Kyle Larson garnished his mid-week break with a generous topping of racing wisdom. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver found himself on top of the playoff charts after prodigious performances in the first two playoff races. Larson marked himself as a worthy contender by qualifying early for the next round with his Darlington win. Prior to the race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Larson took a little time off and answered fan questions about his career and sporting experiences.

During this, he paid particular attention to an up-and-coming racer, or rather the whole aspiring racing community, who sought direction from the 2021 Cup series champion.

Kyle Larson disclosed what was more important than winning races

With 22 cup race wins under his belt and a thirst for a second championship this year, Kyle Larson continues to skillfully develop expertise in his craft. Any rookie racer would be privileged to obtain direct guidance from this ace Chevrolet driver. And recently, a grassroots racer, who can be oft-neglected, got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to prod the veteran’s brains.

In an interview with Jeff Gluck, the racing journalist took up reader’s questions for the star driver. The question was submitted by a sprint car racer, unsure about their next career path. They wished to enquire whether they should continue racing on local tracks or aim higher for a regional touring series. The crux of their difficulty was moving to lower finishing positions instead of winning locally.

Larson felt although local experience was crucial, it was eventually important to move out of your comfort zone; not only for a stronger presence but also for the variety of experience. Larson was confident that facing superior competition enhanced your skills. He encouraged beginners to embrace losses to gain valuable track experience.

Kyle Larson responded, “It depends how much time you’ve put in to that point. You definitely need to spend two or three years on a more regional level or grassroots level. But then even if you aren’t dominating at that level, it’s good to venture out…It shows that when you venture out to race new tracks and race against extremely tough competition, you have to raise your level of ability behind the wheel. Yes, you might get your teeth kicked in for a little bit and you might not get the results you want, but you’re always gonna come out a better driver from it. And racing in front of a lot more fans gets you recognized more and helps get sponsors.”

Watch This Story: Kyle Larson Namedrops “Top-3 Guy” as Biggest Championship Roadblock

Larson further identified the most important skill possessed by a competing racer.

Hendrick Motorsports #5 driver confessed talent was not enough to achieve success

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The last three years of Kyle Larson’s life were nothing short of an ordeal. He went from the strenuous load of a championship to 22 long winless races. He went through suspension, victories, setbacks, and even near-death crashes. However, he powered through and came out stronger to display his courage and racing superiority in this season’s playoffs.

Undoubtedly, it could only be endured through sheer persistence and mental strength. Larson was aware that it took far more than fast cars and great racers to climb atop the ladder. As a world-class athlete, he was bound to experience all the highs and lows that the sport offered. The #5 racer only survived this complex journey by securing victory within his mind before any racetrack.

Admitting the same to Jeff Gluck, Larson reasoned, “The cliche answer is speed and talent and all that, but there’s a lot more that goes into it. What makes any athlete really good at what they do is whatever it is about their mind. You’re never going to fully understand the mind, either, so I don’t know if you can 100 percent answer the question. But it’s something within the mind; the mind is so in-depth. You’re dealing with adversity or reaction time, all of that.”

Read More: “There’s Nothing Worse” – Father of 3, Kyle Larson Reveals Part of Parenthood That Makes Him Feel “Terrible”

Fans of this magnificent racer would be grateful to get a glimpse of his thought process before watching him race all the way to the next round of playoffs.