Bubba Wallace and Danica Patrick are two of the most recognizable personalities in the world of NASCAR. Wallace is the highest-finishing African-American at Daytona 500, whereas Patrick is the first woman to win the IndyCar Series. The duo has carved out their respective identities courtesy of excellent results but also a fair share of controversial moments. Recently, fans had to choose between the two when Fan Buzz Racing asked [https://www.facebook.com/FanBuzzRacing/videos/469255115193973/] – “Would You Rather Be Stuck In Traffic with Bubba Wallace or Danica Patrick?” Fans came up with quirky responses for the same. Pleaded “Call the Man Back” in 2021 [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-bubba-wallace-ticked-off-hall-of-famer-bobby-labonte-as-veteran-pleaded-call-the-man-back-in-2021/] Fans stated [https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=469255115193973], “Doesn’t matter, I’m getting wrecked regardless” “Danica. #1, she’s better looking than bubbles. #2, She is a she.” “I’d rather walk than ride with either one of them as a matter of fact I ain’t going to ride with em” “Is there a third option???” “Prefer neither unless got headphones so don’t have to hear either one” “I’d rather be under the car🙃 [https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb/3/16/1f643.png]“ “I would run away from both of them” “I’ll pass, I think I’d walk!” BUBBA WALLACE AND DANICA PATRICK HAVE FACED CRITICISM Fans have previously heavily criticized both drivers for their retaliations against other drivers on the track. Recently, Bubba Wallace [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/bubba-wallace/] underwent suspension from a race after he took out Kyle Larson at high speed during the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/las-vegas-motor-speedway/]. [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-469749979.jpg]DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 16: Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 GoDaddy Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2014, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images) Wallace later also walked out of his car all the way toward Kyle Larson [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/kyle-larson] and shoved him around. Fans had been really upset with his action, both for his dangerous retaliation and the altercation with Larson. Likewise, Danica Patrick [https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/danica-patrick/] wasn’t much different on the retaliation front. However, she had a rather peculiar problem when she tried to retaliate. It seemed whenever she tried to wreck another car on track, she would end up wrecking herself in the process as well. Watch This Story: Denny Hamlin Has A One-Word Answer To ‘Why Is Kyle Busch Hated’ Question By Danica Patrick [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/nascar-news-denny-hamlin-has-a-one-word-answer-to-why-is-kyle-busch-hated-question-by-danica-patrick/] Both drivers have often showcased how quickly they lose their cool while out on track. While most of the time, their actions and reactions have only backfired on them. 

NASCAR Fans were asked if they would prefer to be stuck with Bubba Wallace or
former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick.

Srijan Mandal is a NASCAR author at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing
his Master’s in Journalism and has been writing for his own blog as well,
covering NASCAR, F1, F2, W Series, MotoGP, DTM, IndyCar, WRC, and WEC. Following
motorsports for more than a decade, he has become a devout supporter of McLaren
Racing, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Bubba Wallace, Sir Lewis Hamilton, and
Ayrton Senna. Not wanting to restrict himself to just writing, He also practices
to take part in professional open-wheel sim racing. Other than penning down his
thoughts about some of the most prestigious racing series in the world, he also
writes fine art & design content for his online art gallery; Artmoshai and
produces music, with releases on Spotify and Apple Music as Lunaprism.

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NASCAR Fans Would “Rather Be Under the Car” Instead of Being Stuck With Bubba
Wallace or Danica Patrick

Kyle Busch’s 2 Year Old Daughter’s Open Declaration of Chase Elliott as “Her
Boyfriend” Has NASCAR Fans Melting

“It Ruined My Enjoyment” – Dale Earnhardt Jr Reveals His Disdain From
Manufacturers Influencing and Compromising His Race

Dale Jr Claims Chevy’s $400,000 Loss for Martinsville Manipulation Not Enough to
Stop It’s Embarrassing Tactics

Denny Hamlin Warns of Consequences Owing to Flawed Playoff Structure Amidst Joey
Logano’s Championship Hunt

Dale Earnhardt Jr Excites His Fans as He Finally Reveals His Racing Plans After
Seemingly Taking a Sabbatical

<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>What is the Daytona 500?</strong></h2>
For any NASCAR fan, the Daytona 500 race holds a special place in their hearts. The most prestigious race in the Cup Series, a win at the revered race bestows limitless repute and honor to its victor. Often referred to as the unofficial "birthplace of speed", Daytona Beach, where the race has been held for over six decades, has a long and storied history. Currently, it features on the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-cup-series/">NASCAR Cup Series</a> schedule as one of the four crown-jewel races and also features the highest winning prize among all Cup races.

[caption id="attachment_1627382" align="alignnone" width="1"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-1627382" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1024835900h.jpg" alt="Daytona 500" width="1" height="1" /> Daytona International Speedway plays host to the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series for the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, FL, USA. Daytona Beach United States of America - ZUMAc04_ 20230219_zaf_c04_386 Copyright: xWalterxGxArcexSrxActionxSportsxPx[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Origins of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
While many stories about the origin of Daytona races date back to 1903 when two men challenged each other to a race to decide whose horseless carriage was the fastest, the sturdy stock car race at the iconic location came into being in 1959, courtesy of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. And on February 22, in front of 41,000 people, the revered race planted its seed to mega-stardom. The inaugural race was the only instance when both hard top and convertible vehicles were allowed to race. Since then, the Daytona 500 has been much-awaited by stock car racing fans every year.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2632995 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/DoBedrfXoAAjZ5P-1.jpeg" alt="" width="3000" height="2400" />

And while the Daytona Beach, Florida location is already iconic, the track that hosts the Daytona 500 race is just as well-thought out and executed. Wanting to give fans an edge-of-the-seat thriller, Bill Frances Sr brainstormed alongside engineers to create a track that would have the highest banking, allowing cars to reach topmost speed. And soon the prospect presented itself in the form of a tri-oval with 31 degrees banking at turns and 18 degrees at the start/finish lines. With 2.5 mile in length, today, the race lasts 500 miles/200 laps.

The first-ever Daytona 500, called the <b>1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona</b> back then, saw 59 cars competing.Â The winning purse of the inaugural race had a steep value of $53, 050, out of which Lee Petty took home $19,050 for his victory while the runner-up Beauchamp secured $7,650.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: 400"><strong>Why is the Daytona 500 called â€˜The Great American Raceâ€™</strong></span></h2>
As one of the most iconic spectator sports events in America, the Daytona 500 definitely takes the cake when it comes to being NASCAR's crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me. Throughout history, the event has often been compared to the Super-Bowl, the crown jewel of the NFL. However, many NASCAR enthusiasts haven't been too keen about that description and have placed the crown-jewel race way above the Super Bowl.

The Daytona 500 has also been synonymous with the President's Day weekend in every NASCAR fan's heart. From 1968 to 2011, the race was held on President's Day weekend every year. However, NASCAR decided to change that in 2012 with news of an NFL schedule revamp doing the rounds. As per reports, NFL was planning to expand its 18-game regular season and as per the new roster, the Super Bowl was to be held on the same day as the Daytona 500. Sensing a dent on viewership numbers, the stock car racing organization move the race. However, as the NFL season-expansion plans failed to reach fruition, the Daytona 500 was moved to its original calendar spot. Now, that's definitely a win-win!

While the winning purse of the Daytona 500 is already a stuff of legends, sitting atop with the largest return, the trophy being awarded to the victors isn't any less prized either. Called the Harley J Earl trophy, the prize has been named after legendary automobile designer, Harley Earl, who was also a close friend of Bill France Sr and a General Motors executive back in the day. Earl is most significantly known for being the Father of the Corvette. He has also been credited for designing the Firebird I prototype. The Daytona 500 race is full of prestige and perks for sure.

One other aspect that the race victor gets to experience is their car being showcased at the Daytona 500 experience, for one year in its race-winning condition. For the uninitiated, the Daytona 500 Experience is a museum and gallery situated next to the Daytona International Speedway.

[caption id="attachment_1948603" align="alignnone" width="1800"]<img class="wp-image-1948603 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0004296892h.jpg" alt="Daytona 500" width="1800" height="1200" /> Teilnehmerfeld der Daytona 500, v.li.: Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers und David Stremme - (ZUMAse4)[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Highlights of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
The inaugural Daytona 500 race in 1959 was won by Richard Petty's father, the legendary Lee Petty. The patriarch of the NASCAR royalty family clinched victory driving a 1959 Oldsmobile for Newton Chappell at the inaugural event outperforming Johnny Beauchamp. Charley Griffith, representing Red Bank, finished P3, while Cotton Owens and Joe Weatherly wrapped up the Top-5 positions.

<img class="alignnone wp-image-2491357 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/lee-petty.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1262" />

&nbsp;

Lee Petty's son isn't much far behind on the Daytona 500 record book either. With seven wins, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/richard-petty/">Richard Petty</a> sits atop the most-wins list at the venue. What makes his feat even more legendary is the fact that Petty managed to clinch four of those titles in a single decade, in 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1979. The rest of his victories came in 1964, 1966 and 1981.

While the initial years of the Daytona 500 didn't see much vehicle policing, it soon became apparent that certain rules and restrictions would have to be put in place. One of the biggest instances of a change came in 1988 when former stock car racing driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison's car went airborne and hit the catch fence at 200 mph at Talladega in May, the previous year. As a result, restrictor plates were made mandatory in hopes that they would stunt speed, which in turn would stop vehicles from going airborne.

Speaking of Bobby Allison, he also became the oldest driver to win the race at 50 years, 2 months and 11 days, in 1988. On the other hand, Trevor Bayne is the youngest Daytona 500 winner. Bayne was 20 years and 1 day old when he won the event in 2011.

Another revamp that hit NASCAR and the Daytona 500 was during the 50th anniversary of the Daytona 500 race, when 'Cars of Tomorrow' debuted for the first time in the stock car racing circuit. While the name might throw some people off, 'Cars of Tomorrow' simply entailed that the same roll cage, frame and body would be used in all kinds of race tracks as opposed to how crew members would need to build different cars for different tracks like superspeedways, road courses and short tracks.

The Daytona 500, being such a grand event, has often been associated with high-profile names. In a bid to make the event even more exciting, every year, the organizers bring in popular figures to serve as a Grand Marshal. While 'Captain America' famed Chris Evans graced the event in 2014, Nicholas cage stopped by in 2007. Even former US presidents Donald Trump and George W Busch served as the event's grand marshal in 2020 and 2004, respectively.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>Â Qualifying Format of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
Currently, the Daytona 500 sees 40 cars competing, out of which 36 sports belong to drivers whose teams have their own charters. The rest of the 4 spots, which are referred to as open cars and constitute teams that do not own a charter.

In its 65 year history, the Daytona 500 has had many revamps to its qualifying format. From two timed laps, the better of two laps, to the average of two laps, the crown jewel race has explored several avenues to decide its starting grid. However, what stuck and is currently in place is a two-race qualifying. The first race is a single-car qualifying where each driver takes up one lap. The Top 10 drivers from that round advance to the second round where their order in the main event starting grid is determined. The single-car runs decide the front row of the Daytona 500. They also decide the lineup for the qualifying races also referred to asÂ <em>"the duels".Â </em>The starting grid is eventually decided on the basis of the duels.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>The Black Sunday of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
The Daytona 500 was perhaps one of <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/dale-earnhardt/">Dale Earnhardt</a>'s greatest achievements. After chasing an elusive win at the track for about two decades of his career, the driver finally succeeded in finish P1 in 1998. However, just three years later, the same race would claim his life. It all happened on February 18, 2001, when the driver was competing in the final lap of the race. <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-nerve-wracking-crashes-that-changed-nascar-forever-edition-five-dale-earnhardt/">The driver slammed head-first into the retaining wall</a> after contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. The driver had suffered from a basilar skull fracture and had died instantly upon contact. Earnardt's death triggered a wave of safety improvements in stock cars and are seen even today.

[caption id="attachment_2105958" align="alignnone" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-2105958 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1029986512h-e1699811493626.jpg" alt="Dale Earnhardt Sr" width="1920" height="1080" /> US PRESSWIRE Sports-Historical Unknown date Daytona Beach, FL, USA: FILE PHOTO NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Winston Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Sr 3 waits in his car in the garage area at the Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Florida UNITED STATES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xUSAxTODAYxSportsx 5145564<br />Image Credits - Imago[/caption]

&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: center"><strong>The changes of the name of the Daytona 500</strong></h2>
The Daytona 500 has seen a plethora of name changes till date. While the first-ever edition of the race was called the 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona, the name was changed the very next year to the Inaugural 500 Mile International Sweepstakes. The race, then, went on to be known as the Daytona 500 by STP from 1991 to 1993. On the year of Dale Earnhardt's passing in 2001, it was known as the Daytona 500 by Dodge. In 2007, a new name was coined yet again and this time, the race was called Daytona 500 by Toyota. From 1961 to 1990, 1994 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2006, the race was called Daytona 500 and since 2008, that's the very name that has stuck around.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Daytona 500

What is the Daytona 500? For any NASCAR fan, the Daytona 500 race holds a special place in their hearts. The most prestigious race in the Cup Series, a win at the revered race bestows limitless repute and honor to its victor. Often referred to as the unofficial &#8220;birthplace of speed&#8221;, Daytona Beach, where the race has been held for over six decades, has a long and storied history. Currently, it features on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule as one of the four crown-jewel races and also features the highest winning prize among all Cup races. Daytona International Speedway plays host to the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series for the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, FL, USA. Daytona Beach United States of America &#8211; ZUMAc04_ 20230219_zaf_c04_386 Copyright: xWalterxGxArcexSrxActionxSportsxPx Origins of the Daytona 500 While many stories about the origin of Daytona races date back to 1903 when two men challenged each other to a race to decide whose horseless carriage was the fastest, the sturdy stock car race at the iconic location came into being in 1959, courtesy of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. And on February 22, in front of 41,000 people, the revered race planted its seed to mega-stardom. The inaugural race was the only instance when both hard top and convertible vehicles were allowed to race. Since then, the Daytona 500 has been much-awaited by stock car racing fans every year. And while the Daytona Beach, Florida location is already iconic, the track that hosts the Daytona 500 race is just as well-thought out and executed. Wanting to give fans an edge-of-the-seat thriller, Bill Frances Sr brainstormed alongside engineers to create a track that would have the highest banking, allowing cars to reach topmost speed. And soon the prospect presented itself in the form of a tri-oval with 31 degrees banking at turns and 18 degrees at the start/finish lines. With 2.5 mile in length, today, the race lasts 500 miles/200 laps. The first-ever Daytona 500, called the 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona back then, saw 59 cars competing.Â The winning purse of the inaugural race had a steep value of $53, 050, out of which Lee Petty took home $19,050 for his victory while the runner-up Beauchamp secured $7,650. Why is the Daytona 500 called â€˜The Great American Raceâ€™ As one of the most iconic spectator sports events in America, the Daytona 500 definitely takes the cake when it comes to being NASCAR&#8217;s crÃ¨me de la crÃ¨me. Throughout history, the event has often been compared to the Super-Bowl, the crown jewel of the NFL. However, many NASCAR enthusiasts haven&#8217;t been too keen about that description and have placed the crown-jewel race way above the Super Bowl. The Daytona 500 has also been synonymous with the President&#8217;s Day weekend in every NASCAR fan&#8217;s heart. From 1968 to 2011, the race was held on President&#8217;s Day weekend every year. However, NASCAR decided to change that in 2012 with news of an NFL schedule revamp doing the rounds. As per reports, NFL was planning to expand its 18-game regular season and as per the new roster, the Super Bowl was to be held on the same day as the Daytona 500. Sensing a dent on viewership numbers, the stock car racing organization move the race. However, as the NFL season-expansion plans failed to reach fruition, the Daytona 500 was moved to its original calendar spot. Now, that&#8217;s definitely a win-win! While the winning purse of the Daytona 500 is already a stuff of legends, sitting atop with the largest return, the trophy being awarded to the victors isn&#8217;t any less prized either. Called the Harley J Earl trophy, the prize has been named after legendary automobile designer, Harley Earl, who was also a close friend of Bill France Sr and a General Motors executive back in the day. Earl is most significantly known for being the Father of the Corvette. He has also been credited for designing the Firebird I prototype. The Daytona 500 race is full of prestige and perks for sure. One other aspect that the race victor gets to experience is their car being showcased at the Daytona 500 experience, for one year in its race-winning condition. For the uninitiated, the Daytona 500 Experience is a museum and gallery situated next to the Daytona International Speedway. Teilnehmerfeld der Daytona 500, v.li.: Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers und David Stremme &#8211; (ZUMAse4) Highlights of the Daytona 500 The inaugural Daytona 500 race in 1959 was won by Richard Petty&#8217;s father, the legendary Lee Petty. The patriarch of the NASCAR royalty family clinched victory driving a 1959 Oldsmobile for Newton Chappell at the inaugural event outperforming Johnny Beauchamp. Charley Griffith, representing Red Bank, finished P3, while Cotton Owens and Joe Weatherly wrapped up the Top-5 positions. &nbsp; Lee Petty&#8217;s son isn&#8217;t much far behind on the Daytona 500 record book either. With seven wins, Richard Petty sits atop the most-wins list at the venue. What makes his feat even more legendary is the fact that Petty managed to clinch four of those titles in a single decade, in 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1979. The rest of his victories came in 1964, 1966 and 1981. While the initial years of the Daytona 500 didn&#8217;t see much vehicle policing, it soon became apparent that certain rules and restrictions would have to be put in place. One of the biggest instances of a change came in 1988 when former stock car racing driver and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison&#8217;s car went airborne and hit the catch fence at 200 mph at Talladega in May, the previous year. As a result, restrictor plates were made mandatory in hopes that they would stunt speed, which in turn would stop vehicles from going airborne. Speaking of Bobby Allison, he also became the oldest driver to win the race at 50 years, 2 months and 11 days, in 1988. On the other hand, Trevor Bayne is the youngest Daytona 500 winner. Bayne was 20 years and 1 day old when he won the event in 2011. Another revamp that hit NASCAR and the Daytona 500 was during the 50th anniversary of the Daytona 500 race, when &#8216;Cars of Tomorrow&#8217; debuted for the first time in the stock car racing circuit. While the name might throw some people off, &#8216;Cars of Tomorrow&#8217; simply entailed that the same roll cage, frame and body would be used in all kinds of race tracks as opposed to how crew members would need to build different cars for different tracks like superspeedways, road courses and short tracks. The Daytona 500, being such a grand event, has often been associated with high-profile names. In a bid to make the event even more exciting, every year, the organizers bring in popular figures to serve as a Grand Marshal. While &#8216;Captain America&#8217; famed Chris Evans graced the event in 2014, Nicholas cage stopped by in 2007. Even former US presidents Donald Trump and George W Busch served as the event&#8217;s grand marshal in 2020 and 2004, respectively. Â Qualifying Format of the Daytona 500 Currently, the Daytona 500 sees 40 cars competing, out of which 36 sports belong to drivers whose teams have their own charters. The rest of the 4 spots, which are referred to as open cars and constitute teams that do not own a charter. In its 65 year history, the Daytona 500 has had many revamps to its qualifying format. From two timed laps, the better of two laps, to the average of two laps, the crown jewel race has explored several avenues to decide its starting grid. However, what stuck and is currently in place is a two-race qualifying. The first race is a single-car qualifying where each driver takes up one lap. The Top 10 drivers from that round advance to the second round where their order in the main event starting grid is determined. The single-car runs decide the front row of the Daytona 500. They also decide the lineup for the qualifying races also referred to asÂ &#8220;the duels&#8221;.Â The starting grid is eventually decided on the basis of the duels. The Black Sunday of the Daytona 500 The Daytona 500 was perhaps one of Dale Earnhardt&#8216;s greatest achievements. After chasing an elusive win at the track for about two decades of his career, the driver finally succeeded in finish P1 in 1998. However, just three years later, the same race would claim his life. It all happened on February 18, 2001, when the driver was competing in the final lap of the race. The driver slammed head-first into the retaining wall after contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. The driver had suffered from a basilar skull fracture and had died instantly upon contact. Earnardt&#8217;s death triggered a wave of safety improvements in stock cars and are seen even today. US PRESSWIRE Sports-Historical Unknown date Daytona Beach, FL, USA: FILE PHOTO NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Winston Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Sr 3 waits in his car in the garage area at the Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Florida UNITED STATES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xUSAxTODAYxSportsx 5145564Image Credits &#8211; Imago &nbsp; The changes of the name of the Daytona 500 The Daytona 500 has seen a plethora of name changes till date. While the first-ever edition of the race was called the 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona, the name was changed the very next year to the Inaugural 500 Mile International Sweepstakes. The race, then, went on to be known as the Daytona 500 by STP from 1991 to 1993. On the year of Dale Earnhardt&#8217;s passing in 2001, it was known as the Daytona 500 by Dodge. In 2007, a new name was coined yet again and this time, the race was called Daytona 500 by Toyota. From 1961 to 1990, 1994 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2006, the race was called Daytona 500 and since 2008, that&#8217;s the very name that has stuck around. &nbsp; &nbsp;

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Bubba Wallace

Who is Bubba Wallace? Bubba Wallace may not be one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR today but he is one of the most talented. The 23XI Racing star&#8217;s aggressive and unapologetic attitude doesn&#8217;t sit well with a lot of fans, although he never saw that as an issue. In the past, Bubba was accused of being too aggressive on the track with his moves but looks like he has worked on that aspect of late. His race craft has matured as a result but that hunger to win is still very much intact. Bubba is at the prime of his racing career and it will be interesting to see how that pans out. Bubba Wallaceâ€™s early life The 23XI Racing driver was born on October 8, 1993, in Mobile, Alabama, and raised in Concord, North Carolina. He was born to Darrell Wallace Sr and Desiree Wallace and has a sister named Brittany Wallace. He was educated at the Northwest Cabarrus High School. While a lot of drivers today come from racing backgrounds, this was not the case with the driver of the 23XI racing team. His father owns an industrial cleaning company while his mother works as a social worker. Bubba Wallace is the only full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series today who is of African-American descent. Being a motorsports athlete is a taxing job and it&#8217;s not uncommon for drivers to undergo a lot of mental pressure. Things had gotten a bit too much for Bubba Wallace as he admitted to battling depression during his racing career in 2019. Several of his peers came out in his support. After his good friend Ryan Blaney won the Cup in 2023, Wallace was affected yet again. â€œHe called me a couple days later and I was like, â€˜Man, I guess you winning the championship sent me into depression. Like congrats, but I donâ€™t want to see that&#8217;,â€ the 23XI star admitted as per AP. May 22, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) celebrates in Victory lane with NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) after winning the All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports Bubba Wallace&#8217;s wife and marriage One of the people who has helped Bubba Wallace through the toughest of times is his wife, Amanda Wallace.Â â€œI wake up and my wifeâ€™s there. Sheâ€™s like, â€˜How are you feeling today?â€™ And itâ€™s like, one of those days,â€ Wallace said as per People Magazine. â€œWe keep each other on our toes. We play video games together. So sheâ€™s a massive help,&#8221; the driver added. Amanda Wallace (formerly Carter) met Bubba Wallace for the first time in high school and it was love at first sight for the motorsports athlete. But Amanda perhaps did not feel the same way in the beginning. &#8220;She thought I was nice, but not attractive,&#8221;Â he said as per People.Â &#8220;I just remember seeing her and I was like, &#8216;Wow, she&#8217;s beautiful&#8217;.&#8221; It took them a few years but Bubba and Amanda started dating in 2016 and announced their engagement in 2021. The couple got married one year later on New Year&#8217;s Eve. Wallace&#8217;s best man at the wedding was none other than his good friend and fellow competitor, Ryan Blaney. The couple celebrated their first anniversary recently but they are yet to have any children. KANSAS CITY, KANSAS &#8211; SEPTEMBER 11: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #45 ROOT Insurance Toyota, celebrates with fiance, Amanda Carter and pet dog, Asher in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on September 11, 2022 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Bubba Wallace net worth 2024 Wallace has been a full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series for quite a while now, and a successful one at that. So it is no surprise that over the years, he has accumulated a decent amount of wealth. According to several sources, the 23XI Racing star currently boasts a net worth of $4 million. A substantial part of his income also comes from the several brand endorsements and partnerships he is involved in. As per reports, Bubba Wallace currently has sponsorship deals in place with Beats by Dre, Columbia Sportswear, and McDonalds. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA &#8211; OCTOBER 16: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #45 McDonald&#8217;s Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) Bubba Wallace&#8217;s career timeline Bubba Wallace&#8217;s introduction to competitive racing came early in his life when he started participating in the Bandolero and Legends car racing series at the young age of nine. And just three years later, in 2005, the driver racked up 35 wins in the 48 races held that year. Since then, Bubba Wallace has had an upward graph in his career which saw him move to the NASCAR K&amp;N Pro Series East in 2010. He was also inducted as a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing as a part of NASCAR&#8217;s Drive for Diversity Program. After clinching multiple wins at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Lee USA Speedway, Richmond International Speedway, and Dover International Speedway, among others, the driver finally made his Xfinity Series debut for JGR in 2012. In his first season with the team, Bubba Wallace participated in four races and clinched a season-high finishing position of P7 at Iowa Speedway. Shy of a win throughout his Xfinity Series career, Wallace&#8217;s best performance came at D0ver Motor Speedway when he finished P2 in 2016 for Roush Fenway Racing. In 2017, Bubba Wallace made his Cup Series debut for Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), driving the No.43 Ford, at Pocono Raceway and finished P26. He was substituting for an injured Aric Almirola and went on to participate in four races that season. However, a full-time role wasn&#8217;t too far as, in 2018, after Almirola&#8217;s departure, Bubba Wallace was announced as the new driver for RPM. This was a historic moment as Wallace became the first African-American driver to secure a full-time ride in the Cup Series since Wendell Scott in 1971. Wallace subsequently went on to finish 28th in his first-ever Cup Season with one Top-5 and three Top-10s. His very first race as a full-time driver became his very best of the season as the driver finished P2 at the Daytona 500, just behind Austin Dillon. Bubba Wallace has two wins in his Cup series career so far, with victories at Talladega in 2021 and Kansas in 2022. Wallace might not have won any races in the 2023 Cup season but it was a transformative year for the driver. He made it into the playoffs for the first time and achieved a career-high points finish of 10th. Bubba Wallaceâ€™s partnerships and endorsements Bubba Wallace has made quite a mark in NASCAR and that is evident from his sponsor list with big names like Columbia Sportswear, the United States Air Force, and Dr. Pepper, among others. Columbia Sportswear has backed Wallace since his time with Richard Petty Motorsports and has renewed their partnership again as a primary sponsor for the 2023 season. As for his 2024 sponsorship situation, the driver will be seen reuniting with the United States Air Force, who will adorn his #23 car for select races. â€œItâ€™s really special to once again be partnered with the men and women who make up the United States Air Force. My previous experience with the folks from the Air Force was awesome, and I had the chance to meet a lot of great Airmen who do some amazing things each and every day. Iâ€™m looking forward to welcoming them to 23XI and showing them what weâ€™re all about as we work together to try and accomplish the impossible,&#8221;Â Bubba Wallace said about the partnership. Apart from that, Wallace has a tie-up with Mcdonalds&#8217; which dates back to 2022. The driver also ran a brand-centered paint scheme at Homestead in 2023. What&#8217;s more? Mcdonalds&#8217; also has a Bubba Wallace-inspired meal for customers residing in Chicago and Northwest Indiana! Dr. Pepper has also had a storied history with the driver. It was announced ahead of the 2021 Cup season that Bubba Wallace would be joining 23XI Racing and would be backed by a slew of primary sponsors that included Dr. Pepper, DoorDash, and Root Insurance among others. Bubba Wallaceâ€™s NASCAR career stats Bubba Wallace has competed in 51 races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since his debut in 2013 and has clinched six victories so far. Apart from that, Wallace has also reached the Top 10 30 times and the Top 5 16 times, while securing three pole positions. He has had an average finish of 10.4 with 987 laps led. Despite being a regular face in the Cup Series since 2017, Bubba Wallace has had a hard time making it to the playoffs. The driver failed to reach the Top 10 in players&#8217; standings in the first six years in NASCAR&#8217;s top faction. However, 2023 provided a redemption arc to him as the driver reached the Round of 12 following the Bristol Night Race. However, he was later eliminated after his outing at Charlotte Roval where he finished P16. &#8220;We werenâ€™t supposed to be here according to a lot of people, but we proved them wrong and then proved a lot of people in the garage wrong that you canâ€™t really count on the No. 23 at a road course race,&#8221;Â Bubba Wallace had said after his elimination. Bubba Wallace records Bubba Wallace may be yet to win any major NASCAR championship but he has created history in stock car racing. The 23XI Racing driver is the highest-finishing African-American driver in the Daytona 500 (P2 in 2022) and the Brickyard 400 (P3 in 2019). He has also accumulated 6 wins in the Truck Series, making him the first African-American driver to win a race in the competition&#8217;s history. He is also the first Black driver to earn a full-time Cup Series ride since Wendell Scott in 1971. He also became the first Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race with his Talladega win in 2021, since Scott in 1963. Bubba Wallace foundation The driver of the #23 Cup Series car is the founder and leader of the Live To Be Different Foundation. The organization was founded in 2017 and its main goal is to assist people achieve their dreams regardless of their age, disabilities, or racial background. According to the foundation&#8217;s website, its mission is also to inspire future generations to be more inclusive than their predecessors. Wallace has also been awarding scholarships to deserving students at the Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord as part of the foundation. Each year, one male and one female student gets a scholarship worth $5,000. KANSAS CITY, KANSAS &#8211; SEPTEMBER 11: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #45 ROOT Insurance Toyota, walks the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on September 11, 2022 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Bubba Wallace controversies Bubba Wallace&#8217;s very nature may be admired by some but it has gotten the 23XI Racing driver into a lot of trouble. One of the most infamous fights he got into was with former Cup Series champion Kyle Larson. At Las Vegas in 2o22, the two drivers got into a physical brawl after an on-track incident. Wallace was seen clutching Larson&#8217;s race suit but the Hendrick Motorsports driver kept his cool until they were separated by officials. The driver of the #23 was suspended for one race by NASCAR as a result and he issued an apology to the parties involved for letting his emotions run a bit too wild. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA &#8211; OCTOBER 16: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #45 McDonald&#8217;s Toyota, confronts Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) Wallace has never shied away from speaking his mind and he was one of the most outspoken sportsmen when protests over the murder of George Floyd took the country by storm. When NASCAR decided to ban the confederate flag, Bubba Wallace supported the step. However, just a few days after that, a noose was found in his garage stall at Talladega. Things got a bit messy with the federal authorities as a result and Wallace&#8217;s team at the time, Richard Petty Motorsports was tight-lipped about the matter. Bubba Wallace Netflix documentary Early in 2022, the 23XI Racing star&#8217;s documentary called Race: Bubba WallaceÂ was released. Of course, the documentary delved into the life of the race car driver Wallace, but it also portrayed his activist side. The driver of the #23 was an outspoken sportsperson about the George Floyd murder and that aspect was shown beautifully in the series. It also covered the whole incident with the noose in the garage and provided a lot of insight into what goes on behind the scenes in NASCAR. It has been received fairly well by the audience with an IMDb rating of 6.6 and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 59%. The docu-series got Bubba Wallace put Bubba Wallace in a different kind of race outside the track as it was nominated and then eventually won a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary Series(serialized) in 2023. KANSAS CITY, KANSAS &#8211; SEPTEMBER 11: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #45 ROOT Insurance Toyota, vl the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on September 11, 2022 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) Bubba Wallace and Michael Jordan&#8217;s connection When NBA legend Michael Jordan decided to delve into the world of motorsports, 23XI Racing was founded along with Denny Hamlin in 2020. Jordan had been interested in investing in Richard Petty Motorsports, for whom Wallace drove at the time. However, he went ahead with building a new team and signing Bubba Wallace as their first driver on a 3-year deal. After Wallace&#8217;s two impressive wins, the team extended his contract and secured its near future with the outspoken driver. When he first got the opportunity, Wallace was reportedly star-struck, However, he has been quite successful with the team and will hope to win the Cup Series with them someday. LEBANON, TENNESSEE &#8211; JUNE 25: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Root Insurance Toyota, speak with NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and co-owner of 23XI Racing and his Yvette Prieto during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 25, 2022 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) Bubba Wallace in popular media Apart from having his own Netflix Series, Bubba Wallace has frequently appeared in the mainstream media. He voiced the character Bubba Wheelhouse in the 2017 Pixar movie Cars 3. The driver of the #23 was also in a music video along with Denny Hamlin for a Post Malone song called Motley Crew. He is also set to appear in a Netflix series called NASCAR: Full Speed. Bubba Wallace&#8217;s social media Bubba Wallace is quite active on social media, especially on his X and Instagram handles. On the former, he could often be seen engaging in debate with fans and NASCAR insiders.  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BubbaWallace  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bubbawallace/  Twitter https://twitter.com/BubbaWallace    Full Name William Darrell Wallace Jr  Popular Name Bubba Wallace  Birth Place Mobile, Alabama  Birth Date October 8, 1993  Age 30  Height 5&#8217;6&#8243;  Weight 165 lbs  Parents Darrell Wallace Sr, Desiree Wallace  Siblings Brittany Wallace  Nationality American  Ethnicity African-American  Net Worth $4 million  Salary $2.2 million  Relationship/Marital Status Married  Spouse Amanda Wallace (Carter)  Children None  Profession Race car driver  Team 23XI Racing

Bubba Wallace Archives

Bubba Wallace Archives - EssentiallySports

<h2><b>Danica Patrick Net Worth 2023 (Update)</b></h2>
In a male-dominated sport, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/danica-patrick/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Danica Patrick</a> has surely been successful in making a big name for herself. Without a doubt, she remains one of the most successful women in the history of American open-wheel car racing. After spending almost two decades in racing, Patrick is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $80 million as per CelebrityNetWorth.

Interestingly, she created a lot of buzz when she won the 2008 Indy Japan 300, becoming the only woman to win in an IndyCar series race. During her racing days, Patrick reportedly earned a stunning $10 million annually with her base salary estimated to be around $7.5 million.

[caption id="attachment_1242943" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-1242943 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-452243656.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick" width="1920" height="1278" /> LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 16: NASCAR driver Danica Patrick attends The 2014 ESPYS at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)[/caption]

Over the years, a lot of her income has come through her sponsors. Some of her major endorsement brands include Tissot, Chevrolet, Hot Wheels, GoDaddy.com, Lyft, AirTran Airways, Coca-Cola, Motorola, etc. While a clear value earned through sponsors is not available, there is a good reason she is termed as one of the 'Most marketable drivers' in NASCAR.

Post-retirement, the 41-year-old has opened up plenty of avenues to add to her net worth. She launched a clothing line in 2017, 'Warrior by Danica Patrick'. In addition to this, she also has a Californian Vineyard to her name that produces Somnium Wine. Also, she has a podcast entitled 'Danica Patrick Pretty Intense' which has gained popularity over time.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Early Life and Parents</b></h2>
Born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin, Patrick grew up in the town of Roscoe, Illinois along with her younger sister Brooke. As she comes from a racing family, the former IndyCar racer needed very little motivation to be enticed into the sport.

Having started go-kart racing at the age of 10, she moved to Britain after six years to race in open-wheel cars. In order to do so, she dropped out of high school midway with the consent of her parents. She spent three years in the United Kingdom as she drove for Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford, finishing ninth in the 1999 Formula Vauxhall Championship.

A year later, she came in second at the 2000 Formula Ford Festival at Brands which helped her earn the Gorsline Scholarship Award. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding, Patrick had to return to the States in 2001.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Family and Personal Life</b></h2>
In 1982, Patrick was born to Beverly Ann and Terry Joseph Patrick Jr. Interestingly, the latter raced snowmobiles, motocross, and midget cars in his career. Patrick has a younger sister named Brooke who is a pediatric physical therapist.

As far as her dating history is concerned, in 2002, Patrick met physical therapist Paul Edward Hospenthal as she was getting treated for a knee injury suffered in a yoga session. They clicked and eventually got married in 2005. Despite the 17-year age difference between the two, their marriage stood strong until 2013 which is when they got divorced.

[caption id="attachment_1148849" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1148849" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1001950672.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick and Aaron Rodgers" width="1920" height="1409" /> SANTA MONICA, CA - JULY 19: Race car driver Danica Patrick (L) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers attend Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards 2018 at Barker Hangar on July 19, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic)[/caption]

In 2012, Patrick started dating NASCAR driver <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/ricky-stenhouse-jr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ricky Stenhouse Jr</a>. Unfortunately, they broke up after five years of dating in 2017. The Wisconsin-born driver later moved on and started dating NFL player <a href="http://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/aaron-rodgers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aaron Rodgers</a> in January 2018.

They had a good relationship for over two years until July 2020 when <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-nfl-news-ex-nascar-superstar-danica-patrick-felt-intimidated-by-aaron-rodgers-before-their-public-breakup-heres-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they went different ways</a>. Almost nine months later, Patrick started dating Freshly co-founder Carter Comstock. After almost a year together, their split was confirmed in March 2022. Post that, Patrick's present relationship status remains unknown.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Racing Career</b></h2>
After returning to the United States in 2002, Patrick competed in the Barber Dodge Pro Series for a bit before racing in the Toyota Atlantic Series for two years. After finishing fourth in the Series in 2004, she earned a chance to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Her first stint in the IndyCar series came with Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005. She took three pole positions that season.

Two years later, Patrick joined Andretti Green Racing in 2007. In April 2008, she registered the first big win of her career in the Firestone IndyCar 300 race in Motegi, Japan. However, at the start of the 2010 season, she partially raced in NASCAR's lower-tier Nationwide Series. It was only in 2012 that she competed full-time in NASCAR, participating in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup races.

In 2013, Patrick grabbed a lot of attention after winning the pole position in the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/daytona-500/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daytona 500</a> race. However, she decided to retire after years with her last race being 2018 Indy 500. Unfortunately, she crashed during lap 68 of her final race.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Wins and Achievements</b></h2>
As mentioned earlier, Patrick did a stunning job in her career to stand out in a male-dominated sport. When she qualified for the Indy 500, she became the fourth woman to do so. In fact, she even lead 19 laps and finished fourth in her first-ever  <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/indianapolis-motor-speedway/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indianapolis 500</a>. By doing so, she earned the right to be the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the race. She was also named Rookie of the Year in 2005.

One of Patrick's most iconic wins has to be the one in the IndyCar series Indy Japan 300 race in 2008. Then, she became the first woman ever to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series. From 2005 to 2010, she earned the bragging rights for winning the Most Popular Driver award in the IndyCar Series.

[caption id="attachment_1290997" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1290997" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-980196678.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick" width="1920" height="1338" /> INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 25: Danica Patrick practices for the Indianapolis 500 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)[/caption]

In the NASCAR arena, she won the Most Popular Driver award in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series. However, her <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-we-would-have-messed-that-story-all-up-jeff-gordon-on-losing-to-never-seen-before-danica-patrick-at-2013-daytona-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best accomplishment</a> in NASCAR would be winning the pole position in the 2013 Daytona 500 by setting the fastest qualifying lap. In fact, she also set the record for the highest finishing position ever for a woman in the "Great American Race" as she finished in eighth place.

Her <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-cup-series/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NASCAR Cup Series</a> achievements didn't end there. Patrick beat past Janet Guthrie to break the record for the most top-ten finished by a woman in the Sprint Cup Series with seven such finishes to her name. It is truly amazing what she achieved on the tracks. Interestingly, she has been doing some noble work even off the tracks.
<h2><b>Charity and Foundation</b></h2>
In 2021, Patrick was keen on participating in an honorable cause for the Light Foundation. The man behind the foundation was former <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/new-england-patriots/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Englands Patriots</a> offensive player Matt Light. Along with his wife Susie, Light aims to help young people develop skills, values and a mindset that will help them build a solid future.

Given Patrick's popularity and zeal to help society, she participated in the 125th Boston Marathon. Her sister Brooke also took part with her as both sisters successfully completed the run. All the athletes involves in the marathon raised more than $400,000 for their youth leadership programs.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s House</b></h2>
Patrick did a pretty good job in making big bucks during her race career. Using those hard earnings, she owns an amazing 8,300-square-foot mansion in Scottsdale, Arizona. It features a cosmic theme, one reason why Patrick likes to call her the "Jetsons House".

She purchase the mansion in 2007 citing the seven-car garage capacity. However, she later realized how the wine cellar could hold up to 1,000 bottles and she grew in love with this feature. Additionally, the house is made of concrete sheathed walls and disc shapes throughout which includes the breakfast bar in the open-plan kitchen.

It is not just the indoors but even the outdoor setup of the mansion that is quite fascinating. With Arizona's famed Camelback Mountain visible from Patrick's house, it truly is a sight to behold.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Podcast</b></h2>
Post-retirement, Patrick has invested a big chunk of her time in her podcast "Pretty Intense". In her podcast, she has discussed several subjects of different sectors and dynamics. While there is no fixed theme, there have been arguments concerning some controversial topics.

[caption id="attachment_1162174" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1162174" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1235553951.jpg" alt="Danica Patrick" width="1920" height="1280" /> CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 25: Former Indy Car and NASCAR drive Danica Patrick is the guest picker for ESPN College Gameday prior a college football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Wisconsin Badgers on September 25th, 2021 at Solider Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)[/caption]

Surprisingly, one of the frequently talked about discussions involves the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-youd-still-freak-the-hell-out-danica-patrick-has-an-interesting-hypothesis-as-to-why-aliens-are-sneaky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">existence of aliens</a>. Certainly, Patrick believes in it and likes to debate about it in detail. In another discussion, she was intensely seen discussing the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/nascar-news-danica-patricks-tyrannical-new-sex-policy-pushes-mating-pattern-narrative-in-unexpected-manner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sensitive topic</a> of birth control. From a fan's perspective, Patrick's podcast is more than entertaining.

It only gets more tempting given the guests that have blessed their presence on the podcast. From NASCAR, big names like <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/dale-earnhardt-jr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dale Earnhardt Jr</a>, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/kyle-larson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Larson</a>, and <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/denny-hamlin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Denny Hamlin</a> have already made an appearance. Other than these top drivers, star celebrities like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Trevor Hall, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Manganiello, Jay Shetty, Matthew McConaughey, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have also attended the podcast.
<h2><b>Danica Patrick’s Social Media Accounts</b></h2>
Patrick has been an active user on social media, more so after her retirement. She likes to update her fans about her personal life with posts on her Instagram account. Having said that she's equally active on her Facebook, Twitter, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjzc6KWjzKosSGw0VkIHaaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouTube</a>. She has done a good job of summarizing her past and present life on her <a href="https://www.danicapatrick.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, making it more accessible to her fans.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Instagram</span></td>
<td><a href="https://www.instagram.com/danicapatrick/"><span style="font-weight: 400">@danicapatrick</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Twitter </span></td>
<td><a href="https://twitter.com/danicapatrick"><span style="font-weight: 400">@DanicaPatrick</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Facebook</span></td>
<td><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DanicaPatrick/"><span style="font-weight: 400">Danica Patrick</span></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Full Name</span></td>
<td>Danica Sue Patrick</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Popular Name</span></td>
<td>Danica Patrick</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Birth Date</span></td>
<td>March 25, 1982</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Birth Place</span></td>
<td>Beloit, Wisconsin, United States</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Height</span></td>
<td>5'2"/ 157 cm</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Weight</span></td>
<td>45kg/100lb</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Parents</span></td>
<td>Terry Joseph Patrick Jr (Father) and Beverly Ann (Mother)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Siblings</span></td>
<td>Brooke Patrick (Younger sister)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Nationality</span></td>
<td>American</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Ethnicity</span></td>
<td>White</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Net Worth</span></td>
<td>$80 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Salary</span></td>
<td>$10 million annually (last known)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Spouse</span></td>
<td>Currently unmarried</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Relationship/Marital Status</span></td>
<td>Divorced</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Children</span></td>
<td>None</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Profession</span></td>
<td>Racecar Driver, Athlete, Spokesperson, Model &amp; Entrepreneur</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Team</span></td>
<td>Premium Motorsports (last known)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick Net Worth 2023 (Update) In a male-dominated sport, Danica Patrick has surely been successful in making a big name for herself. Without a doubt, she remains one of the most successful women in the history of American open-wheel car racing. After spending almost two decades in racing, Patrick is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $80 million as per CelebrityNetWorth. Interestingly, she created a lot of buzz when she won the 2008 Indy Japan 300, becoming the only woman to win in an IndyCar series race. During her racing days, Patrick reportedly earned a stunning $10 million annually with her base salary estimated to be around $7.5 million. LOS ANGELES, CA &#8211; JULY 16: NASCAR driver Danica Patrick attends The 2014 ESPYS at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on July 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) Over the years, a lot of her income has come through her sponsors. Some of her major endorsement brands include Tissot, Chevrolet, Hot Wheels, GoDaddy.com, Lyft, AirTran Airways, Coca-Cola, Motorola, etc. While a clear value earned through sponsors is not available, there is a good reason she is termed as one of the &#8216;Most marketable drivers&#8217; in NASCAR. Post-retirement, the 41-year-old has opened up plenty of avenues to add to her net worth. She launched a clothing line in 2017, &#8216;Warrior by Danica Patrick&#8217;. In addition to this, she also has a Californian Vineyard to her name that produces Somnium Wine. Also, she has a podcast entitled &#8216;Danica Patrick Pretty Intense&#8217; which has gained popularity over time. Danica Patrick’s Early Life and Parents Born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin, Patrick grew up in the town of Roscoe, Illinois along with her younger sister Brooke. As she comes from a racing family, the former IndyCar racer needed very little motivation to be enticed into the sport. Having started go-kart racing at the age of 10, she moved to Britain after six years to race in open-wheel cars. In order to do so, she dropped out of high school midway with the consent of her parents. She spent three years in the United Kingdom as she drove for Formula Vauxhall and Formula Ford, finishing ninth in the 1999 Formula Vauxhall Championship. A year later, she came in second at the 2000 Formula Ford Festival at Brands which helped her earn the Gorsline Scholarship Award. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding, Patrick had to return to the States in 2001. Danica Patrick’s Family and Personal Life In 1982, Patrick was born to Beverly Ann and Terry Joseph Patrick Jr. Interestingly, the latter raced snowmobiles, motocross, and midget cars in his career. Patrick has a younger sister named Brooke who is a pediatric physical therapist. As far as her dating history is concerned, in 2002, Patrick met physical therapist Paul Edward Hospenthal as she was getting treated for a knee injury suffered in a yoga session. They clicked and eventually got married in 2005. Despite the 17-year age difference between the two, their marriage stood strong until 2013 which is when they got divorced. SANTA MONICA, CA &#8211; JULY 19: Race car driver Danica Patrick (L) and quarterback Aaron Rodgers attend Nickelodeon Kids&#8217; Choice Sports Awards 2018 at Barker Hangar on July 19, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic) In 2012, Patrick started dating NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Unfortunately, they broke up after five years of dating in 2017. The Wisconsin-born driver later moved on and started dating NFL player Aaron Rodgers in January 2018. They had a good relationship for over two years until July 2020 when they went different ways. Almost nine months later, Patrick started dating Freshly co-founder Carter Comstock. After almost a year together, their split was confirmed in March 2022. Post that, Patrick&#8217;s present relationship status remains unknown. Danica Patrick’s Racing Career After returning to the United States in 2002, Patrick competed in the Barber Dodge Pro Series for a bit before racing in the Toyota Atlantic Series for two years. After finishing fourth in the Series in 2004, she earned a chance to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Her first stint in the IndyCar series came with Rahal Letterman Racing in 2005. She took three pole positions that season. Two years later, Patrick joined Andretti Green Racing in 2007. In April 2008, she registered the first big win of her career in the Firestone IndyCar 300 race in Motegi, Japan. However, at the start of the 2010 season, she partially raced in NASCAR&#8217;s lower-tier Nationwide Series. It was only in 2012 that she competed full-time in NASCAR, participating in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup races. In 2013, Patrick grabbed a lot of attention after winning the pole position in the Daytona 500 race. However, she decided to retire after years with her last race being 2018 Indy 500. Unfortunately, she crashed during lap 68 of her final race. Danica Patrick’s Wins and Achievements As mentioned earlier, Patrick did a stunning job in her career to stand out in a male-dominated sport. When she qualified for the Indy 500, she became the fourth woman to do so. In fact, she even lead 19 laps and finished fourth in her first-ever  Indianapolis 500. By doing so, she earned the right to be the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the race. She was also named Rookie of the Year in 2005. One of Patrick&#8217;s most iconic wins has to be the one in the IndyCar series Indy Japan 300 race in 2008. Then, she became the first woman ever to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series. From 2005 to 2010, she earned the bragging rights for winning the Most Popular Driver award in the IndyCar Series. INDIANAPOLIS, IN &#8211; MAY 25: Danica Patrick practices for the Indianapolis 500 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 25, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) In the NASCAR arena, she won the Most Popular Driver award in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series. However, her best accomplishment in NASCAR would be winning the pole position in the 2013 Daytona 500 by setting the fastest qualifying lap. In fact, she also set the record for the highest finishing position ever for a woman in the &#8220;Great American Race&#8221; as she finished in eighth place. Her NASCAR Cup Series achievements didn&#8217;t end there. Patrick beat past Janet Guthrie to break the record for the most top-ten finished by a woman in the Sprint Cup Series with seven such finishes to her name. It is truly amazing what she achieved on the tracks. Interestingly, she has been doing some noble work even off the tracks. Charity and Foundation In 2021, Patrick was keen on participating in an honorable cause for the Light Foundation. The man behind the foundation was former New Englands Patriots offensive player Matt Light. Along with his wife Susie, Light aims to help young people develop skills, values and a mindset that will help them build a solid future. Given Patrick&#8217;s popularity and zeal to help society, she participated in the 125th Boston Marathon. Her sister Brooke also took part with her as both sisters successfully completed the run. All the athletes involves in the marathon raised more than $400,000 for their youth leadership programs. Danica Patrick’s House Patrick did a pretty good job in making big bucks during her race career. Using those hard earnings, she owns an amazing 8,300-square-foot mansion in Scottsdale, Arizona. It features a cosmic theme, one reason why Patrick likes to call her the &#8220;Jetsons House&#8221;. She purchase the mansion in 2007 citing the seven-car garage capacity. However, she later realized how the wine cellar could hold up to 1,000 bottles and she grew in love with this feature. Additionally, the house is made of concrete sheathed walls and disc shapes throughout which includes the breakfast bar in the open-plan kitchen. It is not just the indoors but even the outdoor setup of the mansion that is quite fascinating. With Arizona&#8217;s famed Camelback Mountain visible from Patrick&#8217;s house, it truly is a sight to behold. Danica Patrick’s Podcast Post-retirement, Patrick has invested a big chunk of her time in her podcast &#8220;Pretty Intense&#8221;. In her podcast, she has discussed several subjects of different sectors and dynamics. While there is no fixed theme, there have been arguments concerning some controversial topics. CHICAGO, IL &#8211; SEPTEMBER 25: Former Indy Car and NASCAR drive Danica Patrick is the guest picker for ESPN College Gameday prior a college football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Wisconsin Badgers on September 25th, 2021 at Solider Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Surprisingly, one of the frequently talked about discussions involves the existence of aliens. Certainly, Patrick believes in it and likes to debate about it in detail. In another discussion, she was intensely seen discussing the sensitive topic of birth control. From a fan&#8217;s perspective, Patrick&#8217;s podcast is more than entertaining. It only gets more tempting given the guests that have blessed their presence on the podcast. From NASCAR, big names like Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, and Denny Hamlin have already made an appearance. Other than these top drivers, star celebrities like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Trevor Hall, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Manganiello, Jay Shetty, Matthew McConaughey, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have also attended the podcast. Danica Patrick’s Social Media Accounts Patrick has been an active user on social media, more so after her retirement. She likes to update her fans about her personal life with posts on her Instagram account. Having said that she&#8217;s equally active on her Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. She has done a good job of summarizing her past and present life on her website, making it more accessible to her fans.  Instagram @danicapatrick  Twitter  @DanicaPatrick  Facebook Danica Patrick  &nbsp;  Full Name Danica Sue Patrick  Popular Name Danica Patrick  Birth Date March 25, 1982  Birth Place Beloit, Wisconsin, United States  Height 5&#8217;2&#8243;/ 157 cm  Weight 45kg/100lb  Parents Terry Joseph Patrick Jr (Father) and Beverly Ann (Mother)  Siblings Brooke Patrick (Younger sister)  Nationality American  Ethnicity White  Net Worth $80 million  Salary $10 million annually (last known)  Spouse Currently unmarried  Relationship/Marital Status Divorced  Children None  Profession Racecar Driver, Athlete, Spokesperson, Model &amp; Entrepreneur  Team Premium Motorsports (last known)  &nbsp;

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Danica Patrick Archives - EssentiallySports

<h1 style="text-align: center">Kyle Larson: Net Worth 2024, Relationships, NASCAR and More</h1>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Who is Kyle Larson?</b></h2>
Kyle Miyata Larson is one of the most prolific and successful motorsports drivers in NASCAR today. The Hendrick Motorsports star is a former Cup Series champion and is one of the most consistent drivers in the Cup Series. However, stock car racing is not the only thing Larson is prolific in. He is a master sprint car racer and will be trying his hand at IndyCar in 2024. Larson is also the co-owner of the fast-rising sprint car racing competition, High Limit Racing.

<img class="wp-image-2075684 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1599038101.jpg" alt="Kyle Larson" width="1920" height="1280" />

BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 07: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, laughs on the grid prior to a weather delayed restart of the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 07, 2023 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Â Kyle Larson's early life</b></h2>
Kyle Larson was born on June 31, 1992, in Elk Grove, California. The HMS star was educated at Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove itself. Racing and school are difficult to balance but Larson had a lot of help from his mother who was a teacher. It's safe to say that the 2021 Cup Series champion was kind of an all-rounder when he was in school.

The HMS driver was born into a family of racers. His father, Mike Larson, was a racer as well. His mother, Janet Larson, is Japanese-American and both of his grandparents spent time in an internment camp during World War II. His middle name is Miyata which is a common surname in several regions in Japan. He has a sister whose name is Andrea.

Early on in his career in motorsports, Kyle Larson was a prolific dirt-track racer with several prestigious wins in the King's Royal, Knoxville Nationals, and the Chili Bowl Nationals. He also won the 2011 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway. This saw him win three types of USAC races at a go in a single night, becoming only the second driver to achieve so. The following year saw him earn six victories in USAC National Midget races, which included the Turkey Night Grand Prix.

His achievements caught the eye of the teams in NASCAR and Kyle Larson made his full-time debut in the 2013 Nationwide Series with Turner Scott Motorsports. He had run a few races in the Truck Series in 2012 with the same team.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larsonâ€™s wife and children</b></h2>
The Hendrick Motorsports star married Katelyn Sweet on September 26, 2018. The couple has 3 children together, Owen Miyata Larson, Audrey Layne Larson, and Cooper Donald Larson. Cooper is the youngest and was born on the last day of 2022. However, when it comes to Audrey, the family shares some bad news. <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-same-quote-kyle-larsons-wife-reveals-daughter-suffers-from-the-same-horrific-disease-as-jada-pinkett-smith/">The parents revealed how their daughter has been impacted by Alopecia</a> since she was 18 months old, in honor of Alopecia Awareness Month. Since then, she has had hair loss, but they delayed going public with the news.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-1192530 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Kyle-Larson-wife-Katelyn-Larson-son-Owen-and-daughter-Audrey-NASCAR-trophy-768x512-1.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="512" />
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Lason's net worth 2024Â </b></h2>
As of 2023, Kyle Larson has amassed a net worth of $12 million as per Celebrity Net Worth including his race earnings, endorsements, and other ventures. The Hendrick Motorsports star's current contract with the team runs until 2026 and as per reports, he makes an estimated $10 million each year as part of that deal. He also has several sponsorship deals with Target, Chevrolet, Oakley, Credit One Bank, iRacing, and Alpinestars.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larsonâ€™s career timeline</b></h2>
Making his racing debut in outlaw karts at the age of seven, Kyle Larson has always been a talented multitasker trying his hands in various tourneys. Throughout his childho0d and adolescence, the driver started his professional racing career with open wheel-cars in the United States Auto Club (USAC) and the Silver Crown, among others. He also participated in the World of Outlaws and racked up his first win in the division at the Placerville Speedway, as one of the youngest drivers to ever compete. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2011, the racer then divulged his attention toward the NASCAR K &amp; N Pro Series and the ARCA Series.

In 2012, he was signed as a developmental driver for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. In June of the same year, Larson won his first NASCAR K &amp; N Pro Series East race at Gresham Motorsports Park. He also went on to win the 2012 NASCAR K&amp;N Pro Series East Championship beating the likes of <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/corey-lajoie/">Corey LaJoie</a>. On the other hand, his ARCA career took some time to take off as his first win in the division came two years after his debut, in 2014, at Pocono Raceway.

Larson's NASCAR Truck Series debut came in 2012 and he won his first race the next year, at Rockingham Speedway, driving for Turner Scott Motorsports. And it is around the same time that his Xfinity And <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-cup-series/">Cup Series</a> career took off as well. Debuting the top faction for <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/chip-ganassi-racing/">Chip Ganassi Racing</a> in 2014, the driver finished 17th in the points standings in his first year. As for his <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/nascar-xfinity-series/">Xfinity</a> Series career debut in 2013, the driver finished 8th in the final standings while driving for Turner Scott Motorsports.

[caption id="attachment_521629" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-521629 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/20210120200820/GettyImages-1150194779.jpg" alt="Kyle Larson" width="1920" height="1281" /> CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 18: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Advent Health Chevrolet, celebrates winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larsonâ€™s partnerships and endorsements</b></h2>
One of Kyle Larson's earliest sponsor after he moved to <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/hendrick-motorsports/">Hendrick Motorsports</a> from Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 was HendrickCars.com. The Hendrick Automotive Group, via the HendrickCars.com brand, became a majority sponsor for the #5 driver for the 2022 and 2023 Cup Series seasons. Backing Larson for some 35 races in his NASCAR schedule, the brand also committed itself to sponsoring the racer in all non-NASCAR events.

As the division's first Japanese-American driver, Larson also paid an ode to his heritage when, in 2023, he landed an official restaurant partner in the form of JINYA Ramen Bar. In this extensive agreement, according to an official press release by Hendrick Motorsports, the brand was set to feature on the driver's post-race hat, firesuit and even his team apparel.

Expressing his excitement, JINYA Founder and CEO Tomo Takahashi said at the time, <em>"Not only is Kyle a NASCAR star because of his supreme talent on the track, but heâ€™s also the sportâ€™s first-ever Asian-American driver, so we are thrilled to partner with him. Kyle has already picked up two wins this season and we canâ€™t wait to see him make many more trips to victory lane while wearing the JINYA logo!"</em>

Additionally, ahead of the 2024 Cup season, automotive services and lubricant brand, Valvoline also announced its bid to back Kyle Larson along with his teammate William Byron. <em>â€œValvoline will be the primary sponsor for Kyle Larson in three races (Phoenix, Sonoma and the Chicago Street Race) for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season,â€Â </em>an official press release said.

In another exciting development, Kyle Larson is also set to drive for McLaren Racing for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 as he attempts the revered 'Double Duty' on May 26. Apart from that, tool manufacturer, Cincinnati Inc also joined hands with him ahead of his HMS debut.

One thing's for sure. The driver sure knows how to attract sponsors!
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larson's investments</b></h2>
Just like any other multi-talented personality, Kyle Larson has time and again shown how easy it is to dabble in multiple things at once. From competing to owning, the driver knows how to do it all. Merely at the age of 21, in 2013, Kyle Larson started exploring his entrepreneurial side which saw the formation of his sprint car and midget racing team, in association with fellow driver Justin Marks, named Larson Marks Racing. Primarily competing in the World of Outlaws, the team has had its highs and lows. The team had a fairly successful run with driver Shane Stewart who won at the team's second-ever start at the Eldora Speedway. Apart from that, the driver was also the 2015 Kings Royal victor at the Eldora Speedway yet again. Stewart was also won the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdow during the 2015-16 off-season, besides finish second in the WoO points standings in 2015.

But, things soon went downhill. While Kyle Larson taking over the sole ownership of the team in 2017 and renaming it Kyle Larson Racing seemed promising, the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be an adversity. In October of 2020, it was announced that the team would cease operations after the season was over.

While the closure might be disheartening, it didn't dampen his spirit. Soon after, in 2021, the driver announced the formation of a sprint car series, with his brother-in-law and five-time WoO champion Brad Sweet. The first season in 2023, saw 12 races. Kyle Larson won the inaugural season of the series. As for High Limit Racing's 2024 plans, the series has expanded the schedule to a staggering 60 races. It will also offer $5.8 million in prize money. Now that's what we can call an epic comeback!

[caption id="attachment_677288" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-677288 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2021-06-14T153502Z_1823926688_16251805_RTRMADP_3_MOTOR-NASCAR.jpg" alt="Kyle Larson NASCAR" width="1920" height="1368" /> Jun 13, 2021; Fort Worth, TX, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) shoots his six shooter guns as he celebrates winning the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larsonâ€™s NASCAR career stats</b></h2>
For a driver of Kyle Larson's stature, the numbers speak for themselves. The driver boasts an average finish of 14.23 and an average start of 11.9. He has a total of 23 race wins in his Cup series career with 164 top 10s and 16 pole positions. As for the other two NASCAR divisions, the driver has 14 wins, 80 Top 10s, and six poles in his Xfinity Series career, and three wins, 11 Top 10s, and two poles in his Truck Series stint. The driver also boasts a total of 7,556 laps led in his NASCAR.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larson'sÂ  major achievements and awards</b></h2>
Kyle Larson, at his age, has already earned more accolades than several racing veterans and even legends of the sport. The HMS star is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, the 2012 NASCAR K&amp;N Pro Series East Champion, the 2010 King of the West Sprint Car Series Champion, the 2018 United Truck Parts International Midget Series Champion, the 2020 Pennsylvania Speedweek Champion, 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona Overall Winner, 2019, 2021, 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race Winner, 2021 Coca-Cola 600 Winner and countless more.

As for his sprint car racing career, the driver won the inaugural season of his High Limit Racing series, thereby cementing his place as a formidable racer. This year, too, he'll be looking to visit the podium as the series takes a new turn with charter introductions akin to NASCAR and schedule expansion.

The 31-year-old is also set to expand his racing horizon when he makes his IndyCar debut with Arrow McLaren in 2024 in the Indy 500 on May 26. The HMS did race go-karts when he was younger and that knowledge will come in handy. The race will be a part of the revered 'Double Duty' attempt which him see him compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the almost 600 miles way <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/coca-cola-600/">Coca-Cola 600</a> on the same day.
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larson's merchandise</b></h2>
Being as popular as he is, Kyle Larson's merchandise sells out like hotcakes. He has his own merch store online with several products embroidered with the KL logo. Caps, beanies, hoodies, t-shirts, and even gift cards are the products sold by the driver's team on <a href="https://shopkylelarson.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://shopkylelarson.com/</a>
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larson's controversies</b></h2>
He may come across as a civil sportsperson today but Kyle Larson was the center of attention for all the wrong reasons back when he was racing for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020. The now-Hendrick Motorsports driver uttered a racial slur during a video game stream in April that year. He was swiftly dropped from his team and he lost his sponsors. Before long, NASCAR suspended the driver. Larson was reinstated in October after which he joined HMS.

The 2021 Cup Series champion has had run-ins with the outspoken <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/denny-hamlin/">Denny Hamlin</a>. The two drivers had a moment in the 2023 Cup Series season in Kansas. Hamlin nudged Larson into the wall to take the victory of the race. The two drivers expressed their disappointment with one another and even the <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/stewart-haas-racing/https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nascar/joe-gibbs-racing/">Joe Gibbs Racing</a> driver's comments on the Actions Detrimental podcast frustrated his rival.

<em>â€œI donâ€™t think thereâ€™s a reason to be mad at him,â€</em> Larson had said on an episode of the High Limit Room podcast. <em>â€œWe were racing aggressively on the last lap for a win, and he was way faster than me. Just the only thing that I guess I get frustrated with is on his deal, his podcast, he says, â€˜I race a certain way, but Iâ€™ve never had to reach out to him to apologize about anything.'"</em>

[caption id="attachment_780514" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="wp-image-780514 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2021-09-27T033921Z_1662942844_MT1USATODAY16837811_RTRMADP_3_NASCAR-SOUTH-POINT-400.jpg" alt="NASCAR Denny Hamlin Kyle Larson" width="1920" height="1290" /> Sep 26, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) driver Kyle Larson (5) and driver Kyle Busch (18) race for position during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2 style="text-align: center"><b>Kyle Larson's social media</b></h2>
Kyle Larson is fairly active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. While he shares a lot of promotional content on the first 2, his Instagram account holds several moments of his personal life.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Facebook</span></td>
<td><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Instagram</span></td>
<td><a href="https://twitter.com/KyleLarsonRacin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://twitter.com/KyleLarsonRacin</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Twitter</span></td>
<td><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kylelarsonracin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/kylelarsonracin/</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Full Name</span></td>
<td>Kyle Larson</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Popular Name</span></td>
<td>Yung Money</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Birth PlaceÂ </span></td>
<td>Elk Grove, California, U.S.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Birth Date</span></td>
<td>July 31, 1992</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Age</span></td>
<td>31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Height</span></td>
<td>5 ft 6 in</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Weight (in pounds)</span></td>
<td>135 lb</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">ParentsÂ </span></td>
<td>Mike Larson, Janet Larson</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Siblings</span></td>
<td>Andrea Larson</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Nationality</span></td>
<td>American</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Ethnicity</span></td>
<td>Japanese-American</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Net Worth</span></td>
<td>$12 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Salary</span></td>
<td>$10 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Relationship/Marital Status</span></td>
<td>Married</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Spouse</span></td>
<td>Katelyn Sweet</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Children</span></td>
<td>Owen Miyata Larson, Audrey Layne Larson, and Cooper Donald Larson</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">ProfessionÂ </span></td>
<td>Motorsports athlete</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-weight: 400">Team</span></td>
<td>Hendrick Motorsports</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2 style="text-align: center"></h2>

Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson: Net Worth 2024, Relationships, NASCAR and More Who is Kyle Larson? Kyle Miyata Larson is one of the most prolific and successful motorsports drivers in NASCAR today. The Hendrick Motorsports star is a former Cup Series champion and is one of the most consistent drivers in the Cup Series. However, stock car racing is not the only thing Larson is prolific in. He is a master sprint car racer and will be trying his hand at IndyCar in 2024. Larson is also the co-owner of the fast-rising sprint car racing competition, High Limit Racing. BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN &#8211; AUGUST 07: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, laughs on the grid prior to a weather delayed restart of the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 07, 2023 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) Â Kyle Larson&#8217;s early life Kyle Larson was born on June 31, 1992, in Elk Grove, California. The HMS star was educated at Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove itself. Racing and school are difficult to balance but Larson had a lot of help from his mother who was a teacher. It&#8217;s safe to say that the 2021 Cup Series champion was kind of an all-rounder when he was in school. The HMS driver was born into a family of racers. His father, Mike Larson, was a racer as well. His mother, Janet Larson, is Japanese-American and both of his grandparents spent time in an internment camp during World War II. His middle name is Miyata which is a common surname in several regions in Japan. He has a sister whose name is Andrea. Early on in his career in motorsports, Kyle Larson was a prolific dirt-track racer with several prestigious wins in the King&#8217;s Royal, Knoxville Nationals, and the Chili Bowl Nationals. He also won the 2011 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway. This saw him win three types of USAC races at a go in a single night, becoming only the second driver to achieve so. The following year saw him earn six victories in USAC National Midget races, which included the Turkey Night Grand Prix. His achievements caught the eye of the teams in NASCAR and Kyle Larson made his full-time debut in the 2013 Nationwide Series with Turner Scott Motorsports. He had run a few races in the Truck Series in 2012 with the same team. Kyle Larsonâ€™s wife and children The Hendrick Motorsports star married Katelyn Sweet on September 26, 2018. The couple has 3 children together, Owen Miyata Larson, Audrey Layne Larson, and Cooper Donald Larson. Cooper is the youngest and was born on the last day of 2022. However, when it comes to Audrey, the family shares some bad news. The parents revealed how their daughter has been impacted by Alopecia since she was 18 months old, in honor of Alopecia Awareness Month. Since then, she has had hair loss, but they delayed going public with the news. Kyle Lason&#8217;s net worth 2024Â  As of 2023, Kyle Larson has amassed a net worth of $12 million as per Celebrity Net Worth including his race earnings, endorsements, and other ventures. The Hendrick Motorsports star&#8217;s current contract with the team runs until 2026 and as per reports, he makes an estimated $10 million each year as part of that deal. He also has several sponsorship deals with Target, Chevrolet, Oakley, Credit One Bank, iRacing, and Alpinestars. Kyle Larsonâ€™s career timeline Making his racing debut in outlaw karts at the age of seven, Kyle Larson has always been a talented multitasker trying his hands in various tourneys. Throughout his childho0d and adolescence, the driver started his professional racing career with open wheel-cars in the United States Auto Club (USAC) and the Silver Crown, among others. He also participated in the World of Outlaws and racked up his first win in the division at the Placerville Speedway, as one of the youngest drivers to ever compete. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2011, the racer then divulged his attention toward the NASCAR K &amp; N Pro Series and the ARCA Series. In 2012, he was signed as a developmental driver for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. In June of the same year, Larson won his first NASCAR K &amp; N Pro Series East race at Gresham Motorsports Park. He also went on to win the 2012 NASCAR K&amp;N Pro Series East Championship beating the likes of Corey LaJoie. On the other hand, his ARCA career took some time to take off as his first win in the division came two years after his debut, in 2014, at Pocono Raceway. Larson&#8217;s NASCAR Truck Series debut came in 2012 and he won his first race the next year, at Rockingham Speedway, driving for Turner Scott Motorsports. And it is around the same time that his Xfinity And Cup Series career took off as well. Debuting the top faction for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2014, the driver finished 17th in the points standings in his first year. As for his Xfinity Series career debut in 2013, the driver finished 8th in the final standings while driving for Turner Scott Motorsports. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA &#8211; MAY 18: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Advent Health Chevrolet, celebrates winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Kyle Larsonâ€™s partnerships and endorsements One of Kyle Larson&#8217;s earliest sponsor after he moved to Hendrick Motorsports from Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 was HendrickCars.com. The Hendrick Automotive Group, via the HendrickCars.com brand, became a majority sponsor for the #5 driver for the 2022 and 2023 Cup Series seasons. Backing Larson for some 35 races in his NASCAR schedule, the brand also committed itself to sponsoring the racer in all non-NASCAR events. As the division&#8217;s first Japanese-American driver, Larson also paid an ode to his heritage when, in 2023, he landed an official restaurant partner in the form of JINYA Ramen Bar. In this extensive agreement, according to an official press release by Hendrick Motorsports, the brand was set to feature on the driver&#8217;s post-race hat, firesuit and even his team apparel. Expressing his excitement, JINYA Founder and CEO Tomo Takahashi said at the time, &#8220;Not only is Kyle a NASCAR star because of his supreme talent on the track, but heâ€™s also the sportâ€™s first-ever Asian-American driver, so we are thrilled to partner with him. Kyle has already picked up two wins this season and we canâ€™t wait to see him make many more trips to victory lane while wearing the JINYA logo!&#8221; Additionally, ahead of the 2024 Cup season, automotive services and lubricant brand, Valvoline also announced its bid to back Kyle Larson along with his teammate William Byron. â€œValvoline will be the primary sponsor for Kyle Larson in three races (Phoenix, Sonoma and the Chicago Street Race) for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season,â€Â an official press release said. In another exciting development, Kyle Larson is also set to drive for McLaren Racing for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 as he attempts the revered &#8216;Double Duty&#8217; on May 26. Apart from that, tool manufacturer, Cincinnati Inc also joined hands with him ahead of his HMS debut. One thing&#8217;s for sure. The driver sure knows how to attract sponsors! Kyle Larson&#8217;s investments Just like any other multi-talented personality, Kyle Larson has time and again shown how easy it is to dabble in multiple things at once. From competing to owning, the driver knows how to do it all. Merely at the age of 21, in 2013, Kyle Larson started exploring his entrepreneurial side which saw the formation of his sprint car and midget racing team, in association with fellow driver Justin Marks, named Larson Marks Racing. Primarily competing in the World of Outlaws, the team has had its highs and lows. The team had a fairly successful run with driver Shane Stewart who won at the team&#8217;s second-ever start at the Eldora Speedway. Apart from that, the driver was also the 2015 Kings Royal victor at the Eldora Speedway yet again. Stewart was also won the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdow during the 2015-16 off-season, besides finish second in the WoO points standings in 2015. But, things soon went downhill. While Kyle Larson taking over the sole ownership of the team in 2017 and renaming it Kyle Larson Racing seemed promising, the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be an adversity. In October of 2020, it was announced that the team would cease operations after the season was over. While the closure might be disheartening, it didn&#8217;t dampen his spirit. Soon after, in 2021, the driver announced the formation of a sprint car series, with his brother-in-law and five-time WoO champion Brad Sweet. The first season in 2023, saw 12 races. Kyle Larson won the inaugural season of the series. As for High Limit Racing&#8217;s 2024 plans, the series has expanded the schedule to a staggering 60 races. It will also offer $5.8 million in prize money. Now that&#8217;s what we can call an epic comeback! Jun 13, 2021; Fort Worth, TX, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) shoots his six shooter guns as he celebrates winning the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Kyle Larsonâ€™s NASCAR career stats For a driver of Kyle Larson&#8217;s stature, the numbers speak for themselves. The driver boasts an average finish of 14.23 and an average start of 11.9. He has a total of 23 race wins in his Cup series career with 164 top 10s and 16 pole positions. As for the other two NASCAR divisions, the driver has 14 wins, 80 Top 10s, and six poles in his Xfinity Series career, and three wins, 11 Top 10s, and two poles in his Truck Series stint. The driver also boasts a total of 7,556 laps led in his NASCAR. Kyle Larson&#8217;sÂ  major achievements and awards Kyle Larson, at his age, has already earned more accolades than several racing veterans and even legends of the sport. The HMS star is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, the 2012 NASCAR K&amp;N Pro Series East Champion, the 2010 King of the West Sprint Car Series Champion, the 2018 United Truck Parts International Midget Series Champion, the 2020 Pennsylvania Speedweek Champion, 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona Overall Winner, 2019, 2021, 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race Winner, 2021 Coca-Cola 600 Winner and countless more. As for his sprint car racing career, the driver won the inaugural season of his High Limit Racing series, thereby cementing his place as a formidable racer. This year, too, he&#8217;ll be looking to visit the podium as the series takes a new turn with charter introductions akin to NASCAR and schedule expansion. The 31-year-old is also set to expand his racing horizon when he makes his IndyCar debut with Arrow McLaren in 2024 in the Indy 500 on May 26. The HMS did race go-karts when he was younger and that knowledge will come in handy. The race will be a part of the revered &#8216;Double Duty&#8217; attempt which him see him compete in the Indianapolis 500 and the almost 600 miles way Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Kyle Larson&#8217;s merchandise Being as popular as he is, Kyle Larson&#8217;s merchandise sells out like hotcakes. He has his own merch store online with several products embroidered with the KL logo. Caps, beanies, hoodies, t-shirts, and even gift cards are the products sold by the driver&#8217;s team on https://shopkylelarson.com/ Kyle Larson&#8217;s controversies He may come across as a civil sportsperson today but Kyle Larson was the center of attention for all the wrong reasons back when he was racing for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020. The now-Hendrick Motorsports driver uttered a racial slur during a video game stream in April that year. He was swiftly dropped from his team and he lost his sponsors. Before long, NASCAR suspended the driver. Larson was reinstated in October after which he joined HMS. The 2021 Cup Series champion has had run-ins with the outspoken Denny Hamlin. The two drivers had a moment in the 2023 Cup Series season in Kansas. Hamlin nudged Larson into the wall to take the victory of the race. The two drivers expressed their disappointment with one another and even the Joe Gibbs Racing driver&#8217;s comments on the Actions Detrimental podcast frustrated his rival. â€œI donâ€™t think thereâ€™s a reason to be mad at him,â€ Larson had said on an episode of the High Limit Room podcast. â€œWe were racing aggressively on the last lap for a win, and he was way faster than me. Just the only thing that I guess I get frustrated with is on his deal, his podcast, he says, â€˜I race a certain way, but Iâ€™ve never had to reach out to him to apologize about anything.'&#8221; Sep 26, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) driver Kyle Larson (5) and driver Kyle Busch (18) race for position during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Kyle Larson&#8217;s social media Kyle Larson is fairly active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. While he shares a lot of promotional content on the first 2, his Instagram account holds several moments of his personal life.  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing  Instagram https://twitter.com/KyleLarsonRacin  Twitter https://www.instagram.com/kylelarsonracin/    Full Name Kyle Larson  Popular Name Yung Money  Birth PlaceÂ  Elk Grove, California, U.S.  Birth Date July 31, 1992  Age 31  Height 5 ft 6 in  Weight (in pounds) 135 lb  ParentsÂ  Mike Larson, Janet Larson  Siblings Andrea Larson  Nationality American  Ethnicity Japanese-American  Net Worth $12 million  Salary $10 million  Relationship/Marital Status Married  Spouse Katelyn Sweet  Children Owen Miyata Larson, Audrey Layne Larson, and Cooper Donald Larson  ProfessionÂ  Motorsports athlete  Team Hendrick Motorsports

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