GAS CITY – Sure, Kyle Larson knows the risks of climbing into a sprint car and going wheel-to-wheel with the nation’s best dirt track drivers in between races on the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup circuit.
The 24-year-old from Elk Grove, Calif., who is second in points in stock car racing’s top series heading into Sunday’s race at Pocono, also believes there are rewards to it.
That’s why Larson, nicknamed Young Money, was in a Keith Kunz Motorsports-prepared car for the first two nights of Indiana Midget Week – an annual six-night, six-track tour around this open wheel racing hotbed.
Larson set quick time in qualifying Tuesday at Montpelier Speedway and finished third in the feature.
On Wednesday, he was again the fastest qualifier and finished 18th in the feature at Gas City Speedway after spinning out while battling for the lead with about 10 laps to go.
When Tony Stewart broke his leg in a sprint car accident in 2013, an injury that sidelined him for the final four months of the NASCAR season, he was widely criticized for his extra-curricular racing.
Still, Larson argues that their are benefits to what he’s doing.
He’s said that it helps him improve as a driver.
Larson has even said that more NASCAR drivers should race at local short tracks because he believes NASCAR has lost touch with its fans.
Larson’s contract with Chip Ganassi Racing allows him to compete in 25 sprint car races per year, and according to published stories Larson said he’s going to take advantage of the opportunity.
I’ve been a dirt-racing fan for a long time. I grew up cheering for Tony Elliott and Bimbo Atkins at Warsaw Speedway.
My friends and I travel out of state to go to races.
Sprint car racing fans are extremely passionate about the sport. They buy a lot of merchandise of their favorite driver, or drivers, and they’ll camp for days to watch a race that sometimes lasts 15 minutes.
One of my favorite things about sprint car racing is that the drivers are so accessible. You don’t have to be a big corporate sponsor or have a media pass to get close to the action.
With a $30 pit pass you could have hung out in Larson’s pit Tuesday or Wednesday night. He signed autographs, posed for photos and talked to fans.
After his heat race, Larson sat in the bleachers amongst the fans and watched the other heat races.
There was no personal assistant pushing people away from him.
There was no roped-off area for him to sit in.
Remember, this guy is currently second in points in the Monster Energy Cup Series standings. I’ve seen other high-profile drivers – or athletes in other sports for that matter – go to extremes to avoid fans.
In 13 Cup races this season, Larson has a win and five second-place finishes.
In six NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, he’s got three wins, a runner-up finish, a third-place finish and a seventh.
And yet he scratched his racing itch by hanging out at dirt tracks in tiny Indiana towns – sitting amongst the common folk no less.
Larson is a racing fan himself, and he just gets it.
If that doesn’t promote the sport, I don’t know what will.
Note – Indiana Midget Week continues each night through Sunday. Tonight’s race will be at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, followed by events at Bloomington Speedway, Lawrenceburg Speedway and Sunday’s finale at Kokomo Speedway.
