
Related: Kyle Larson takes sole ownership of his dirt racing team
Shane Stewart is the driver of the #2 machine. He finished 6th in the 2017 drivers standings and picked up 8 wins along the way.
Kyle Larson filled a second sprint car, the #57 as often as he’s allowed. He picked up 1 WoO win and collected 4 top five finishes in 2017.
Would Kyle Larson consider running full time with the World of Outlaws?
“With NASCAR, as everyone knows, there’s a lot of money in the sport, and you can make a good living from racing there,” Larson stated on the Open Red podcast. “So I wanted to make it to NASCAR.
“Throughout the 2011 season I had opportunities to go Indy Lights racing and stuff like that … but I just wasn’t into that. I grew up watching Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and wanted to race with them.”
I’d say that racing on the World of Outlaws tour full-time is my main goal
-Kyle Larson
“NASCAR is where I wanted to make it, but I would have been perfectly fine if I didn’t made it, honestly. I’d probably be on the Outlaw tour right now, racing and loving life. NASCAR wasn’t … I’d say that racing on the World of Outlaws tour full-time is my main goal; NASCAR’s just the step to get there.”
Related: Kyle Larson makes the 2017 Forbes list
Australian Tour
Tonight, Kyle Larson begins a marathon week of racing in Australia. Six races are on the schedule in the dirt midget.
Dec. 26
Western Springs Speedway
Dec. 28
Baypark Family Speedway
Dec. 30
Western Springs Speedway
Jan. 1
Huntly PlaceMakers Speedway
Jan. 3
Western Springs Speedway
Jan. 5
Western Springs Speedway