Every NASCAR veteran considers a Daytona 500 victory an achievement as big as the championship, especially those who are long deprived of one. Despite power-packed race wins and championship titles, many are still missing “The Great American Race” on the resume. That black spot impacts many top-notch drivers, whether it’s Kyle Busch or Martin Truex Jr. After a decade in pursuit of claiming one, Kyle Larson finally summed up his long aspiration in quite justifying words.
Kyle Larson stands at a crossroads in his racing career as far as his Daytona 500 victory goes. Despite having a stellar NASCAR resume with a 2021 championship title and over 29 wins under his belt in the Cup Series. Larson faced a challenge with the Daytona International Speedway, but he looked to Tony Stewart to draw his failed attempt’s conclusion.
Kyle Larson drew positive insights from Tony Stewart’s career
Kyle Larson and Tony Stewart are considered drivers who share similar grounds. From their dirt racing stints to their overall versatility as drivers, many people have drawn a parallel between Stewart and Larson, even giving Larson the tag of a ‘generational driver’. However, the Daytona victory is still missing from both records. Considering that, Kyle Larson expressed it very thoughtfully in five simple words.
“Like, I’m not going to lose sleep if I don’t ever win this race, but I still want to win the race and have that ring and that trophy and be a part of the names that have won it,” Larson said in an interview with APNews. “But again, I think there’s a lot else, a lot more that goes into winning and a lot of luck. It’s not a big deal.” Larson then reflected on the 3-time Cup Series Champion who never won the race either, saying, “I imagine Tony Stewart, who doesn’t have it, doesn’t lose sleep.”
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA South Point 400-Cup Practice & Qualifying Oct 19, 2024 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson 5 during qualifying for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Las Vegas Las Vegas Motor Speedway Nevada USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 20241019_gav_sv5_034
Moreover, Larson sheds light on the current state of superspeedway racing, as winning these days often involves a lot of luck and factors that are out of drivers’ control. Understanding this element can provide a sense of peace, since it helps them cope with losing, as they can shift their perspective on the outcome away from being entirely based on their abilities.
On the other side, his statement about Tony Stewart emphasizes that even though he never won the Daytona 500, his racing career and legacy are intact. Think about it, the guy won championships in both IndyCar and NASCAR, showing his talent across different types of racing. And in NASCAR alone, he claimed three championships, alongside 50 wins! Stewart’s success is so scaled up to the excellence level that one missing race doesn’t even make a dent in his thrilling career, right?
However, getting the Daytona 500 title this year might change the perception of someone who thinks he is not good at superspeedway racing.
Is Kyle Larson bad at Superspeedways?
Kyle Larson has a history of challenges at superspeedways, leading many fans and analysts to discuss his performances on these high-speed tracks. Despite he has got a knack for other racing formats and has had success in them. Larson has struggled to secure wins at superspeedways, with a record of only two top-five finishes in 47 starts. His best performance at the Daytona 500 is a seventh-place finish in 2016 and 2020. On the other hand, his worst came in 2022.
In 2022, he finished 38th after being involved in a late-race crash at the Daytona International Speedway. Over the years, Larson has faced many challenges at superspeedways, finishing 18th or worse in at least half of his Daytona 500 attempts. His struggles here show how much he is affected by the uncertain nature of racing on these high-speed tracks because, as per him, chance and circumstances have a large influence on the outcome.
By this time, his 10-year-old son is also well aware of how much his dad needs to work on polishing his skills with the speedways. “He probably has to try really hard because he’s not good at superspeedways,” said Owen Larson.
Well, with Kyle Larson starting 22nd at Daytona, the road to the checkered flag might seem an uphill task. However, the starting position rarely matters at the Daytona 500. With multiple cautions expected, anyone can jump to the front and win the race. However, as Larson said, luck plays a huge factor. Do you think Kyle Larson can break his duck and finally win the Daytona 500?
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