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Herm & Schrader
Kyle Larson On Racing Every Type Of Car, Driver Pay Disparities, & His Career Longevity as a NASCAR Cup Driver
01:22:04
With Kyle Larson almost pulling off the triple at Homestead-Miami over the weekend, we thought it'd be a good time to go back into the Kenny Conversations vault
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- [00:00]
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- [00:28]
Kyle Larson
You pay off devices early Are you.
- [00:32]
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Still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99 of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn more@discover.com credit card based on the February 2024 Nelson Report.
- [01:00]
Kenny Wallace
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Kenny Wallace show, brought to you by jegs, the leader in high performance aftermarket car parts. Remember to go to JEGS.com for everything you need. Well, deep breath again. It's a new year. The very first conversation in the year 2024 is what I believe is the greatest race race car driver that I've ever seen. And if you don't believe me, Tony Stewart said he's the best he's ever seen. Kyle Larson. Welcome. Kyle.
- [01:34]
Kyle Larson
Hey, how are you? Kenny?
- [01:35]
Kenny Wallace
Man, I'm doing really good. But first of all, I gotta tell you, behind you is absolutely beautiful. Are you in your home?
- [01:43]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, we're at our house here in Arizona. We spend, we spend the off season and in the first couple months of the NASCAR season out here enjoying some good weather and just some time away racing and racing people and, and just try to kind of recharge out here. So yeah, it's fun to get the Christmas decorations up. They're coming down in a couple days and do some golf. Owen just started flag football. There's all sorts of things to do, you know, around here. So it's, it's fun, it's fun to kind of like I said, get away and, and just recharge a little bit.
- [02:21]
Kenny Wallace
You know. Like I tell everybody, I put a lot of work into this. Got all, all my notes ready to go. I always remind everybo do my best to be Prepared, but let's start right there. Jimmy Johnson, our seven time NASCAR champion, started doing that, you know, moving out west. It seems to me like when we live in Charlotte, North Carolina, like I did for 27 years, it gets really intense. I like what you're doing there. What made you decide to do that, to go out to Arizona and live a little bit?
- [02:57]
Kyle Larson
Well, so we have some friends out here in two. I mean, with the west coast swing in March, we always would spend, you know, a week, week and a half out here in Arizona renting an Airbnb. And same thing in November, you know, we rent a house. And over the years I'm just like, man, I just really love Arizona. The weather is always amazing for the time of the year that we're out here. You know, there's a bunch of activities, just, you know, great food, lots of things to do. We're closer to our families, you know, so it just makes it a little easier for us. You know, we're closer to our family but not too close, so it's good. And last year, you know, Caitlin was pregnant with our son Cooper, who actually just turned a year old a couple days ago. But she wanted to have, you know, the baby out here and gets to, you know, get to spend some time out here. So, yeah, we decided to buy a house. And it's been fun. It's. I've really, really enjoyed it. It's like I said earlier, it's just, it's just nice to kind of get away from the racing scene a little bit. You kind of reset your mind, get recharged, all of that. So it is nice. I'm out here because I'm like, I'm itching to go racing again, you know, just because I haven't been around the racing that much. So I think it's good to be out here. And yeah, I really enjoy it. You know, like I said, we have some friends, jp, who kind of manages my life, he moved out here as well. So we have some really close friends and a lot of stuff to do. So it's a good time.
- [04:31]
Kenny Wallace
I guess now is the best time for me to ask you this question because you said you're itching to race. So Vato is getting ready to start up. It seems to me like that's going to just be right down the hill from where you're at, so to speak. You're almost already there. Dirt racing is, is starting up, what, in a week or two?
- [04:53]
Kyle Larson
This weekend? I'll, I'll head there on Friday. Yeah, it's only I was on the fence about driving or flying and five hour drive from here, but I decided to just get a commercial flight to El Paso and do that. So we'll head there Friday and yeah, I mean I'm excited, really excited to get get there. It's a great track. Royal Jones and his whole crew do a great job. I haven't raced a dirt late model since like June I think at Tri City. So yeah, it's been been a while and I really enjoy the late model too. So just excited to get in there, get race with Kevin and Jacqueline and Dave and everybody who's, who's, you know, part of the 6 car and yeah, hopefully we can go there and do a good job and maybe get a win. A win or two would be nice.
- [05:42]
Kenny Wallace
Well, let's come back to dirt racing in a little bit. Let's start like this. There were so many ways we could start our conversation, but I really do want to go to Tony Stewart. You're young, you're only 31 years old and I agree with what Tony Stewart said about you. He said Kyle Larson is the best driver that he's ever seen in his generation. He said that you are better than him. When Tony Stewart said that about you, what went through your mind?
- [06:21]
Kyle Larson
Honestly, it's an honor first off to have a guy who I believe has been the most talented race car driver that I've ever seen growing up, being able to jump in from different disciplines and compete at a high level when championships and races and all that, you know, say that, that I'm the best racer he's ever seen. It's, it's just, it's an honor and I don't know, at times you don't really believe it or want to believe it because you still understand that you're young and you know, maybe I'm only halfway through my career and there's still a lot left that I want to accomplish and feel like I can accomplish. So yeah, when you hear compliments like that, it's really cool. But at the same time it's like hard to appreciate it a ton because I'm right in the thick of it, so. But it is, it's awesome and you know, it's really cool that I got to compete with Tony and race with him, you know, in midgets and sprint cars and NASCAR and all of that, so. And two, you know, I've really tried to model my career and career path and what I race and what I do after him and not only in the driving side but even, you know, the team ownership stuff that I did for a little bit, you know, the promotion stuff that we're doing now, really, you know, he kind of laid the groundwork for all that for, for a guy like me to want to try and emulate and copy. So, you know, who knows, maybe, maybe now I might have to go NHRA racing sometime when I'm in my late 40s. Or 50s. But no, he's Tony's. Tony's definitely the one guy that I've looked up to the most out of, out of any other race car drivers. So yeah, it means a lot when, when he speaks highly of me.
- [08:09]
Kenny Wallace
I had a great conversation with your brother in law, Brad Sweet five time world of outlaw sprint car champion. You and him are starting high limit. You have. We'll get to that conversation a little bit. But when I was talking to Brad, you came up a little bit. How can you not? And he gave you a great compliment. We were talking about your talent and Brad said that one of your best qualities is sometimes you don't, you don't recognize how great you are. He says that sometimes it's oblivious to you, Kyle, and right there you say it's because you're right in the middle of your career. And I must say this, I don't want to be long winded about this question, but I asked Tony Stewart one time, I said, do you recognize you have a God given talent? And he says every day I thank the man above. So is, is Brad right? You're just, you're oblivious to your talent?
- [09:10]
Kyle Larson
I, I mean, I don't know if oblivious is the right word, but yeah, I mean I obviously, like Tony said, you know, I'm, I understand that I do have a God given talent and.
- [09:20]
Kenny Wallace
Good.
- [09:21]
Kyle Larson
But again, like when you're in the middle of it. Yeah, like I said, I'm only maybe, who knows, halfway through my career. I'm only 31. You know, I would love to race through my 50s. So yeah, I don't know when you're racing 100 times a year and you know, trying to battle for wins and run up front and all that and when you have good years, it's hard to like, I don't know, reflect on it and really appreciate it because you're already looking ahead to the next year, in the next race you want to win. So I feel like that's where I'm at right now in my career. But obviously too, you know, I know I've accomplished a lot and, and like, I think back to like 2020 and 21, you know, like now. I mean, just a few years from then, like, it'll, you know, I'll think about a race or a moment or really, you know, like, winning the Cup Series championship is probably the one race I'm like, I can't believe, you know, I did that. So. No, it's just. I'm blessed, too. Like, I. I obviously get to race with some of the best car owners and crew chiefs in the business, so that helps a lot. But more than just talent, it does take a lot of work. And. And I feel like that's something that I've gotten better at. The last, you know, four or five years is actually, like, understanding that I have talent, but trying to work to be better mentally, you know, physically, all of that, you know, it's important.
- [10:49]
Kenny Wallace
We have race car drivers that just run NASCAR. You know, my brother Rusty, Ricky Rudd, Dale Earnhardt Jr. There are, you know, 95% of the NASCAR drivers that run NASCAR, and that's it. However, the last time I remember seeing somebody like you is probably my other brother, Kenny Schrader. You and Schrader share the same desire to race everything you can. Schrader's slowing up a little bit now. He's. He's kind of running his mod. That's it. But is. Is that your goal? Is your goal to run everything there is, or does it just happen?
- [11:35]
Kyle Larson
Well, I think. I think part of it just happens. But again, I go back to, like, Tony Stewart, you know, I. When I was young, like, he was racing midgets, sprint cars, dirt, late models, dirt, modifieds, all while still racing a cup car or an IndyCar or whatever, and he was the guy that I looked up to the most. And, you know, and I. I think probably I realized that I really enjoy driving a lot of different cars, and, you know, I've had success in it. And you hear about A.J. foy, Mario Andretti, Tony Stewart, Parnelli Jones, guys like that who are, you know, the best of their generations. And so I think that probably made it turn into the goal of mine of being in the same category of driver as that. And so, yeah, that's why I think I've always pursued racing lots of different types of cars. I feel like it makes me a better driver, you know, when you can learn different disciplines. And it makes you feel good, too, when. When you do do good. And. And I think the challenge of it also is probably the most important piece. But, yeah, it's just I. I enjoy it probably is the. The biggest thing I want to brag.
- [12:51]
Kenny Wallace
On you one more time and then we'll, we'll get into some, some fun. I like to remind people, you know, on Kenny Conversation. So you're a NASCAR champion. All right, let's start like this. Kyle Larson, 31 years old, already a NASCAR champion, won the King's Royal, one of the biggest wing sprint car races in the world, or maybe, you know, close to the Knoxville Nationals. And you won the Knoxville Nationals. You've won the Chili Bowl. This is the one that's pretty incredible. You won the 24 hours of Daytona with Chip Ganassi. Listen, I can go on and on and, and the in, it's show and tell time. So when it, when it's like, how am I going to brag on Kyle? Because I didn't have enough paper, so I thought I'd make fun of how great you are. Check this out. We can it it. This is your success. You see what I'm saying? So when you see all that, these are, these are unbelievable events. Now, out of all the conversations I've ever done, I got to you and I went, my Lord, you've done it all. Although you're still so young, what are the things that are on your radar, first and foremost that you still want to win that somehow is not on that two foot long list that you've already done there?
- [14:24]
Kyle Larson
Honestly, there's a lot, I mean, because there's a lot that I haven't really got to compete in, you know, and, and Indy 500 is obviously an easy one to talk about.
- [14:35]
Kenny Wallace
We're gonna talk about that.
- [14:36]
Kyle Larson
You know, I would love to win that, but I'm really just happy to be able to race it. But then even, you know, I've, I've been lucky enough to accomplish a lot on the dirt side of things, but again, I mean, there's not much I've competed in. I think I ran the National Open once at Williams Grove. I would love to win that test score 50, you know, I've only got to run that a couple times, you know, HUDs, Jackson Nationals in the late model side. There's a lot, you know, that I would love to be able to accomplish, you know, someday I'm, I'm happy that I've won, you know, one crown jewel with the Prairie Dirt Classic. But, you know, if I could someday win the dream, the world, the show me 100, you know, the list goes on. There's so many big races.
- [15:20]
Kenny Wallace
I'm laughing because most drivers are like, I want to win the NASCAR this. And you're over here and I'm a dirt racer. So, you know, we're kind of like, you know, Prairie Dirt Classic. That's Fairberry.
- [15:33]
Kyle Larson
I mean, there's definitely stuff in NASCAR as well. There's just less races. Yeah, there's less, you know, marquee events. You know, the Brickyard 400 would be cool. Daytona 500. I'm trying to think. I mean, those might be the only two like marquee events that are left on the NASCAR side that I would love to win. I mean, I want to win at every racetrack. That'd be great. I won in Martinsville, which is unbelievable to me. So that one feels like a crown jewel. But I don't know, there's just that there's a lot and there's probably a lot that's not even on my radar as of right now because, you know, who knows where my life and career might go, you know, 15 years from now when hopefully I'm still somewhere close to my prime. And what other, you know, racing might pop up but 24 hour Le Mans would be fun to run someday, Stuff like that. I think. Fortunately for me, I think I could have the opportunity to compete in a lot of big events. But yeah, we just have to kind of wait. See, it's tough right now. You know, when I'm running every weekend for points in the cup series, it's hard to go hit all those big races. Hey, this is Dalenhardt Jr. And for the latest Herman Schrader gear, you need.
- [16:49]
Kenny Wallace
To go to shop.dirtymomedia.com We've got plenty of options for everybody and we're adding.
- [16:54]
Kyle Larson
New stuff all the time.
- [16:56]
Kenny Wallace
So go to shop.dirtymomedia.com if you love.
- [17:00]
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- [17:21]
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- [17:30]
Discover Representative
Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. And every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn more@discover.com credit card based on the February 2024 Nelson report.
- [17:59]
Kenny Wallace
So let's, let's have fun now. I just wanted to establish you and everything that you've already done. I think everybody would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. When you told your coroner, Mr. H. Rick Hendrick, how did you put the deal together? Tell me the moment, give me some details. How did you say, rick, you need to let me race whatever I want to race.
- [18:29]
Kyle Larson
So I mean, it was, you know, I lost my job and all that in 2020 and I had, you know, went back to dirt racing and had had a phenomenal season. And I don't know, I think it was like June or July. Jeff Gordon called me, he's like, hey, Mr. H. Says he wants to meet with you. And I, I have no idea what it's about, but you just need to get to Charlotte so we can go meet with him. And I was, I was at Port Royal racing the sprint car, you know, two day weekend that, that weekend and drove my bus because I was living in my motorhome basically, you know, on the road racing for like seven weeks at a time. So I think that ended a seven week stretch on the road. So we drove back to our place in North Carolina all night. Then I drove down to meet up with Jeff and Rick. And yeah, basically the conversation was going great and he was saying how he missed seeing me race in NASCAR and loves my style and would really love to have me on his team. And obviously I was excited about that. And at the end of it, he was like, well, is there anything that you want? And me, I was really nervous just because, you know, I had no real leg to stand on with everything that went on with me. And I was just like, I would really love to keep racing this dirt stuff, expecting him because, you know, with, with Hendrick motorsports history, you know, they didn't really want their drivers running stuff outside of nascar. So I was expecting him to kind of laugh at me and, or, or just, you know, or kind of get upset and say my focus wasn't where it needed to be and stuff like that. But, you know, thankfully, yeah, I mean, he was all good with it. You know, Jeff had, you know, stepped in kind of right away and said that, you know, they were changing their brand a little bit and what they do with their drivers and they would be okay with it. So, yeah, never in a million years would I think that, one, I would be racing at Hendrick Motorsports, and two, while racing at Hendrick Motorsports, be able to run whatever I wanted to, whenever I wanted to. They never said no. You have to get permission for all these races that I run, and they have never said no. And two, it's funny, you know, Cliff Daniel's my crew chief. He's like. A lot of times he's the one who's like, you need to go race this race, or you need to go do this, do that. 20, 21, I think it was. We were, you know, I wasn't going to run the National Open because it was during NASCAR weekend, and I can't remember how it went, but he was like, are you running National Open? I was like, no, you know, it's in the playoffs and this and that. He's like, no, you need to. You need to go there. You need a race. You need to try to win that race. So I think we finished second. So. Yeah, that's. This is really cool to have the support of. Of Cliff and Jeff and Rick and Jeff Andrews, Jack and Alice, like, all of them, you know, let me go kind of do what I want to do, which is. Which is awesome.
- [21:25]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah. So psychologically, has the team. Has Jeff or Rick or your crew chief, have they. Do they. They feel like by giving you that freedom that keeps you keep some of this energy level. You know, you could be holed up in the motorhome on a Friday, Saturday night, but you go run the dirt car or you go run something like that. Does everybody think you're better because you. You go run the dirt car and you're not sitting in the motorhome on Friday and Saturday night?
- [22:01]
Kyle Larson
I mean, I haven't really had that conversation with them, but I would assume that. Well, first I'll say, I'm sure they would be happy or happier if I wasn't racing every weekend or every weekday, but I think they're allowing me to still do it. So I think they believe in it, like I do. I. I think it. There's a balance that goes along with it. Like, I think, you know, there's a side that keeps me competitive, keeps me race in racing situations, keeps me learning, all of that. But then, I mean, I can't lie. Like, there's times of the year I'm. I'm burnt out and I'm. I'm wore out and I just want to go home and sleep. But, you know, I'm gotta go race this race because once I commit to race, like, I don't, I don't like to, you know, say that I, oh, I'm tired, I can't go do it, you know, because the guys that I'm racing for, Paul Silva, Kevin Rumley, like, they're doing this for a living. So when I'm not racing, I'm not making them money. So once I commit, I want to commit, but it's definitely a balance. I mean, middle of the summer when I'm never home, like I get wore out. You know, there's been a couple of times like last year, you know, I could tell Cliff was frustrated with, you know, me getting, getting in late and having to be up early and, you know, a little bit tired. And I feel like I'm always focused on racing. But, you know, when, when you have, you know, an average race or something, it's easy to point that, you know, maybe you weren't 100% prepared for the race or whatever. But in my eyes, you know, when I'm racing all the time, like that's all I care about and I'm focused on it all. I want to win every race I run, all of that. So no, it's, it's like I said, it's a balance. But I think more than anything it helps me overall, which is good.
- [23:45]
Kenny Wallace
I feel like Rick is not just a champion, but I mean, he's, he seems to be a great human being and he hedged his bet and he, and he became a champion. He said, do whatever you want to do and you've already done everything for him. So I think he came out the winner. And it looks to me, you know, from my standpoint, every body received what they want out of the deal. Congratulations. I was your biggest fan during that time and I just think it's awesome. So one little, one little bitty thing that I have wrote down here. How in the world. What plane? What planes? Plural? I mean, you'll be at the Knoxville nationals and you gotta be in loud New Hampshire the next morning. What kind of travel are you organizing to do, doing all this?
- [24:37]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, it's. So I do most of my logistics on my own. So I mean, I try to fly commercial as much as possible. I would say half the time at least I'm probably flying commercial to races. Martin Shooks Jr. He has a charter service through his aviation company. So I use that a fair amount. They're pretty cost effective. And then this past year, you know, for our high limit races, the midweek shows A lot of times we would take the Hendrick team plane. I would pay for that, and that way we could take. A lot of our employees this past season are located in North Carolina, so it worked out that we could all fly together, get to the racetrack and do our jobs and get home the same night, which is great. Currently, I am in the market of buying my own plane just for the logistics of how much simpler it would be. And I've gone 10 years of cup racing without owning a plane, so I.
- [25:41]
Kenny Wallace
Feel like I've done frugal.
- [25:43]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, I feel like, you know, I've done a fair. Fair job of not wasting money. And private flights or private stuff is really expensive, but the time is money and the convenience factor and all that. I think I'm getting to the point. My wife's getting the point, you know, where we have three kids. Like, it's a lot, you know, to race as often as I do, travel as much as we do, and. And, you know, I think we're to the point where, you know, convenience and all that, that means. Means a lot. So we're definitely in the market right now, and I'm excited about that. You know, it's like I said, We've gone 10 years of. Of you're doing it a good way. I'm ready to make life easier on all of us.
- [26:30]
Kenny Wallace
My children would get roughed up years ago about me being a NASCAR driver. And I told my kids, I said, never apologize for your dad working his butt off. And, you know, we had a King Air 200. We had a motorhome. It just. Kyle, you know, I was doing so many appearances for Square D, I justified buying an airplane because I was gone every week, you know, taking care of sponsors. But I agree with your wife. You know, it's not just you. It's definitely a family affair. And she's a superstar. Your kids are, too. We all love watching you. It's so much fun kind of watching your show. So let's. Speaking of a show, I think that's a show in itself right there. Just the Larsons loaded up, going to New Vado.
- [27:19]
Kyle Larson
Yeah. If you could. If you could us around for trip, whether it be to vacation or a racetrack, whatever, it's. It'd be. It'd be a good reality show, comedy show, whatever. It's. It's stressful. It's stressful for sure. But I enjoy having the family around and too. I mean, I also. I enjoy getting to go race, you know, by myself some as well. You know, they don't Go to every race. But it's. It's a nice getaway sometimes, you know, from the crazy life at home. To go to go race, which racing is always, you know, really relaxing to me. So. But I do. I enjoy them coming and experience it all. And it's just tough, you know, as our kids are getting older, they're kind of into their own activities, so they don't get to go as much anymore.
- [28:03]
Kenny Wallace
Let's switch gears. We'd be shorting your fans if we didn't. And we're going to get back to dirt racing. We're going to talk about high limit in a minute and chili bowl and Australia, but we got to cover some of the big stuff first. You are going to race the Indy 500 this year. Hendrick Motorsports McLaren. Can you just shed a little bit of light on. I mean, we watched it play out. We watched you fit your seat. We watched you test. Where are you at right now in the whole Indianapolis 500 situation.
- [28:42]
Kyle Larson
Right now there. There really hasn't been much going on. Yeah, I heard rumblings about maybe getting to do a test at Phoenix, but I think that's kind of came and went. But I believe there's an open test in the beginning of April or something that I'm definitely doing at the speedway. So that'll be my first time on track, you know, with other cars on the track. So it'd be nice to kind of get in the a situation where, you know, people are passing me or I get to pass somebody, you know, stuff like that to try and just get me a little bit more up to speed before you get to the month of May. But, yeah, I don't know. I just been training this off season. You know, there's a gym here in Scottsdale where we're at, that I go to. So the IndyCar stuff was definitely a little more. It definitely takes a little more strength than the stock car. So, yeah, just trying to be ready on that side of things. And, you know, I've been watching onboard stuff, just trying to just learn any. Any little thing really. So. But yeah, I'm excited about it. It's. I don't know, I. I try not to think about it too much because I feel like it's going to make the time feel like it takes forever to get to the month of May, but for sure, I mean, I'm excited to get there, excited to get racing. I mean, honestly, nervous as well. I think it'd be hard not to be nervous about, you know, going to 20 or 245 and qualifying and all that, so. But, you know, I know I'm with a great team. I'm proud that Rick Hendrick's involved in it as well. I think, you know, if you had asked him four years ago if you would ever be a part of Indy 500, he'd probably say, heck, no.
- [30:24]
Kenny Wallace
So, hey, it's a chance for Rick to go to Victor Lane because you very much can win this. So when you were doing your testing and you just mentioned being more physical, I would assume that's in the G force, but what are some of the things that caught you off guard? Surprise. You driving the Indy car? Yeah.
- [30:48]
Kyle Larson
I mean, there. It really wasn't too surprising. Like, nothing was too surprising to me. The physical part of it stuff was, you know, the G's. Not really, like, a little bit. Like, I did notice, you know, a couple, you know, a few times, like, in the corners, like, if you exhaled before you turned in the corner, it was, like, hard to kind of, like, inhale while you're in the corner. But it wasn't. It wasn't a, you know, wild or a bunch. But it's definitely more than a stock car. Like, I've never noticed that before, really, in any. Anything that I've driven. So. Just the weight on your body and lungs, you know, the cockpits are so small. Like, everything I've ever ran has rib supports. There's not much rib support in there. It's like, when you get in the corner, like, your core wants to, you know, shift over some down the straightaways and even down pit lane. Honestly, like, the cars want to pull left on their own, like, really hard. So you're, like, always kind of turning right a little bit. And, like, for whatever reason, my thumb. My thumbs would get, you know, kind of cramped up and tight, but with each run, it got. You know, I think I was just maybe tensed up, but with each run, it got, you know, a little bit easier. So. Yeah, I don't know. We'll see. I'm sure by the time you get your two and a half weeks of track time, your body and muscles and muscle memory and all that will be pretty dialed in. But, yeah, it's definitely. It's definitely different. You know, they don't have power steering, all that. So, yeah, it's. It's. It's its own way different than anything I've. I've driven before, but it's. It's pretty cool.
- [32:19]
Kenny Wallace
I'm gonna call an audible right now. I feel like it is mouthy as I'VE been my whole life and I, I grew up hyperactive and. But I do have the ability to listen really well. And we're going to call an audible right now, just listen to you explain some things. How in the hell did you start. Start racing? I. I mean, you don't really have anybody. I mean, did family. I never heard of anybody. Did you start racing by yourself?
- [32:49]
Kyle Larson
Some. I'm first generation racer, but my, My parents are massive race fans. Probably the biggest race fans I think anybody can know. And they. My. My dad's been that way his whole life. But you know, him and my mom started dating in their teenage years and, and went to West Capitol Raceway and you know, he got her into it. She became, you know, addicted to racing. And my dad actually grew up just a few doors down from Tim Green. So, you know, he kind of, like I said, has been around it his whole life. And my dad likes to build things and you know, build slot cars, go carts, all that. So, you know, him and his buddies would always go race, go karts, just fun carts. And you know, he built me a go kart when I was like four and got to play around in that a little bit. And then we bought my first go kart from Kyle Hurst, who just lived, you know, a few blocks away from us or neighborhoods away from us. And yeah, we started going racing ever since then. So, yeah, I was seven, I guess at that time, and ran go karts, outlaw carts for full time every week, you know, two nights a week, basically, until I was 14, then got into sprint cars.
- [34:04]
Kenny Wallace
So. Unbelievable. You know, we hear of Al Unser Jr, Al Unser Senior, you know, Bobby Unser, Michael Andretti, Mario Andretti, and here you are. That is very rare. I, you know, I guess in some way you're a little bit like Tony or even Kenny. Well, Kenny Schrader's dad was. Was Bill and raced locally. But that is actually very amazing to me. Now, when you started racing, help me out in kind of order here. Did you, Enrico Abreu, come up a little bit together? I mean, I see the videos are everywhere. You and him running the Little Vineyard racetrack there. Was he one of your friends that you started racing with?
- [34:51]
Kyle Larson
So, no. I mean, he would. He started his career late. Like he was maybe 15 or 16. I was out. So yeah, so I raced go karts from ALA Cars from 7 to 14. I got into sprint cars. I was raced for Dave and Debbie Bertullo.
- [35:14]
Kenny Wallace
Wow.
- [35:14]
Kyle Larson
And yeah, we somehow, I don't. I can't remember how it all happened. Or worked. But Rico had this nice, you know, I hadn't met him yet, but they were, you know, we're putting on this little exhibition race at their vineyard track that they have there in St. Helena. So a bunch of us were going there. I don't know, there's probably 20 of us maybe. And yeah, that was the first night I believe I met Rico. And and yeah, quickly after that we became really good friends. You know Rich Staddlehofer who you know does a lot of work with the Abreu, he started sponsoring our sprint car. So I think that was probably, that was probably the third year I was racing. So I was probably yeah, like close to 17. And then yeah, Dave Abreu and Rich Saddleoffer, they were really good, really big for my career. You know, Statle offer started sponsoring the 83 volts that I was running then. You know, he helped us transition to racing for the Kading family the following year, which I think then Rico the second year I was probably at case Rico Price I run for Cading's in 2011, maybe 10. I was, I was there with the cadence in 2010. I think Rico wasn't there until 11. So then yeah, then we were kind of like, you know, best friends, you know, like teammates in a way. You know his 2012 I started getting like actually race for David you in their Indiana stuff with Dave Davy Jones. So I ran their non wing car which is a, you know, a fun story. I guess we can get into that later if you want. And then that, that transitioned into him owning a bunch of wing sprint car stuff for us. And I ran yeah for them for I don't know, 2012 or 13.
- [37:04]
Kenny Wallace
I think the first time I really watched you aired out, you and I were in the middle of Arizona somewhere. You were in an open wheel Mid Peoria Arizona Canyon.
- [37:15]
Kyle Larson
Canyon. Yeah.
- [37:17]
Kenny Wallace
Well, you were. I thought I saw you at the pit gate. You were just getting known. I looked at you and gave you a big compliment and man, you aired that thing out. And you, you and those open wheel midgets, your ability to not make them bike is more amazing to me than people will flip a lot. And then drivers like you do you have, what do you do when a track's rough and everybody's flipping? What do you do? What kind of driving talent do you use to defend to not make it bike?
- [37:55]
Kyle Larson
You got to run the out of it when it's running across.
- [37:58]
Kenny Wallace
Is that what you do really?
- [38:00]
Kyle Larson
I mean you can't slide into it, but you got to have Your speed, your wheel spin. I think I feel like. I mean, depending on how it is, you gotta run. You gotta run into it quick and be loaded. I feel like, with the brake pedal some, but you can't be erratic with your feet because then you get the car kind of going crazy. But, yeah, I love when it's heavy and rough because usually the guys that air it out, like you said, and run harder than others, their cars operate a little bit better and. And they're faster. So I. I'm always smiling when I see it. You know, there's a train delay or something. And we know we can still go racing because I. I feel like that's, you know, where I can have a big advantage over. Over, you know, majority of the field.
- [38:47]
Kenny Wallace
That's interesting, what you said. I want to dive into that just a little bit more because I got a friend in town. His name's Mike Harrison. And when a track is just. We just junk. He leaves us all. I mean, he's. He's the best there is. And I. And I feel like, you know, that's. That's when you guys. I mean, when I first started dirt racing, I was like 44 years old, and I'm like. I'd see the track just destroyed, and I'm like, oh, my God. But you and Mike thrive on that stuff. And do you feel like it's. I mean, is it down here? Is it playing the piano, loading, like you're saying, do you load the brake and gas? And. I mean, it's nothing like. Like I would think that what I do right now is, you know, I go in on the right front because I don't want the right rear to see first.
- [39:39]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, Yeah. I mean, I think it all just depends. Like, I'm just. I'm picturing kind of one layer on the bottom smoother, and then there's like, some rough choppiness through the middle, and you can go way above it, find, you know, some. A lot of grip and smoother surface or whatever, but run through the holes. Yeah, I mean, I think you definitely can't hit it too sideways, but you got to get your wheel spin up as much as you can, which takes a lot of confidence, I think. You know, like entering hard, but you gotta enter straight. I feel like all that. So I don't know. There's definitely a handful of guys that got it figured out. I. I really don't know, like, what my driving style is.
- [40:21]
Kenny Wallace
It's just, God, talent. You. You. You adjust in the millisecond, don't you.
- [40:26]
Kyle Larson
I guess I don't like I I'm really, really bad at like you know, drivers will come over like what are you doing? You know, how are you using brake? Are you lifting this and that? Or like me trying to coach Owen. Like I'm terrible at it because I don't pay attention to what I'm doing. I'm just doing it I guess. But yeah, I don't know. I'm a terrible coach.
- [40:47]
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- [41:47]
Kenny Wallace
It'S all good. I, I understand you're you're just going and doing and these are God given talents that we do. So dirt racers, I find them really interesting. You know, I grew up around dirt. We raced Tri City Speedway, Granite City, Illinois. My dad Russ, my brother Mike, Rusty went to USAC right away we raced, you know, AJ Foyt in stock cars. We don't see them anymore. I don't want to be long winded here, but I got to tell you why I'm asking this question. It seemed like when I came up, everybody loved nascar. Nascar. I mean I love nascar and I wanted to go nascar and I started in asphalt because I knew that's how I could make a living. Nowadays I see some drivers like a Bobby Pierce, my dear friend Nick Hoffman. Now we got Ricky Thornton. So I want to say this and I, I need your response. So I had to set you up so badly and I, and I hope and Ricky tells me, he listens. I want to say, Ricky Thornton, you've got so much talent that it's time for you to go nascar. Because I feel like if you just ran it five years you'd make so much money that you wouldn't have to worry about it again. So there seems to be like some drivers don't like nascar. What would you say to like a Ricky Thornton right now? I don't want to see him go all the way to 40 years old. I'd like to see Ricky try to make it NASCAR and get that big hit. What do you think about everything I just said?
- [43:41]
Kyle Larson
Well, I mean, I don't think Ricky would make as much money in five years as he is racing. You know, dirt stuff.
- [43:48]
Kenny Wallace
So that's good stuff right there.
- [43:50]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, no, honestly, I feel like you gotta think it's going to take him five years or so to make it to the Cup Series, so. And even when you get to the Cup Series like these days, I guarantee Ricky Thornton's making more than half the drivers are. So that's a quote right there. Oh, no, I, I would. I mean he's probably my age, right? 31, 32. Like what's the point? Like just keep doing what you're doing and, and all that. I mean, I think, you know, for, for really young guys who have, who have a Runway of racing like then. Yeah, I mean if you can, and you know, you can go try and try and you know, grind it out and make it for four or five years and if it doesn't work out, you can still go back and have a great career in dirt. But you know, right now Ricky's in his prime and that's almost probably too late to try and make it to the Cup Series. So. Yeah, I don't know. And too, I don't know if that's really where his interests are at or, or if that's where they were at of trying to make the nascar. I think anybody would take the opportunity if given to them. But I don't know, it's just, it's tough. There's not many seats, it's not guaranteed to make it. It doesn't matter, you know, how good you are. Things got to line up the right way. You can't just go plug somebody in a mid pack Xfinity car and go, you know, win races. It's really hard to, it's really hard for me to tell who's talented in payment stuff. So. But no, I think Ricky's doing just fine how he is. I mean the guy just made or his car Made like a million dollars or more than that this year. So that's just racing, you know, that's not even talking about merchandise and all that. So he's doing just fine.
- [45:41]
Kenny Wallace
You know, when I started racing in nascar, you know, everybody, you know, we were making millions of dollars a year. And Kenny, conversation is just about information, right? I mean, me, I'm making, I was making millions of dollars a year and I'm good to go. And I look at some of my dirt racing friends and I worry about them, but I guess it's not my job. You know, I'm always talking to Gordy Gundaker and Nick Hoffman. The reason I said that, the reason I just told you that I was making millions back then, I was bringing my own sponsors, Square D, all that. But I guess it's true. Do NASCAR cup drivers just make a lot less money now? I've been hearing that, yeah.
- [46:31]
Kyle Larson
I don't know everybody's deal, but I mean, you still have your, your top tier drivers that probably still are not making anywhere near what Jimmy Johnson or Jeff Gordon or anything like that. But you're still. I mean, I make a really good living. Like I'm totally happy with, with my contract and all that, but it's still not to nearly the level. Probably not close to even half of maybe what Jimmy was getting paid in his heyday. But I'm still, I know I'm making way more than, than a good majority of the field, you know, So I just, I don't know, it's just, I think. I don't really know what to think. But I think a lot of guys are just happy to say they're a Cup Series driver and they don't care. They just want to be there and racing on Sundays and that just hurts the whole overall, you know, I guess driver side of it and trying to have leverage for, for some of these drivers to make more money. So, I mean, yeah, there's, there's. I bet you the top four drivers in the War of Outlaw Sprint car series are making more money than, you know, a third to half of the Cup Series guys, probably half the Cup Series guys. So yeah, that's pretty crazy to think about, but yeah, everybody chooses their own, their own route, I guess.
- [47:56]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, it's changed a lot. Do you think, do you think yourself and Christopher Bell are sort of the last of the Mohicans? You know, there's an old story out there. The very last of the Indians. You'll never see them again. I mean, do you ever think we'll See, you know, I mean, you and Christopher had this God given talent.
- [48:16]
Kyle Larson
You made it.
- [48:17]
Kenny Wallace
You made it in nascar. From listening to you right now, it, it sounds to me like that's it's getting harder.
- [48:25]
Kyle Larson
I wouldn't say it's getting harder. No, I mean, at least I don't, I don't personally believe it's any harder nowadays to make it to the cup series than it was when I came in in 2012. I think the best, maybe not all the best drivers make it to the Cup Series, but you know, if you've got talent, you can make it to the Cup Series. So. And without bringing a dime, I believe so. You know, if you, if you're young, I believe you need to be young. I mean, Josh Berry, he's, he's, he's made it, you know, and he's older than I am. But yeah, I mean if you're, if you're young and you're kicking ass and winner races like, you don't need to bring money and, and that's, I, I do get, I do get annoyed and a little frustrated when I hear people say, oh, you have to bring millions of dollars and this and that. No, you don't. You know, you, you can still, if you, if you show that you're really good and you represent a team and sponsors and companies and all that good, you don't need to bring anything. You don't need to have a rich dad. I hate hearing about rich dads and all this. If you've got talent, you can make it. So yeah, Rick Hendrick, he wants the best drivers in his car. Roger Pinsky wants the best drivers in his car. Joe Gibbs wants the best drivers in their car. So they're going, if you got talent, you can make it. So it doesn't, it doesn't take money in my opinion.
- [49:52]
Kenny Wallace
So that sets me up for this. And I'm sure you knew this was coming. You were doing something. You and your brother in law, Brad Sweet, I guess as I read it flow the app. So you tell me when I'm wrong. You, Brad Sweet, your brother in law and Flo, you have started high limit racing. I think it's awesome because you have the Lucas Oil 8 models right now. You've got the world of Outlaw late models right now. Two series in world of outlaw late models and Lucas Oil, they, they've thrived together. It appears from reading everything is that you all are starting high limit racing so sprint car racers can make a living. Your pay is going to be really good. Is that Is that what that's about?
- [50:47]
Kyle Larson
I think that's the main goal for sure for me. I mean that's where the whole idea of, of trying to start a series, you know, even back, back before we started the national series was. You know, I, and really, I mean I think once I went late model racing is when I realized that man, like, because I didn't pay any attention to late models, I read that I was just like man, these guys are making really good money. I mean there is twenty, fifty thousand, hundred thousand win races every other week it seems like. And nowadays like every week where sprint cars like nobody paid attention, they were happy. I mean a fifteen thousand dollar win race was like, oh this is awesome. And that's what late model guys are racing for on the daily so and two, you know, I really was, you know, when like there's no exclusivity I guess to late model racing. Like if you're an outlaw guy, you can go on Lucas race. If you're a Lucas guy you can go run outlaw races and sprint cars is, is controlled. You know, the outlaws, you know, they've done a really good job of building their brand and especially on the sprint car side and you know, controlling their drivers. And two, I mean they race a lot so there's not even a whole lot opportunity for them to go race other stuff. But yeah, I don't think outlawed drivers and teams were aware that there was a freedom side of it on, on the late model side. So you know that was important to me. But, but really just you know, I see guys like Davenport and Overton and all them clearing a million dollars on a season and in the best sprint car guy was like 600. I'm like man, these are the, this to me they're equal, like equal series and racing. Like why can't you know, smart car guys make that much money? So yeah, rr, you know, we're trying to start the series to build the sport, have a little competition, you know, raise purses, raise all of that, make things, you know, easier on the teams on our side of things. You know, like I mentioned, freedom's a big factor. Trying to, you know, come up with a different business plan too with our charter system and all that to make car owners potentially make or have value with their race team down the road. So yeah, just trying to, just trying to adjust the game a little bit and, and try and just make everybody make a little bit more money and, and because this sport is super expensive and, and right now, I mean, you know, when you're Owning a team, you're, you just own assets. You don't any own anything other than that. So having, hopefully having some value to the team will mean something.
- [53:30]
Kenny Wallace
I created controversy when, you know, we got this YouTube show and this is Kenny conversation. This is the mature side of me. Then we got the Kenny Wallace show where I say what I think. Now, I don't, I don't try to, you know, hit a beehive. I don't, I don't try to create controversy. But when I was saying I did a Kenny Wallace show and I said dirt racers cannot make a living, maybe, maybe the top three. After talking to your brother in law, he told me that I, I created controversy. He said fans were coming up to him. Kenny Wall says you can't make a living. Well, if you go back and watch my conversation, he says I was right. He said it's like the top three are running away, you know, with the Napa auto parts sponsorship. Then you got 4, 5, 6. So I like what you're doing because number one, I believe dirt racers are very talented. The great Dale Earnhardt Senior. And you've probably heard me say this before, Senior was a good friend of mine and I don't know why we got along, but he said to me one day, he said, herman, there's thousands of great race car drivers all over the world. They all can't be NASCAR. They only start in 39 or 40. And there's thousands of good race car drivers in every county, every region. So I like what you're doing. Just for the fact that there's nothing wrong with two divisions, I'm really happy that you didn't make me look too bad and that you did agree your high limit is what it is. High limit. You guys are going to get it on. What do you know? What, what are, do you have any idea what might be your marquee events this year? Like, what are the big ones?
- [55:28]
Kyle Larson
We have, let's see a handful of hundred thousand win races. Got Skagit Nationals, Gold cup will be 100 grand from, you know, it used to be 50 and then like the 2011 it went down to like 12 and it's creeped up to 20. So we're going 100 grand there. Eldora is 100 grand. We have the Tusker of 50. I think that's like 75 grand, maybe something like that. I'm missing a couple. We have, we have a handful of big events and plus, you know, with the freedom side of it, you know, we haven't, we haven't scheduled on top of the other, you know, big races that the Outlaws have. So you know if you're a high limit driver you can go I think compete in like 7 or 800,000 to win races. So yeah, that's, that's pretty awesome and all that. So yeah, like you know, you could go around Houston, Knoxville, Nationals, Kings Royal, those might be the three. I think on the outlaw side you can run a National Open. So yeah, it's, there's a lot of big races. You know the sprint car world these days and it's, it's great to see. It's, it's really cool to see. And more traveling teams than there's been in a long time. I think the outlaws have like 11 or 12 currently committed. We have 16 I believe with still hopefully a couple more coming. So yeah, it's, it's pretty spectacular what's, what's going on in the sprint world right now and I'm glad to be a part of it. I'm glad to feel like we're helping the sport long term to, to move to the next level. And you know Brad and I and Flo, we all have a lot of big ideas on, on how to make it even bigger and better. It's just you got to start out somewhere and you know this is where we're at. So yeah, I'm excited. We're only like a month away from, from racing so pretty, pretty wild.
- [57:19]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, I'm kind of a numbers guy. I look at okay, the world of outlaw guys. You're going to have those guys, top guys making a living now. You're going to have the high limit guys up there making a living now. Totality. We're going to have more wing dirt sprint car drivers making a living because of you starting high limits. So good, good on you Kyle. You're paying it forward and there's no doubt in my mind that your popularity like Brad said, your brother in law, he paid a big compliment to you. You know, you bring the fans in, you're so good. They sell these places out to come see you. Hey, by the way, that, that was not gonna be a question when they, when you know, when you know in your heart there to see you. Does that weigh on you at all or are you oblivious to it?
- [58:12]
Kyle Larson
I don't know. I mean I, I think I try to stay oblivious to it so I can focus on, on racing but I mean I'll you like. So I just went ran outlaw cart race, go kart race at the track. I grew up racing at Rebloff, you know, that's awesome. Four weeks ago and I mean the crowd wasn't that big I thought, but like, you know, I'm standing there watching Owen race because I was there racing. They're like, look at this place. Like it hasn't been this packed and they're like, it's because you're here. I'm like, what? Like I didn't even notice. So. Yeah, but no, that mean, that makes me feel good. Like a lot of those fans there, I guarantee had never been to an outlaw CART race, but they probably got grandkids or kids or, or whatever and you know, probably, maybe a handful of them went home and you know, Christmas is coming up and maybe maybe they bought their own, you know, go kart or whatever. So that, that sort of stuff does make me feel good. You go into these racetracks and whatever and seeing the crowds big, you know, I don't know when you're there, like, who knows, you know, how much I'm really helping the crowd. But it's, it's neat. So I, I just, I just really like to feel like I'm making an impact on the sport again. Going back to like Tony Stewart, you know, it's very similar like what him and Casey were doing when they were in their primes, their NASCAR career and you know, moving the needle for, for what I love is, is dirt track racing is, is really great.
- [59:43]
Kenny Wallace
Those outlaw carts, those are really popular. My son in law, Brody Pompey, he married my youngest daughter. He didn't really know what he wanted to do in life, but he's building them right here in my shop now. Just started. He's headed to Oklahoma tonight. Fusion cards, these outlaw cards, I feel like did they start out there on the west coast? They're like go karts with motorcycle motors on wings. They're fast.
- [60:13]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, yeah. So yeah, it originated in Red Bluff at the Red Bluff outlaws. I don't know, 30, 40 years. 40, probably close to 40 years ago, but yeah, kind of it's really like, it was really big on the west coast at Red left Cyclone, but they, you know, they're also in Oregon or Idaho a little bit. You know, other tracks in California, I'd say, I don't know, 15ish years ago it started kind of sprinkle outside of the, the western region into Iowa. You know, they had a big, big races there outside of Knoxville, English Creek Speedway. You know, then it got big in North Carolina for a little while. Like really big in North Carolina for a little while. And then The Micros have kind of taken over at Millbridge. But yeah, no, it's, it's cool. It's. They're. Outlaw carts are about as wild of a race car as you can get in.
- [61:08]
Kenny Wallace
They shake. They made my eyes vibrate.
- [61:11]
Kyle Larson
Yeah. Yeah. You get into like a 2 stroke 500cc engine. Like your legs are numb, your heads.
- [61:18]
Kenny Wallace
I noticed you use a big steering wheel. Does that help?
- [61:21]
Kyle Larson
I don't use a big steering wheel. I use whatever's normal. But I do like when I run outlaw cart stuff now I would say last seven or eight years. I'm a really big four stroke guy. I really like because you can run either a two stroke 500 or you can run like a four stroke, you know, 450. I don't know what the rules are but up to like a 520something four stroke and four strokes to me are just smoother. Like it just feels like, like a more natural race car. Like you can throttle it. Like the two strokes are explosive and you use the clutch a lot and four stroke you can just throttle and so I really like running the four stroke but like an indoor track at Red Bluff everybody swears that the two strokes, two stroke stuff's way better I think. But the four stroke stuff to me is a better, better engine, better training tool probably for, for young kids coming up. But they're wild. I always leave my backs bruised up and in all of that. So yes, it's fun.
- [62:21]
Kenny Wallace
What do you do with your right elbow? I always find the motors in the way. What did you, what is your technique there?
- [62:28]
Kyle Larson
I don't know. I've, I've never, I've never had an issue but maybe I'm just smaller, you know, my seat's smaller so I probably have just more room for my elbow to tuck in I'm guessing because yeah, they're like big guys, they gotta race with their elbow.
- [62:41]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, yeah.
- [62:44]
Kyle Larson
No it's, it's like what the hell are they doing?
- [62:46]
Kenny Wallace
I don't do that.
- [62:48]
Kyle Larson
It's great. I hadn't been in outlaw cart in like four years probably and like back in I was like man this thing is tiny. Like people are, you know, just line up the heat race. I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm like about to crash just under yellow. So it's, it's crazy. Especially Red Bluff. Red Bluff is nuts.
- [63:04]
Kenny Wallace
Nuts. The high lane and the low lane and well when you run around that bottom you got to make sure you don't wash out, don't you? It's Going to be a big wreck.
- [63:14]
Kyle Larson
I mean, no, I mean, it's just like anything else. But in the go kart stuff, you got to be ready on the clutch. Like there's a clutch, you know, on the steering wheel. Just like a dirt bike, you know, having the clutch there, it'd be on your steering wheel. So in a track like Red Bluff, you know, there's a lot of like, crashes and stuff. So you got to be ready to like, you know, pull the clutch, keep the engine going and drive away from the wreck and all that. So that's probably like not being in it for four years is just being ready on the clutch. So. But no, it's, it's, they're, they're awesome little race cars and they race with some great racetracks. Like cycling. Where I grew up, cycling I would say was my, my favorite track. You know, race ala carts. It's, I mean, it gets ice slick. They have, they make you on a hard tire, so it gets ice slick. And I mean, you're off the throttle a lot. You know, you're pulling slide jobs, running the cushion like, you know, close to the wall. It really, really taught me, you know, how to race. I mean, I came from cycling. Tyler Reddick, Matt the Benedetto, Brad Sweet, Kyle Hearst, Robert Blue. There's a lot, there's a lot more, but it's, they're, they're great. I mean, like I said, they're, they're the most violent, rough, wild vehicles you can drive. So if you can, if you can learn how to tame those, you can drive anything.
- [64:29]
Kenny Wallace
I feel like those videos on YouTube from Red Bluff, I just, I sit there and watch them like this. And like you, you made me laugh just now because you said you got to be ready on the clutch because you, you know, there's a good chance of wrecking. So you don't want to kill the motor, I guess. Right.
- [64:45]
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- [65:44]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, we were already at an hour and the fans tell me, kenny, quit talking about how long you've gone. But when I see an hour, I'm like, okay, you know, I don't want you to start tweaking on me. So let's start going downhill here a little bit. In a good way. In a good way. This question is not meant derogatory whatsoever, so please don't take it wrong. We saw a new phenomenon starting in NASCAR. All the drivers quitting at like 42 years old, whether it's Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Clint Boyer.
- [66:25]
Kyle Larson
I got a list here.
- [66:26]
Kenny Wallace
I mean, it goes on and on. It seemed unbelievable that Kevin Harvick went to 48, you know, or whatever he is. I'm not asking you to answer because I know you can't. Do you see yourself going past 42 since that seems to be the new quitting point?
- [66:49]
Kyle Larson
I mean, it's, it's hard to, it's hard to say like when you're in it. I don't, I mean, like sitting here right now, like, I don't see myself going to 40.
- [66:59]
Kenny Wallace
Okay, that's the one almost. So what I want to know.
- [67:02]
Kyle Larson
But that's not me. That's not me retiring from racing. Like.
- [67:06]
Kenny Wallace
Right.
- [67:06]
Kyle Larson
That's that I think I'm different than, than others, you know, like Kevin, I mean, he's retiring, not maybe from full time racing, but, you know, he's got a plan to go in the booth and all that. You know, a lot of these drivers too. I mean, I don't think they meant to be done at 42. I just think they got kind of pushed out of the sport a little bit with, you know, young drivers coming up who.
- [67:26]
Kenny Wallace
Matt Kenseth. Yeah.
- [67:27]
Kyle Larson
Who could be paid a lot less than what they're making, stuff like that. But then like, for me, you know, going back to what we talked about early in the show, like, there's a lot of stuff that I want to accomplish while I'm still in my prime. So, you know, I'm 31 right now. I've been, I'm going, going into my 11th season in the cup series. So like I've already been in it for a while. So in my eyes if, you know, if I could raise another seven or eight, seven or eight years, you know, I can earn a lot of money, I can set myself up really well and, and I can go, you know, still be in my prime hopefully and go compete for, you know, premier dirt series championship, you know, in high limit, hopefully is taken off by then and that's the premier series and go try and win a championship there. Try and win a championship and whatever the big late model series is, stuff like that. You know, I'm still young so. Yeah, I don't know, like I said, it's hard to say, it's hard to predict, you know, right now, but I've done it a long time and, and you know, like I said, I think what's important to me is, is still getting to go do and try to accomplish some big things while having the time to do it down the road while I'm still, you know, close to my prime.
- [68:45]
Kenny Wallace
Clint Boyer, I'll see him at Sturgis every year and we're like minded, we're off centered and he made a good point. He says, you know, when you start racing it, 6 years old, 40 year old, feels like you're 100 and I can understand your point, Clint.
- [69:04]
Kyle Larson
Clint has ran himself hard. I don't think him feeling 100 has anything to do with him racing. Yeah, that's all done outside the race car.
- [69:15]
Kenny Wallace
You, you mentioned something right there and I just kind of want to finish on it. I believe everybody in the sport, whether you've said it, I believe everybody in the sport feels like you are going to retire from NASCAR and then start doing what you want full time. And I guess that's pretty much what you said and I, I think that's awesome because you, you're giving NASCAR 20 years of your life.
- [69:48]
Kyle Larson
Yeah. And, and too, I don't want people to get spun out about it. I'm not saying like, I'm not saying I'm retiring at 30, whatever and no, that I'm not retiring 30 ever. But I love racing in NASCAR. I, I would not be racing in NASCAR if I didn't love it. I think a lot of race fans feel that I don't like racing in nascar. I'm just doing it to make money and then I'm gonna go retire and all that. I, I would have done that a long time ago if I didn't if I didn't love what I'm doing and love racing in NASCAR and competing for wins and racing for the best team in, in the sport, I love, absolutely love what I'm doing right now. So, and I, and who knows if I'm, if I'm still loving it, you know, in eight years or whatever, I could still go race nascar. You know, your life changes. So I could, I, who knows, I could be in NASCAR till I'm 50, but I love what I'm doing. I get to race dirt stuff all the time. I get to race NASCAR all the time, and it's a blast.
- [70:53]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, well, it's best to leave before they push out. And I don't think they'd ever push you out in a million years. You fall in that category of the great Jeff Gordon. And as we saw with my dear friends like Matt Kenseth and Bobby Labonte, they pushed those guys out and they didn't deserve that. Those are my dear friends. All right, so a couple things here towards the end, I've got to ask you. This one, this one here, I've always wondered, you know, Dave Despain, you were a little kid when Dave Despain had a really good show called Wind Tunnel, and he said something, he said, fast race car drivers find fast rides. So with your wisdom, and I don't mean this to be a loaded question, but what race car driver do you see right now that draws your attention a lot than less? In other words, every time, who do you find going? That guy. That guy's a good driver, like a.
- [71:57]
Kyle Larson
Young kid coming up.
- [71:59]
Kenny Wallace
Just anything you give me, it could be, it could be six, ten drivers, just.
- [72:03]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, well, I think for me personally, I think the next, like, young kid who's up and coming is definitely Corey Day. I don't see anybody, yeah, I, I, I don't see anybody even close to his level. And he's only, he's still in high.
- [72:21]
Kenny Wallace
School, so I've never even heard of him. Tell me about him.
- [72:24]
Kyle Larson
Oh, he's, I mean, he's, he's basically me. Like, he's, that's awesome. He's, he's, I mean, he's better than I am, or I was obviously at that age. I mean, he's in a lot better rides than I was at, in, at that age, but still, like, he, his race craft, his maturity on the track, off the track, like all that, he's really, really good. And he can run harder than anybody on the racetrack and be in control. So he's definitely the Next kid coming up that probably will make it.
- [72:59]
Kenny Wallace
What's he race? What is it?
- [73:01]
Kyle Larson
Wingsprint cars.
- [73:02]
Kenny Wallace
Oh, I'll be doing.
- [73:03]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, yeah, he won like, he won an outlaw. He won the Gold cup this year at Chico. He won Outlaw race. He'll be running with us on our High Limit series. So I'm excited about that because, yeah, the race fans are gonna get to, you see some, you know, new young kid come up that's probably gonna make it someday. So, yeah, he's that guy. But, you know, I saw on Twitter all the, you know, I don't know, a month and a half ago, I. I think maybe you participated in it, but it was like a bunch of questions like who, you know, you had to answer the driver, like your favorite driver. Who's the best driver you ever seen all this and that. And, you know, Chris Rebel, he's. He's still, like. He's the best that I get to race with on a weekly basis. And it's. It's sad that he doesn't get to run dirt anymore because he is so good, and dirt racing needs, you know, him a part of it still. And. And I know he is with, you know, the ownership side with the sprint car a little bit on the development side and then micros and all that, but I guess I'm happy that I don't have to race with him every weekend because I can, you know, win a few more races. But he's. He's really good. You know, obviously, Brad, sweet what he's doing. Rico, right now. Yeah, no, it's. It's all fun.
- [74:21]
Kenny Wallace
That's good stuff. So, you know, the fans would throw things at me if I didn't talk to you about the Chili bowl, so, you know, there was a time there that I was going to the Chili bowl every year. And I know slamming Sammy Swindell and his son, they were incredible. But for me, the golden era of the Chili bowl was you, Enrico and Christopher Bell. I mean, when you guys were there, it was magical and, you know, last lap passes. So. Do you ever see yourself going back to the Chili Bowl?
- [75:01]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, I think. I mean, for sure. I think I'll go back to the Chili bowl someday. I just got to the point where, I don't know, I'd done it literally half my life, and I wasn't even 30 years old yet. So, yeah, I was kind of ready to do something different. And, you know, I, like. I watched a ton of the Shootout this past week.
- [75:25]
Kenny Wallace
Me too.
- [75:26]
Kyle Larson
I watch every lap of the Chili bowl, like I still love the chili bowl. I just. I just am at a point in my life where I just needed to do something different. And envato was, you know, produces amazing racing, and I really enjoy the dirt late model. So it's like, you know, that's a fun thing for me to get to go do. I can go run six races in, I don't know, 10 days or something where Chili bowl, you're. You're there all week and you get to race twice. Although chili bowl is way more fun because you get to be there with all your friends and all that. But again, I think I just grew out of the chili bowl for, you know, a little bit. You know, I wanted to win it so bad. I'd been so close to winning for so long, and even before I won, I always told everybody around me and they wouldn't believe me, but I was like, I'm gonna run the chili bowl until I win, and then I'm gonna run it until I lose. And when I lose, I'm gonna be done. And that's. That's what I've done. So. But I'll definitely go back someday. I think, is if Owen still continues to like racing and wants to, you know, move up the ladder, you know, in. In. You know, if he can go race the chili bowl someday, that's probably when I'll go back. So we'll see. Yeah, I think next year I'd love to go to Australia and go race Perth. Yeah, Per. I mean, anywhere, really, but Perth looks. Perth looks awesome.
- [76:44]
Kenny Wallace
I saw your tweet. You said you're making. Basically you're making me want to go Rico.
- [76:51]
Kyle Larson
Yeah. Brad and Rico and calm limson. They. They put on a phenomenal race. I don't know if you got to watch it, but. Yeah, so I want to go to Australia. It's. And I've gone to Australia before. I gone to New Zealand this time of year. Like, it's fun. It's more than just racing. Whenever I've gone there, like, it's. It's really a vacation with racing, that kind of helps pay for the vacation. So, yeah, Paul Silva, he's trying to line it up right now. Like, he's getting everything organized to ship there. We just kind of. We. We just got to find somewhere to, like, store everything. You know, if there's a truck and trailer that somebody can loan to us, you know, for the couple weeks that we would need it, Obviously it's expensive, too, so, you know, we would need. We would love to have some support from A local company in Australia to help and promote them to make, you know, offset costs for us a little bit. Because, yeah, it's. It's a. It's tough. Like, that's why there's not that many, if any, team owners that send stuff there, because it's expensive. So. But. But I'm. Yeah, I'll probably be in Australia next year. Just. We gotta line some things out still.
- [77:58]
Kenny Wallace
So having fun here. Like, me and Schrader would say, let's say you wanted to go to Australia, but. But now Rico's there and he's winning. Does that make you want to go more?
- [78:11]
Kyle Larson
No, I mean, it doesn't. I think what. The winning part, I don't care about, really.
- [78:17]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah.
- [78:17]
Kyle Larson
No, but I think getting to go there with people who you have fun with and enjoy being around, I think that's what's like. When I used to go to New Zealand, what made the trip fun for me was, you know, you build your relationships and your friendships there. Like, I'm really good friends with Harley Taylor, who I was racing for there in New Zealand, but when I was going, it was Tyler, Courtney, Logan Seavey, Chris Windham, Spencer Baston. Like all your homeboys. Yeah, all my homeboys also. I think that's what will make you go in Australia if. If everybody goes to Perth again or wherever I end up going, you know, Rico, if he's there again, Brad would hopefully go, you know, Carson, I know he's talked about wanting to go and race there and hopefully, you know, maybe the races get even bigger there next year. Because Australia is kind of confusing to me. You know, like, there, it's such a big country and the tracks are all spread apart so far that, you know, there's a group of guys racing on the eastern side of Australia and then a group on the western side. Like, if there was some big races where, like, everybody could get to, you know, the same track, I think that would make this the. The racing really good. Obviously the fan base bigger and just the overall experience more fun. So we'll see kind of where. Where it goes for next year. But, yeah, I look forward to getting to hopefully go to Australia.
- [79:35]
Kenny Wallace
Yeah, those battles at Perth have been unbelievable. I mean, I think Perth kind of looks like an Eldora with less banking or. What do you think?
- [79:46]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, I haven't talked to, like, Brad or Rico, like, what they feel it compares to, but the. The way it races, I feel like, is a lot like Eldora. To me.
- [79:56]
Kenny Wallace
It looks.
- [79:57]
Kyle Larson
It's definitely not a half mile. I don't think so. Smaller than Eldora and less banking.
- [80:01]
Kenny Wallace
But yeah, good racing.
- [80:06]
Kyle Larson
Yeah. Great. And to the track prep looks amazing. They look really efficient with their programs. And two, like if I could go to Perth next year and race like I want to race everything. I want to, I want to race a, I want to race a dirt late model. I want to race them.
- [80:19]
Kenny Wallace
Yes.
- [80:20]
Kyle Larson
They have all those racing on the same night. So that's what you know, I would want to do get, get my money's worth going down there and racing.
- [80:29]
Kenny Wallace
All right, we come to the very end and all the drivers, we've been very lucky here on Kenny conversation to talk with the best and I'm very thankful that you're opening up 2024. I've always wanted to talk to you so I always ask the drivers this at the end because NASCAR is so big. So three things. Your thoughts on the NASCAR today. What do you think of NASCAR today?
- [81:05]
Kyle Larson
I think there's a lot of negative people out there about where's that today? Because I believe NASCAR's in a great spot. They're really thinking outside the box. I think for so long NASCAR just did the same thing year after year where they're trying to shake up the schedule a lot, which I love. Even the next gen stuff is a kind of different business idea for the sport and team owners and all that. So I feel like NASCAR more than they used to be or are much more forward thinking now. So I feel like teams, drivers, the organization of NASCAR are all working together closer than they ever have and that only means good things. So obviously every, every sport maybe besides NFL has seen a dip in audience whether it be at the sporting event or on tv. And that's just the way, you know, kind of life is right now. But I do feel like NASCAR has held their own much stronger than the other sports. So yeah, I think they're doing a great job. They've got great people in place and I'm proud to be representing them on the racetrack.
- [82:19]
Kenny Wallace
And the next one is your thoughts on this. We're going to go into our third year with the next gen car. This, this car. The reason we asked this question, Kyle, this car changed nascar. We've never seen anything like it. Your thoughts on that car?
- [82:36]
Kyle Larson
Selfishly, you know, with being a Hendrick Motorsports, I would love for it to have stayed because yeah, they're really fast and you know, Hendrick was in 2020 and 21. But no, I think, I think it's cool. I think the next gen stuff is fun. It's Definitely a tougher race car to drive. The style of racing has gotten way more elbows up and aggressive because the cars are way tougher. So you've had to adjust your driving style a fair bit. And yeah, I mean, it's fun. So there's things that are worse or whatever you'd like to see better, like the cars have more grip on the short tracks, the brakes are better, you know, so it's harder to pass, I would say, at short tracks and road courses than usually. But the intermediate stuff, the amount of half tracks are way more fun. So yeah, it's, it's, it's been enjoyable and I feel like Hendrick Motorsports has done a really good job too, of, of learning the vehicle and developing and getting better. And you had a great season. Hendrik did this past year and came up a little bit short of the championship, but hopefully be better this year.
- [83:47]
Kenny Wallace
And I think you're going to be the first driver that I'm going to get rid of. The third question in 2023, the third one we always ended was tech inspection. You know, the record breaking $400,000 fines. But it seems like, it seems like that's kind of subsided now. It seems to me like a, the teams have got the message. Maybe you will be the last driver I asked that question to. But we'll ease out of it right now. Tech inspection, I mean, it became record breaking with this new next gen car. What was your thoughts on that?
- [84:28]
Kyle Larson
I don't know the technical side of it, so I don't know. And we're sitting year in the off season, so who knows what people have been developing.
- [84:38]
Kenny Wallace
Good point.
- [84:39]
Kyle Larson
Yeah, I mean, I, I think you'll always probably you, you'll see, you'll probably, I would assume, see more fines and stuff coming in the first few months of the season. And then, you know, once people kind of get their hands slapped and, and get scared, maybe they'll stop a little bit or, or they'll get better at cheating. But I, I don't know, it's, it's tough. You know, everybody's cars are in essence the same. So, you know, trying to find those areas to be a little bit better. And you know, pavement racers are always trying to push the envelope, so it just is what it is and NASCAR is trying to crack down, so I respect that as well.
- [85:18]
Kenny Wallace
Well, Kyle, you've been incredible and I want to remind all the fans that we are in podcast form. We are showing up big time there more than normal now. And, you know, an hour and 20 minute conversation that means you can listen to Kyle Larson on the way to work and then you can work real fast and get excited because you get to listen to the rest of the Kyle Larson Kenny conversation on the way home. So check us out on itunes, Spotify, and thank you so much for finally being on Kenny Con. Check out Dirty Mo Media on Twitter.
- [85:58]
Kyle Larson
Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.
- [86:02]
Kenny Wallace
Creativity is at the heart of everything.
- [86:03]
Kyle Larson
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