“It’s Hard to Appreciate” – Kyle Larson Opens Up About His Tony Stewart Comparisons and His Emulation in His Career

Will the 2024 season be the year of Hendrick Motorsports speedster Kyle Larson? The power ranking that was released by NASCAR also posited the 2021 Cup Series champion ahead of Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney. The driver is set to appear for the two-headed monster in the 2024 season and also spearhead his sprint car series, High Limit Racing. If the trajectory of Kyle Larson’s career is taken into account, it bears semblance to perhaps one of the greatest drivers, only Stewart.

Tony Stewart’s resume as a driver has remained unparalleled. Whether it is the world of stock car racing or other formats of racing, the 3x Cup Series champion has been an invincible force. However, that does not bar Stewart from admiring his predecessors, one such being Kyle Larson. Being flattered by the words of the Hall of Famer, the HMS driver unraveled the influence of Stewart on his racing career in his interview with Kenny Wallace.

The HMS speedster hopes to follow in the footsteps of Tony Stewart

There is no denying the fact that Kyle Larson is a generational talent in the world of motorsports. Whether it is sprint car racing or stock car racing, the driver has not only dabbled in these formats but also found success. Moreover, the driver has also raised hopes of making his sprint car series a full-time event. Even Tony Stewart has reiterated time and again, “Kyle Larson is better than I was.”

Nevertheless, the 2024 season is set to bring enough promises for the former Cup Series champion. However, in his road to success, the driver has never failed to acknowledge the individuals who have shaped his career path. One such was Tony Stewart, and this was also evident in his conversation with Kenny Wallace. Speaking on being acknowledged by Stewart and hoping to follow the same suit, Larson expressed, “Honestly, it’s an honor first off to have a guy who I believe has been the most talented race driver that I have seen. Growing up, being able to jump in from different disciplines and compete at a high level, when championships and races all that, say that I am the best race that he has ever seen; it’s an honor.”

Watch this story: Relive 1981’s iconic moment when Richard “The King” Petty handed over his #43 legacy to his son Kyle.

“At times you don’t really believe it or want to believe it because you understand you are young, and maybe I am halfway through my career and there is still a lot left that I want to accomplish and feel like I can accomplish. Yeah, when you hear compliments like that, it’s really cool, but at the same time, it’s hard to appreciate it a ton because I am right in the thick of it. But it is awesome, and it’s really cool that I got to compete with Tony and race with him in midgets and sprint cars and NASCAR and all of that.”

“I have tried to model my career and career path, what I race, and what I do after him. Not only the driving side, but even the team ownership stuff that I did for a little bit, the promotion stuff that we are doing now, really laid the groundwork for all that for a guy like me to want to try and emulate and copy. So who knows, maybe now I might have to go NHRA racing sometime when I am in my late 40s or 50s, but Tony is definitely the one guy that I have looked up to the most out of any other race car drivers,” Larson concluded.

Kyle Larson teases his fans with early retirement plans

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Nonetheless, Kyle Larson, who has charted his racing career, has also teased his fans about his early retirement plans from the major NASCAR league to wash his feet in other formats of racing.

He had floated the thought of retiring early at the age of 40 to focus on his sprint race career, a format where his sympathies lay. He expressed to Wallace, “I think they just got pushed out of the sport a little bit with young drivers coming up, who could be paid a lot less than what they’re making, stuff like that.”

“But then, for me, there’s a lot of stuff I want to accomplish while I’m still in my prime. I’m 31 right now, and I’m going into my 11th season in the Cup Series. I’ve already been in it for a while. So, in my eyes, if I can race another seven or eight years, I can earn a lot of money, I can set myself up really well, and I can still be in my prime, hopefully, and go compete for a premier dirt series championship.”

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With that being said, it will be interesting to witness what the 2024 season has on hold for the HMS driver. Will the driver achieve success and rise to the limelight, or will he have to wait for another season? remains the question of the hour.