Recently in NASCAR we have seen some impressive talent. Young drivers are dominating the NASCAR scene, coming up through the ranks, making a name for themselves. Some will make it big, while some may not- but one of those talented young men is driver Kyle Larson.
For his first time ever at the “Tricky Triangle,” Kyle won Saturday’s Pocono ARCA 200 at Pocono International Raceway. He also started on the pole position, and led 66 of the 80 laps in only his third start in the ARCA Series.
Larson was the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Rookie of the Year, and is a Rookie of the Year contender this year in the Sprint Cup Series.
Kyle began his racing career when he was seven, racing go karts. His parents took him to his first race when he was only one week old.
Driving for Turner Motorsports, he made his debut in the Camping World Truck Series in the summer of 2012, and had an outstanding top ten finish. That same year, he won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship, plus the Rookie of the Year award, too.
In 2013, Larson landed a full time ride in the Nationwide Series, driving for Turner Scott Motorsports.
He commented on Friday after getting the ARCA pole position that he is “the worst shifter in the world.” He also drives around his town in a stick shift – he said he team makes him do that. He also misses his automatic transmission.
There is a huge difference in preparation for the ARCA and Sprint Cup races. The main reason for that is that in Cup, shifting is crucial and constant. In ARCA, while getting up to speed, shifting is necessary, but doesn’t remain constant while maintaining speed.
This year, Larson replaced Juan Pablo Montoya as driver in the No. 42 for Chip Ganassi Racing. At only 21, Larson has a full time Cup ride and has had an impressive career thus far. Look for Kyle Larson to be a future super star – he’s a name you will be hearing for a long while.