New Ventures in Racing
In Daytona Beach, Florida, Kyle Larson, the two-time reigning champion of the NASCAR Cup Series, has embarked on a new venture: running a micro-racing team dedicated to his children. This endeavor, which involves all the logistics of racing—trucks, trailers, engines, and employees—will support his 11-year-old son, Owen, and 7-year-old daughter, Audrey, as they participate in sprint car racing more frequently beginning in 2026.
“We are fully invested,” Larson expressed regarding this family project, but he carries some anxiety about what the future holds, especially as his youngest, 3-year-old Cooper, showcases a particularly wild side. Larson humorously remarked, “In a perfect world, I would love for Cooper not to race… He’s going to be the most expensive because he’ll likely wreck the most equipment.”
Upcoming Challenges
The 31-year-old racer is gearing up for the Daytona 500 this Sunday; this event has long eluded him, despite his impressive record elsewhere in the NASCAR series. Larson recently celebrated his second Cup title, which came as a surprise given that he did not win any of his last 24 races. However, he managed to outpace strong contenders like Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin in the final race of the season, capitalizing on a fortunate caution that changed the race’s dynamics.
Larson has yet to secure a top-five finish at Daytona, having placed 20th in the previous year’s race. In reflecting on this, he admitted,
“Prior to last year, I would just get caught up in wrecks… I just hope that we have the same good fortune as last year.”
His quest mirrors the plight of notable drivers like Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski, who remain winless in multiple Daytona 500 attempts, despite their extensive success elsewhere.
Historical Context and Pressure
Several legendary drivers have faced similar struggles; NASCAR Hall of Famers such as Tony Stewart and Mark Martin famously ended their Daytona winning droughts later in their careers, which raises the pressure for racers like Larson. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who broke through on his 12th attempt, noted,
“Most people get to double digits before they win… The more races that go by, the more you wonder if you’ll ever get one.”
Despite the mounting pressure, Larson insists he feels no anxiety regarding the prestigious race. He is also juggling his commitments within the newly launched High Limit Racing Sprint Car Series, which has expanded to 60 races this year. Additionally, he has recently abandoned the demanding challenge of completing “The Double”—which involves racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day—after facing challenges last year.
Focus on Family and Racing
Rick Hendrick, owner of Larson’s NASCAR team, characterized the dual racing attempts as a significant distraction and expressed relief at Larson’s decision to focus on the upcoming season without that added pressure. Larson echoes this sentiment, relishing the opportunity to leave his mark on the family racing experience, saying,
“It’s honestly been a lot of fun, and I look forward to kind of having our own little touch on things.”
As the Daytona 500 approaches, Larson hopes to merge his competitive spirit with a newfound sense of familial joy, uncertain but optimistic about what lies ahead in both his racing and fatherhood journeys.
