Is Kyle Larson Asian? Exploring the ethnicity of the NASCAR driver

Kyle Larson made sports history in August 2016 when he became the first Japanese American driver to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Kyle Larson is a unique NASCAR racer that makes himself visible in a crowd.

Larson took part in NASCAR's professional development program, Drive for Diversity ("D4D"). The program's goal is to get more minorities and women involved in car racing, both as drivers and in other positions. Larson became the first D4D program graduate to win in NASCAR's top series.

Kyle Larson's both parents are Americans but they belong to a different ethnicity. His middle name is 'Miyata' which translates to 'rice paddy of the shrine', a surname found throughout Japan and the Ryūkyū Islands. Larson's mother, Janet belongs to a Japanese ancestry. While his father, Mike Larson is Caucasian, making Kyle Larson an Asian-Amercian by birth.

Larson's Japanese origins can be traced down to his mother, Janet. Her parents were detained at a camp near Tule Lake, California, during WWII. Larson doesn't talk about it often, primarily because he doesn't think he can. He doesn't know a word of Japanese and avoids Asian cuisine.

On more than one time, he's told that his formative memories were relatively white bread. He simply views himself as a racer. NASCAR, on the other hand, sees something more than that, It's an opportunity to attract more fans like Ryan Iwasaka.

Larson began racing when he was seven years old. Today, the 30-year-old is already a seasoned racer, having won multiple NASCAR championships.

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JINYA Ramen Bar to partner with Kyle Larson

JINYA Ramen Bar has joined Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team as an Official Restaurant partner. JINYA will have branding on Larson's fire suit, team equipment, and a post-race cap as part of a partnership that runs until 2024 when the No. 5 team wins.

Larson said in a press release announcing the partnership:

"I’m really excited about the partnership with JINYA, It’s awesome to see and be a part of bringing a brand-new sponsor to Hendrick Motorsports and our fans. We have some cool ideas in the works that tie the partnership together with our on-track success that we’ll announce soon."

With 15 victories since joining Hendrick Motorsports before the 2021 season, Larson leads the NASCAR Cup Series. He won the Cup Series title in 2021, and most recently, he was included in a list of the 75 greatest drivers in NASCAR history.

The 30-year-old driver has two victories on the 2023 season at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway, and he recently finished second at Kansas Speedway.