It’s fair to say that Katelyn Larson is a fan of dirt racing. She recently got behind the wheel of a dirt car at Charlotte Motor Speedway and wrecked herself while attempting to make a pass. While she might need lessons from her husband Kyle Larson before considering taking up a full-time career in the field, that hasn’t stopped her from promoting the sport, especially to the legendary Michael Jordan.

Reflecting on her conversation with Jordan, Kyle Larson’s wife tried to sell dirt racing to the NBA Hall of Famer, explaining just how ‘raw’ the sport is compared to the more business-like format that NASCAR has evolved into over the last few years.

When Katelyn Larson invited Michael Jordan to dirt track racing

High Limit Racing was founded by 2021 Cup Series winner Kyle Larson in partnership with five-time World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet, who is Katelyn Larson’s brother. It was called the High Limit Sprint Car Series in 2023, but after the All-Star Race of Champions was acquired from Tony Stewart, both series combined to give it a new name. Races are typically held midweek, and its immense success over the last few years has meant that views have exceeded 8.5 million during the 2023 season, an indicator of just how much fans love the racing series.

Highlighting the many ‘perks’ that come with High Limit Racing, Katelyn Larson tried to promote the series to none other than Michael Jordan. Speaking to insider Kenny Wallace on the Kenny Conversation podcast, she compared the two formats by saying, “It’s a family, which I guess it is in NASCAR too. Everyone’s so business buttoned-up wise in NASCAR, at least it has become more over time. But actually, me and Kyle were watching a Michael Jordan documentary about his motorcycle racing, and I think he said best. Because he was, you know, he played basketball. I mean, how does he come out and say that he likes racing?”

Elaborating on how she turned Jordan’s thought process against him, Kyle Larson’s wife went on to say, “He kept saying in his interviews, I have to get my friends here to see it to believe it. They have to come and see it, to feel it, to believe it. And I think we kind of turned that around on him, we were like, ‘Hey, well, you come to a dirt race’ and he’s like, ‘Oh no, not for me’ and I’m like, you need to see it to believe it. You need to feel it. You need to come, you can’t just say you don’t like something.”

Katelyn Larson believes dirt track racing offers all the thrill and drama of NASCAR while staying true to the sport’s roots. Though not meant as a direct comparison, her goal is to show fans—and Michael Jordan—why experiencing this different racing style is so valuable. With Kyle Larson’s success in NASCAR rooted in his dirt racing beginnings, her push for grassroots racing could uncover the next racing superstar.

Surrounded by racers, Katelyn has her husband Kyle and brother Brad Sweet in dirt racing, and her son Owen recently clinched a Junior Sprint win. Her daughter Audrey Layne is expected to follow suit, with Katelyn noting her fierce competitiveness, saying,  “She’s (Audrey) probably the most competitive one out of both of them”.

Larsons and Jordans in Italy

Kyle Larson, along with his wife and three kids spent their summer break in Italy last year, traveling to Capri, Rome, and Siena. During their vacation, the couple bumped into Michael Jordan and his wife in the hotel, after which the NBA Hall of Famer invited the Larson family to his yacht. While Jordan and Kyle Larson spent the time watching a Formula 1 race, their wives went shopping.

Sharing the details about her encounter with the basketball legend, Katelyn Larson told Kenny Wallace, “It was kind of underground at our hotel so we walked up the stairs and somebody’s whistling at us and they’re like, ‘Kyle, Kyle.’ So we go look up and here it is Michael Jordan and he says hey come sit with us and we had some great conversations. The first thing I said to him and his wife was, ‘Yeah we’re just waiting to get in that club down there.’ And she said, ‘Oh, we haven’t been there in like 10 years.’ And he said that would be a disaster if I went. He had about five bodyguards around him.”

It would have been interesting to see the conversation Michael Jordan had with Kyle Larson in Italy. Would he have tried to recruit the 31-year-old driver to 23XI Racing?

While it’s unlikely that Larson would ever leave Hendrick Motorsports, it wouldn’t hurt the NBA legend to give it a try. As for Katelyn Larson, getting Michael Jordan to attend one of High Limit Racing’s events would be a big boost to the series. However, whether that happens or not remains to be seen in the future.