Over the past two years, the 2021 defending champion Kyle Larson has emerged as a once-in-a-generation driver.
The 29-year-old has shown a perfect mixture of talent and hunger to win races. Whether it’s the NASCAR Cup Series or the top dirty race, Larson has battled to win it all.
During the latest episode of the Ask Jr. segment of his Dale Jr. Download podcast, the NASCAR legend was asked if fans would expect Larson to be behind the wheel of a single-seater at the Indianapolis 500.
Watch the video here:
Putting his money on the Hendrick Motorsports driver fulfilling his INDY 500 wish, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said:
“Yeah, I mean he’s talked about it. I think he’ll get to a point in his life when he starts to really take stock in his age… if he’s gonna run the INDY500, he wants to run it to win it. And he needs to do that in a certain period of time before he ages himself out, (before) his chances of being competitive in a competitive car and all that goes away.”
Further in the episode, the former Hendrick Motorsports driver said Larson had plenty of time for INDY 500 and went on to say:
“I think that he definitely has plenty of time to worry about this, he doesn’t have to be in a hurry. If we’re betting, I’ll put my money on him absolutely running it, maybe more than once.”
Where did Kyle Larson end up at Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway?
Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Kyle Larson began the Ruoff Mortgage 500 with a solid seventh place finish in qualifying.
Despite securing the seventh pole and running up front for most of the race, Larson dropped out on lap 239. His crew found a broken valve spring in his No. 5 car and ended with a DNF.
Even if Larson fails to perform well in the Ruoff Mortgage 500, there will be more opportunities coming his way as the 2022 season moves ahead.
Larson will be looking for his second win of the season when the green flag drops next weekend at newly renovated Atlanta Motor Speedway.