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The art of becoming a Cup Series champion is not everybody’s cup of tea. A few might call it pre-ordained and sheer bit of luck, but for others, it is none other than the perks of hard work. Years of sacrifice, pain, and toil along with the unsatiated thirst have propelled these drivers to carve their niche in the sport. Among those, very few luminaries stand as tall as Jeff Gordon.

The Hall of Famer has been an enigma in the world of NASCAR, taking the sport to newer heights. However, Gordon’s achievements are surely not only restricted to racing and winning, as he has set the stage for budding and ambitious racers. While some may nod their head in disbelief, it is Kyle Larson who would acknowledge the given fact. 

It was Jeff Gordon’s keen eyes that helped Larson achieve a seat at Hendrick Motorsports, and has also helped in tweaking rules within the HMS camp to accommodate Larson’s ambitions. This revelation was divulged and dealt with in the latest episode of Door Bumper Clear.

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NASCAR Insiders discloses how Kyle Larson could have ended in a compromising state

When Kyle Larson took the chequered on the track of Phoenix Raceway, back in 2021 to claim the Cup Series championship, the speedster of HMS had broken quite a few records. One such record being his idol’s track record of leading the most laps. Moreover, the impeccable result of winning 10 races out of 36 races back in 2021 reinforced the fact that introducing Larson in the HMS stable was not a shot in the dark but a calculated move. 

Nevertheless, the No.5 since then has come a long way, and his achievements are surely not restricted to the elite format of racing. Larson, apart from racing in the Cup Series, is also a fervent dirt track and sprint car racer. He was also crowned as the Chili Bowl winner two consecutive times.

However, Larson’s sprint racing ambitions wouldn’t have materialized under the HMS banner, had it not been for Jeff Gordon. The HMS Vice-Chairman of HMS had helped in tweaking the existing rules of the team to accommodate Larson’s sprint racing. This fact was revealed in the latest episode of Door Bumper Clear.

Conversing with their guest Chris Rice of Kaulig Racing and the many of drivers racing in other formats, spotter TJ Majors expressed, “I don’t think Kyle Larson, I think that’s in his words when he comes in there can I race my car? Okay, now we will talk.”

To which Brett Griffin disclosed, “He [Kyle Larson] honestly didn’t think that Hendrick Motorsports would going to be an option because he didn’t think that they would let him race. When he and Jeff Gordon got together with the help of a driver that I used to work with. He facilitated a conversation and they were like, ‘If we get a chance to a tower like this, we will let you race,’ what the hell you want.”

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Jeff Gordon spills the beans on how he persuaded the HMS team boss to accommodate Kyle Larson

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There is no denying the fact that Hendrick Motorsports has always been skeptical in letting its drivers tread in the other forms of motorsports. However, things eventually changed when Larson joined HMS back in 2021.

Earlier in the season, Jeff Gordon, in his interview with SiriusXM Radio, revealed how Larson became the path-breaker. He revealed, I think, one, the sport’s changed. And, I guess, you look at guys doing other races, even within Xfinity and Trucks, and I’d say Kyle’s made an impact on that. When we started thinking about how do we bring Kyle Larson here, well, he made it clear he wants to continue to race dirt.”

“So when I had that conversation with Rick [Hendrick], and we talked about it, I said, ‘You know what, that’s not a bad thing.’ And as a matter of fact, it’s turned out to be a great thing because it’s rallied our folks. And our other drivers started driving other things too and found that that was beneficial to them,” Gordon asserted.

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There is no denying that Kyle Larson, since his joining with the HMS stable, has only climbed the stairs of success without glancing back. With that being said, it is to be seen whether he will be able to claim another championship in the 2023 Cup Series season.

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