“We expect him to win Indy 500 from pole next year”: Kyle Larson impressed Donny Schatz in the Knoxville Nationals

NASCAR Cup Series regular and avid dirt-track racer Kyle Larson is often regarded as one of the best drivers in the highest echelon of stock car racing.

Renowned for his performances in the Cup Series, Larson is equally adept in the grassroots dirt racing scene. Often seen competing in prestigious series such as the World of Outlaws, Kyle Larson is more than capable behind the wheel of a sprint car or midget cars on loose surfaces.

Proving his talent in Sprint Cars, the 31-year-old American recently clinched his second victory in the Knoxville Nationals this season. His performance impressed seasoned dirt-track racer Donny Schatz and expectations from the #5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver seem to be on an all-time high.

Preparing for his NTT IndyCar Series debut next year, Schatz commented on how he expects Larson to perform at the iconic event. He said in an interview (via Brian Shawn of Midco Sports):

"Kyle (Larson) was pretty exceptional so it's pretty cool to see. I can tell you right now, this is a very hard race to win from the pole so, now we expect him to go win the Indy 500 from the pole next year."

Donny Schatz's statement was greeted with a roar by the onlooking crowd, solidifying the belief race fans and the fraternity have in Kyle Larson.

Kyle Larson elaborates on his second Knoxville Nationals victory

Winning one of the most prestigious races in Sprint Car racing for the second time, Kyle Larson proved why he is regarded so highly in motorsport circles. Larson visited victory lane at Knoxville Raceway in 2023 after beating several seasoned dirt-track racers.

The future NTT IndyCar Series driver and Indy 500 aspirant elaborated on his race to knoxvilleraceway.com and said:

"To win another Knoxville Nationals feels amazing, I feel like I ran about as good a race as I could. I kept my eyes open for crumbs in the middle. It started latching a little rubber there with 15 or 17 to go. It was helping me on entry. It all just worked out."

Kyle Larson will compete in the NASCAR Cup Series this Sunday, with the sport headed to Watkins Glen International for the second last race of the 2023 regular season.