Body Measurement | – |
Body type | Athlete |
Height | 5 Feet 6 inches |
Weight | 61 Kg |
Hair Color | Brown |
Eye Color | Black |
Shoe Size | 8 |
Full Name | Kyle Miyata Larson |
Nickname | Kyle Larson |
Gender | Male |
Date of Birth | July 31, 1992 |
Age | 32 Years |
Profession | American professional auto racing driver |
Kyle Larson Net Worth | $12 Million |
Education | Georgetown College |
Nationality | American |
Birthplace | Elk Grove, California, U.S. |
Hometown | Elk Grove, California, U.S. |
Religion | Christian |
Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Father | Janet |
Mother | Mike Larson |
Spouse | Katelyn Sweet |
Children | 3 |
Siblings | Andrea Larson |
Official website | kylelarsonracing.com |
Hendrick Motorsports | Official profile at Hendrick Motorsports |
Childhood & Early Life
Born July 31, 1992, Kyle Miyata Larson is a professional motor racer from the United States. He drives the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.
He also races part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the same team, driving the No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro, and part-time in the NTT IndyCar Series for Arrow McLaren. Larson has had great success in dirt track racing both before and throughout his career in stock car racing. He has won numerous major races, such as the Kings Royal, Knoxville Nationals, and Chili Bowl Nationals.
Parents of Larson spent some time in a Japanese internment camp; Larson’s mother is Japanese American. Katelyn Sweet, the sister of NASCAR racer and former World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series driver Brad Sweet, is Larson’s spouse. On June 13, 2014, Larson made known that he and his partner were expecting their first child.
revealed that the baby’s gender was male on July 16. The birthdate of Owen Miyata Larson is December 22, 2014. Due in May 2018, Larson and Katelyn announced their second child’s arrival on social media on November 8, 2017. In 2018, Audrey Layne Larson was born.
Larson and Sweet got engaged on December 22, 2017, and on September 26, 2018, they tied the knot. Cooper Donald Larson, Larson and Katelyn’s third child, was born on December 31, 2022.
Also Read: Denny Hamlin Net Worth, Wife, Nascar & Life Story
Career
A week after his birth, on July 31, 1992, Kyle Miyata Larson went to his first race with his parents in Elk Grove, California. At the age of seven, he started outlaw kart racing in Northern California.
He competed for Keith Kunz Motorsports and Hoffman Racing with support from Toyota while racing open-wheel cars as a teenager, including the United States Auto Club (USAC) midget, Silver Crown, and sprint cars. A series official in USAC during his early career gave Larson the nickname “Yung Money” in recognition of his talent.
In addition, Larson competed in World of Outlaws sprint car racing. At Placerville Speedway, where he was among the youngest drivers ever, he won his maiden sprint car race. He became the second driver in history to win the 2011 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway, as he triumphed in all three categories of USAC cars in a single evening.
That season, he won two silver crown races and took home the 2011 Rookie of the Year title. In 2010, Larson set a new sprint car track record at Ocean Speedway. His six USAC National Midget race victories in 2012 included the Turkey Night Grand Prix. Even while driving stock cars, Larson continued to compete in open-wheel races during the week and traveled to New Zealand for races during the off-season.
Larson joined with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (EGR) for the 2012 racing season as a part of the team’s driver development program, despite his slight interest in IndyCar racing. In February 2012, Larson triumphed in his maiden race driving a full-bodied stock car at New Smyrna Speedway’s Pete Orr Memorial Orange Blossom 100. He triumphed at the speedway once more during the World Series of Asphalt a week later.
Larson won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event at Gresham Motorsports Park on June 9, 2012. The K&N Pro Series East victory was his second at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. On June 15, Larson made his ARCA Racing Series debut for Eddie Sharp Racing at Michigan International Speedway, finishing in 13th place.
It was revealed in February 2013 that Larson would drive Turner Scott Motorsports’ No. 32 Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2013. Larson was involved in a severe collision on the final lap of the Daytona season opener when his vehicle clipped Brad Keselowski’s vehicle on the right side and struck the outside wall.
Brian Scott struck him in the right rear at the same moment, sending his vehicle flying through the air and breaching the catch fence, utterly destroying the front end of the vehicle. In 13th place, Larson crossed the start-finish line. Although he was uninjured, 28 grandstand spectators were injured by the debris, two of whom were critically injured.
But there were no fatalities. Larson led the most laps in the season finale at Homestead, but with three laps to go, he surrendered the lead to eventual victor Brad Keselowski and came in second. Being the first Asian-American and Drive for Diversity participant to win a Rookie of the Year honor in a national touring series of NASCAR, Larson won the 2013 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year honor.
Beginning with the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Larson will drive the No. 42 vehicle for Chip Ganassi Racing and be vying for Rookie of the Year, according to a report published in The Charlotte Observer on August 27, 2013.
On August 30, the deal was formally announced. In order to be ready for his rookie season, Larson was set to make his Sprint Cup Series debut on October 1 at Charlotte Motor Speedway driving Phoenix Racing’s No. 51 vehicle. After an engine failure on lap 247, Larson finished 37th in his Cup Series debut, having started 21st.
Following months of silence on social media, Larson apologized for using the slur and denied that it was an accurate representation of who he was in an article that he published on his website in October 2020.
According to Larson’s testimony, he frequently encountered people who used the phrase when racing abroad. He acknowledged taking responsibility for his actions, which included being suspended and fired from CGR.
He added that even though he completed the sensitivity training, he went above and beyond what was required of him to alter his behavior. For example, he traveled to Minnesota following the murder of George Floyd and took part in a number of classes to broaden his knowledge of the African-American community.
It was revealed on January 12, 2023, that Larson will try to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 by working with Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports. Larson ran among the top cars until receiving a penalty for speeding in pit lane, which caused the race to end in 18th place, having started fifth due to rain delays. Due to his strict schedule, Larson was unable to start the Coca-Cola 600 because of the rain delay. The 2024 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year was Larson.
Alongside Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, and Marino Franchitti in the No. 02 vehicle in the 24 Hours of Daytona, Larson was confirmed by Chip Ganassi Racing on January 4, 2014. “You grow up watching the NASCAR guys then you’re like, ‘wow’ when you meet them,” Larson said at the news conference.
There’s a “wow” aspect to meeting and working with these people, especially after watching them in various series.” Although Larson’s car stalled and he was given a speeding fine in his first Rolex 24 race, he nevertheless finished in fifth place.
Along with his IndyCar teammates Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan from Chip Ganassi Racing as well as NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray, Larson made a comeback for the 2015 race in the No. 02 Ford Daytona Prototype. The race was eventually won by the team.
Larson made a second appearance at the Daytona 24 Hours in 2016 while driving the Ford EcoBoost Daytona Prototype for Chip Ganassi Racing. The squad was made up of the same drivers as the winning vehicle from 2015, however throughout the race, they struggled with brake difficulties.
Also Read: Josef Newgarden Net Worth, Wife, Age & Life Story
Major Work/filmography
Year | Match |
---|---|
2024 | Brickyard 400 |
2023 | Southern 500 |
2022 | Coca-Cola 600 |
2021 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship |
2020 | All-Star Race |
2019 | All-Star Race |
2018 | Daytona 500 |
2017 | Coca-Cola 600 |
2016 | All-Star Race |
2015 | Coca-Cola 600 |
2014 | Daytona 500 |
Awards & Achievements
- 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion
- 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion
- 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion
- 2019, 2021, 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race Winner
- 2021 Coca-Cola 600 Winner
- 2022 Daytona 500 Pole Winner
- 2023 Southern 500 Winner
- 2024 Brickyard 400 Winner
- 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona Overall Winner
- 2012, 2016, 2019, 2023 Turkey Night Grand Prix Winner
- 2019, 2023 Hangtown 100 Winner
- 2020, 2022, 2023 Brad Doty Classic Winner
- 2020 Hoosier Hundred Winner
- 2020, 2021 Chili Bowl Nationals Winner
- 2021 Prairie Dirt Classic Winner
- 2021 37th Kings Royal Winner
- 2021 BC39 Winner
- 2021, 2023, 2024 Knoxville Nationals Winner
- 2022 Hillbilly 100 Winner
- 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year
- 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year
- 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year
- 2022 ESPY Awards Best Driver
- Named as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)
- 2024 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year
Kyle Larson Net Worth
As of 2023, Kyle Larson has amassed a net worth of $12 million as per Celebrity Net Worth including his race earnings, endorsements, and other ventures. The Hendrick Motorsports star’s current contract with the team runs until 2026 and as per reports, he makes an estimated $10 million each year
Controversy
NASCAR star Kyle Larson used a racial slur on a Twitch livestream of an iRacing event. He lost communication on his headset with his spotter at one point, and during a microphone check moments later said “You can’t hear me?,” which was followed by the N-word.
One driver who was on the stream with Larson heard the racial slur and immediately said, “Kyle, you’re talking to everyone, bud.”
“NASCAR has made diversity and inclusion a priority and will not tolerate the type of language used by Kyle Larson during Sunday’s iRacing event,” NASCAR said in a statement. “Our Member Conduct Guidelines are clear in this regard, and we will enforce these guidelines to maintain an inclusive environment for our entire industry and fan base.”
In addition, Chip Ganassi Racing announced on Monday that Larson has been suspended without pay. Larson has also been dropped by three major sponsors, Chevrolet, McDonald’s and Capital One Bank, in wake of his comments during Sunday’s iRacing event.
“We are extremely disappointed by what Kyle said last night during an iRacing Event,” Chip Ganassi Racing said in a statement. “The words that he chose to use are offensive and unacceptable. As of this moment we are suspending Kyle without pay while we work through this situation with all appropriate parties.”
After Larson was suspended. he issued a video apology on his Twitter account.
“I just want to say I’m sorry,” Larson said. “Last night, I made a mistake and said the word that should never ever be said. There’s no excuse for that. I wasn’t raised that way. That’s just an awful thing to say. I feel very sorry for my family, friends, partners, NASCAR community, and especially the African American community.”
10 things you didn’t know about Kyle Larson!
FAQs
– What are Kyle Larson’s major achievements in NASCAR?
Kyle Larson’s most significant achievement in NASCAR is winning the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. In 2021, he also recorded 10 race wins, dominating the season. He has also won prestigious races like the Coca-Cola 600 and the All-Star Race.
What is Kyle Larson’s background in racing?
Before entering NASCAR, Larson was a standout in dirt track racing, winning various sprint car and midget races. He won the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals in 2020 and 2022 and continues to race in dirt track events during his free time.
– What team does Kyle Larson race for?
Kyle Larson currently races for Hendrick Motorsports, where he drives the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. He joined the team in 2021 after being reinstated by NASCAR.
– What are Kyle Larson’s roots in motorsports?
Kyle Larson has deep roots in motorsports, particularly in dirt track racing. His parents exposed him to racing from a young age, and he started competing in outlaw karts before moving to sprint cars and midgets. He remains passionate about dirt track racing.