Three Years After Being Banned by NASCAR, Kyle Larson & Father Credit Unforeseen Brilliance for His 2021 Redemption

Kyle Larson’s Cup championship win in 2021 was one of the most emphatic moments in NASCAR history. A thrilling finale of a race where it seemed like there was no way to revive the hopes, the tale of Larson’s win is truly one for the ages. But everyone does not remember it the same way.

There were people close to Larson who had seen the hardships he faced to even get this opportunity after getting dismissed from Chip Gannassi Racing and suspended from competing in NASCAR in April, 2020. One of them was his dad, Mike Larson. Watching Kyle realize his childhood dream, the proud father couldn’t have asked for a better finish to the 2021 season. In a recent episode of FloRacing’s Dirt: the Last Great American Sport, the driver’s side of the day comes into the spotlight.

I wish I could go back and relive it: Kyle Larson reminisces nail-biting championship win

The Hendrick Motorsports camp was filled with nervousness and excitement on that day. The minute margin of error between delivering a championship season and a lost race took over the atmosphere for the crew. But Kyle Larson had other plans. Trying to make his mark at the Phoenix Raceway, Larson and HMS raced to the championship after leading a huge 107 out of 312 laps. Recalling the moment, he said, “Championship weekend I was pretty at peace. I think with how ever the weekend was going to turn out because I’d already had a great season to that point. I look back on it and it kind of feels like a dream, I wish I could go back and relive it.” 

One of his biggest supporters, Mike Larson was not a big fan of all the suspense. Revealing his situation during the moment, he said “Definitely on that day, I mean it was just a different kind of nervous of ‘just please let this happen.’ It just seemed like they’re in the second half. He just was having a hard time staying at the front”

Almost all of Arizona must have thought Kyle was not going to win it. Even he thought so too, as he mentioned, ” I think I was running fourth and thinking like, ‘Man! I can’t believe that I’m not gonna not even have a shot to win the championship.'” But it all changed in the fateful lap 283.

283rd was the lucky lap Larson needed. All the four drivers competing for the championship took to the pit road. And each one of them was hot on the tires, replacing all four tires. But what changed the outcome of the race was Larson’s crew’s nimble footedness and quick thinking. The father-son duo revealed more about the proceedings in the precarious situation in the episode.

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Larson’s father names his ‘greatest pitstop in NASCAR history’

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Larson’s crew’s competence proved to be the difference on this fateful day. The deciding factor was the stoppage time at the pits. And the #5 team got other drivers beat in that. After leaving the pit, Kyle leapfrogged three spots and got hold of the race.

“With 50 laps to go, I was pretty much just sitting there in the grandstand just kind of looking at my feet, just thinking, ‘Man this is hard to watch.’ It doesn’t look like they have the speed now to get back to the front. But then the miracle yellow came out,” sighed Mike as he thanked the fortunes for the caution flag.

Larson acknowledged his crew’s efforts as he added, “I knew that was gonna be our final time down. Pit road, I tried to be as aggressive as I could be on my pit road speed but man my pit crew did a heck of a job.”

Mike had few words to describe the moment. As a proud father watching over his son fulfill his childhood dreams, he says, “The greatest pit stop in the history of NASCAR. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. You know I mean I think a lot of people probably think things came easy for Kyle just because he’s won so many races and everything but I mean I know where he started. You know, going back to him saying I’m going to make it in Cup. He did just what he said he could do.”

Without a doubt, Nov 7th, 2021, will be an unforgettable day in  Kyle Larson’s memorabilia.

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