Kyle Larson is a professional American stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. He was born and raised in Elk Grove, California, a city located in the Sacramento metropolitan area. Growing up in California played a significant role in shaping Larson's racing career. The state has a rich motorsports culture and many racing venues that gave opportunities for Larson to enter the world of racing at the age of seven. He started racing go-karts in outlaw karts in Northern California. As a teenager, he raced open-wheel cars, including the United States Auto Club, Silver Crown, and sprint cars competing for Keith Kunz Motorsports and Hoffman Racing with Toyota backing.
Kyle Larson Heritage
Kyle Larson is of Japanese and European descent. Kyle's father, Mike Larson, is of Swedish and German descent. His mother, Jane Larson, is of Japanese and American descent. Larson's ethnicity makes him a role model for many Asian Americans. Kyle Larson takes great pride in his Japanese heritage, his mother being of Japanese descent, makes Larson a fourth-generation Japanese-American (Yonsei). He has also raced in Japan and is a Japanese Racing Drivers Association member. Larson's ethnicity has sparked discussions in the racing community, regarding his eligibility for the NASCAR diversity program. Many people have argued that he is not eligible for NASCAR's diversity program because he is not a minority race or ethnicity. The program was created to help minority drivers who have faced barriers in the sport.
Kyle Larson Suspension
On April 12, 2020, Larson was dropped from his racing team and lost his sponsors after saying the N-word in April while playing a video game online while streaming. According to NPR, NASCAR said, "He said he had keyed his microphone to send a private message, but his use of a racial slur was instead broadcast to all participants in the race and to viewers on public live streams,". NASCAR moved to bar him indefinitely and ordered him to attend racial sensitivity training. Later in 2021, Kyle was reinstated by NASCAR clearing him to race effective on Jan 21, 2021.
According to NASCAR: "Kyle Larson has fulfilled the requirements set by NASCAR, and has taken several voluntary measures, to better educate himself so that he can use his platform to help bridge the divide in our country. Larson's indefinite suspension has been lifted. Under the terms of his reinstatement, he will be cleared to return to all NASCAR racing activities effective January 1, 2021,"
According to NPR, Kyle reflected on the whole set of events, saying "The work I've done over the last six months has had a major impact on me. I will make the most of this opportunity and look forward to the future. There's absolutely no excuse for my ignorance. Since April, I've done a lot of reflecting. I realized how little I really knew about the African-American experience in this country and racism in general. Educating myself is something I should've done a long time ago, because it would've made me a better person – the kind of person who doesn't casually throw around an awful, racist word."
Also read: Kyle Larson House
Faqs on Kyle Larson
Kyle was born on July 31, 1992, in Elk Grove, California, USA.
As of August 2024, Kyle Larson has 26 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series career
In the NASCAR Cup Series, Kyle drives the No5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports
Kyle Larson made his NASCAR debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2012 and in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2013
Kyle Larson's cultural identity is mixed race. He embraces elements from both his Japanese and European heritage.
