Larson could be driver to watch today
Californian made name for himself at Ohio dirt tracks.
Miami Valley racing fans looking for an Ohio driver to root for during today’s Daytona 500 have a solid choice in native Ryan Blaney, born about two hours away in Hartford Twp.
California’s Kyle Larson might be a close second.
Larson, the driver of the No. 42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing, made a name for himself running dirt tracks around Ohio, including his improbable 4-Crown Nationals sweep at Eldora Speedway in 2011. Larson, who routinely runs a half dozen races during Ohio Sprint Speedweek, doesn’t quite consider himself an honorary Ohioan.
But — perhaps just like a Daytona 500 victory — he’s getting closer.
“Ohio is one of my favorite states to race in,” the Elk Grove, California native said during Wednesday’s Daytona 500 media day blitz. “I don’t feel like it’s a second home or anything like that ... but the race tracks are all really exciting there. The dirt is really different there, kind of dusty and technical tracks. I get to race a lot in Ohio with Ohio Speedweek. I just enjoy racing there.”
Larson’s first visit to Eldora came in September 2011. It was the first time he’d seen the track in person. He entered as an unknown. He left as an up-and-comer after winning all three feature races in the United States Auto Club midget, sprint and Silver Crown cars. Larson and Troy’s Jack Hewitt (who also won a modified feature for a fourth win) are the only drivers to accomplish that USAC sweep.
The next day, Hewitt said it wouldn’t be long before Larson was driving on Sundays. Larson made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2013.
“I think winning the 4-Crown at Eldora was the event that got my name out in the mainstream media,” Larson said. “I remember winning it and the next day my name was all over Speed Channel. At the NASCAR track Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne all got interviewed about me. I thought that was really cool and it really got my name out there. I haven’t really got to race at Eldora much in the last handful of years. I raced last year at an Ohio Speedweek race, which was cool. Eldora is one of my favorite tracks. I just haven’t been able to race there much since I’ve gotten into NASCAR.”
Larson’s best finish in the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m., FOX) is seventh in 2016. It’s his only top-10 finish at the 500, though he’s raced in fourth place or better in his last three Daytona 500s. He was the leader on the last lap in 2017 before running out of fuel in Turn 2 and finishing 12th. He was passed by Kurt Busch, now his teammate, for the win.
“I almost won this race a couple of years ago when we ran out of fuel. Yeah, hopefully I have another opportunity to try and win this thing,” Larson said. “Just hopefully we can miss some wrecks and be in contention late in the race to win.”
Larson, who starts 26th in the 40-car field, is coming off a season where he finished ninth in the Cup Series standings. He went winless in 2018 but still recorded his highest-average finish of 12.6.
“It’s not like last year was a bad year. We just didn’t get a win,” Larson said. “We were close. It was still a good year. This year I hope we can get some.”
Larson plans to run Ohio Speedweek again and plans to run six of the nine races. He’s won at Eldora in a sprint, midget, Silver Crown and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series truck. There’s one more car he’s looking to run ... but not necessarily at Eldora.
“I’ve never raced a dirt late model. I’d like to try that. They look like fun vehicles and really tough competition,” Larson said.
“I wouldn’t expect to go to the (Dirt Late Model) Dream or the World 100 and expect to be good never having raced a late model before. I would like to race a late model first to see how I’m doing, then maybe go to bigger events. I don’t have events I want to run yet. I just want to race a dirt late model.”