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NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. welcomed former Hendrick Motorsports mechanic Marlin Yoder in the latest episode of The Dale Jr. Download podcast. In this article, we explore the whereabouts of the crew member who guided Kyle Larson to the Cup Series championship victory in 2021.
Born in an Amish family in the state of Wisconsin, United States, Marlin Yoder, along with his cousin Reuben Kauffman, left his house at the age of 17 with the goal of working on a NASCAR crew one day. Raised in the conservative Amish community, where sports were discouraged and modern amenities were shunned, Yoder's path to the racetrack was riddled with challenges.
Reminiscing about his upbringing, Yoder shared with Dale Earnhardt Jr in the recent episode of The Dale Jr Download podcast:
"I've got this whole world in front of me that I don't know anything about. I know very little about what's going on outside of what I grew up doing. In a way, it was scary."
"Now, looking back and seeing what I do now and the person I've become, it's that challenge that I enjoyed as I am learning all these things when I leave."
Initially paired with then-ARCA Series driver Zane Smith, Marlin Yoder made his way up the NASCAR hierarchy. His tenure as a front-end mechanic with the No. 48 team (Alex Bowman) at Hendrick Motorsports paved the way for a successful partnership with Kyle Larson.
Yoder was a part of the #5 crew that guided Larson to an impressive 10-win Cup campaign in 2021 and helped Hendrick Motorsports defend the Cup Series title with consecutive championship wins.
Marlin Yoder opens up about working with Kyle Larson
Being a member of the crew that helped Kyle Larson deliver his most dominant season ever, Yoder shared a close-knit bond with the No. 5 Chevrolet team. Reflecting on his tenure with Larson, Marlin Yoder expressed disbelief at his path to NASCAR glory.
He said in The Dale Jr. Download Podcast:
"It honestly never really hit me until after we won the championship (in 2021) with Kyle Larson. I won the championship, built my own street stock and it's super fast."
"Then, it just kind of hit me. It really hit me when I was talking to somebody about that and how I left. Looking back, it seems impossible. There's like no chance of that happening."
After stepping away from his role with Hendrick Motorsports, Yoder joined the Garage 56 crew and ventured to France as a front-end mechanic. He continues to pursue his love of racing at the grassroots level, building and racing his own street stock.
