Kyle Larson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kyle Larson |
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Larson at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025
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| Born | Kyle Miyata Larson July 31, 1992 Elk Grove, California, U.S. |
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| Achievements | 2021, 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Champion 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Champion 2019, 2021, 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race Winner 2021 Coca-Cola 600 Winner 2022 Daytona 500 Pole Winner 2023 Southern 500 Winner 2024 Brickyard 400 Winner 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona Overall Winner 2012, 2016, 2019, 2023 Turkey Night Grand Prix Winner 2019, 2023 Hangtown 100 Winner 2020, 2022, 2023 Brad Doty Classic Winner 2020 Hoosier Hundred Winner 2020, 2021, 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals Winner 2021 Prairie Dirt Classic Winner 2021 37th Kings Royal Winner 2021 BC39 Winner 2021, 2023, 2024 Knoxville Nationals Winner 2022 Hillbilly 100 Winner |
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| Awards | 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year 2022 ESPY Awards Best Driver Named as one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) 2024 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 402 races run over 13 years | |||||||
| Car no., team | No. 5 (Hendrick Motorsports) | ||||||
| 2025 position | 1st | ||||||
| Best finish | 1st (2021, 2025) | ||||||
| First race | 2013 Bank of America 500 (Charlotte) | ||||||
| Last race | 2020 FanShield 500 (Phoenix) | ||||||
| First win | 2016 Pure Michigan 400 (Michigan) | ||||||
| Last win | 2025 AdventHealth 400 (Kansas) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 120 races run over 10 years | |||||||
| Car no., team | No. 17 (Hendrick Motorsports) No. 88 (JR Motorsports) |
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| 2025 position | 76th | ||||||
| Best finish | 8th (2013) | ||||||
| First race | 2013 DRIVE4COPD 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 2025 Pennzoil 250 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 2014 Treatmyclot.com 300 (Fontana) | ||||||
| Last win | 2025 Andy's Frozen Custard 300 (Texas) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career | |||||||
| 17 races run over 8 years | |||||||
| Truck no., team | No. 07 (Spire Motorsports) | ||||||
| 2025 position | 77th | ||||||
| Best finish | 35th (2012) | ||||||
| First race | 2012 UNOH 225 (Kentucky) | ||||||
| Last race | 2025 Weather Guard Truck Race (Bristol) | ||||||
| First win | 2013 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (Rockingham) | ||||||
| Last win | 2025 Baptist Health 200 (Homestead) | ||||||
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| IndyCar Series career | |||||||
| 2 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Team(s) | No. 17 (Arrow McLaren) | ||||||
| Best finish | 36th (2024) | ||||||
| First race | 2024 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| Last race | 2025 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
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| Statistics current as of November 2, 2025. | |||||||
Kyle Miyata Larson (born July 31, 1992) is a super talented American race car driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports. He also races part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NTT IndyCar Series.
Larson is known for his amazing skills in dirt track racing, winning many big events like the Kings Royal and Chili Bowl Nationals. He also won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2015. Kyle was named Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (2013) and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (2014). He achieved the ultimate goal by winning the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in both 2021 and 2025. In 2023, he was recognized as one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.
Contents
- Kyle Larson's Racing Journey
- Starting Young: Kyle's Early Races
- Racing Stock Cars: NASCAR Adventures
- Beyond Stock Cars: Open-Wheel Racing
- Other Exciting Races
- Kyle in Pop Culture
- Kyle's Life Off the Track
- See also
Kyle Larson's Racing Journey
Starting Young: Kyle's Early Races
Kyle Larson was born on July 31, 1992, in Elk Grove, California. He went to his first race when he was just a week old! He started racing outlaw karts at age seven in Northern California. As a teenager, he moved on to open-wheel cars like USAC midgets, Silver Crown, and sprint cars. A USAC official even nicknamed him "Yung Money" because of his incredible talent.
Kyle also raced in World of Outlaws sprint cars, becoming one of the youngest drivers to win a sprint car race at Placerville Speedway. In 2011, he made history at Eldora Speedway by winning in all three types of USAC cars in one night. He continued to win many USAC National Midget races, including the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 2012. Even after starting his stock car career, Kyle kept racing open-wheel cars, sometimes even traveling to New Zealand during his off-seasons.
Racing Stock Cars: NASCAR Adventures
First Steps in Stock Car Racing
Even though Kyle was interested in IndyCar, he joined Earnhardt Ganassi Racing (EGR) in 2012. This was part of a program to help young drivers grow. In February 2012, Kyle won his first stock car race at New Smyrna Speedway. A week later, he won there again!
Kyle raced full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2012 with Rev Racing. He got his first K&N Pro Series East win at Gresham Motorsports Park. He also made his ARCA Racing Series debut that year. On November 3, Kyle won the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, with two wins and 12 top-ten finishes. He was also named the Rookie of the Year. In 2014, Kyle earned his first ARCA win at Pocono Raceway.
Truck Racing Excitement
On June 28, 2012, Kyle made his Truck Series debut at Kentucky Speedway, finishing 10th. On April 14, 2013, he scored his first Truck Series win at Rockingham Speedway. During his celebration, Kyle did "donuts" without his steering wheel, a move he learned from go-kart racing. NASCAR later asked him to keep the wheel on for safety.
In 2016, Kyle won another Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway. He continued to make occasional appearances in the series, winning at North Wilkesboro in 2023. In 2025, Kyle competed in two more Truck Series races for Spire Motorsports, winning at Homestead after a thrilling comeback.
Speeding in the Xfinity Series
In 2013, Kyle raced full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (now Xfinity Series). He was involved in a big crash at Daytona, but thankfully, he was unharmed. He finished second in the season finale at Homestead. Kyle won the Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year award, a historic achievement as the first Asian-American and first Drive for Diversity participant to win this award in a major NASCAR series.
In 2014, Kyle got his first Nationwide Series win at Auto Club Speedway. He celebrated with more burnouts without the steering wheel! He won again at Charlotte Motor Speedway that year. Kyle continued to race part-time in the Xfinity Series, earning wins at Pocono and Texas in 2016. He also won at Watkins Glen in 2022 and Darlington in 2023. In 2024, he won at Circuit of the Americas. In 2025, Kyle added two more Xfinity Series wins at Bristol and Texas.
Reaching the Top: NASCAR Cup Series
First Taste of the Cup Series (2013)
In 2013, Kyle made his Sprint Cup Series debut with Phoenix Racing to get ready for his rookie season. He raced at Charlotte and Martinsville, gaining valuable experience.
Racing with Chip Ganassi Racing
Rookie Year in the Cup Series (2014)
Kyle started his full-time Cup Series career in 2014 with Chip Ganassi Racing. He had a tough start at the 2014 Daytona 500, but quickly showed his talent with a top-10 finish at Bristol. He then finished second at Auto Club Speedway, his best Cup Series finish at the time. Kyle earned his first Cup Series pole position at the Gobowling.com 400. He was named the Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year, with 8 top-five and 17 top-ten finishes.
A Challenging Year (2015)
The 2015 season was a bit tough for Kyle. He had a few good finishes, including a third-place at Dover. However, he ended the season 19th in points.
First Big Win (2016)
Kyle started 2016 with a strong 7th-place finish at the 2016 Daytona 500. He won the Sprint Showdown, which got him into the All-Star Race. On August 28, Kyle achieved a huge milestone: his first-ever Sprint Cup Series win at Michigan International Speedway! This win also qualified him for the playoffs for the first time.
Winning Streak (2017)
The 2017 season was fantastic for Kyle. He had three second-place finishes early on, moving him to first in the points standings. On March 26, he won his second career Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway. He then won his second race of the season at Michigan. Kyle continued his winning ways, scoring his third straight Michigan win and his fourth victory of the season at Richmond. He made it to the Round of 12 in the playoffs, finishing eighth in the points standings.
Consistent Finishes (2018)
In 2018, Kyle didn't win any races, but he was incredibly consistent. He had five second-place finishes, 8 top-fives, and 13 top-tens, which helped him make the playoffs. At the Charlotte Roval, he overcame a damaged car to advance to the next round. He finished the season ninth in the points standings.
All-Star Victory and Playoff Run (2019)
Before the 2019 season, Kyle faced a challenge when his main sponsor left. He started the season strong with a 7th-place finish at the 2019 Daytona 500. On May 18, Kyle won the exciting Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race! He made the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. On October 6, Kyle won at Dover, ending a 75-race winless streak and moving into the Round of 8. He finished the season sixth in the points standings, his best career finish at that time.
A Time for Learning and Growth (2020)
Kyle started the 2020 season well. However, he faced a challenging time that year. He took a break from racing to focus on personal growth and learning. During this period, he spent time understanding different communities and working to become a better person. He learned important lessons and showed a strong commitment to improving himself. By the end of 2020, NASCAR allowed him to return to racing for the 2021 season.
Joining Hendrick Motorsports
Championship Glory (2021)
In October 2020, it was announced that Kyle would join Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 5 car starting in 2021. He was also allowed to continue his dirt racing, as long as his Cup Series commitment came first. Kyle began his 2021 season with a 10th-place finish at the 2021 Daytona 500. Three weeks later, he scored his first win with Hendrick Motorsports at Las Vegas.
On May 30, Kyle won the prestigious Coca-Cola 600. This victory was also a record-breaker for Hendrick Motorsports, giving them the most Cup victories as a team in NASCAR history! He then won his first road course race at Sonoma and the NASCAR All-Star Race. Kyle had an incredible season, winning 10 races, including the Southern 500 and the Charlotte Roval. He secured his spot in the Championship 4 and, at Phoenix, he led 107 laps to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship!
Another Strong Season (2022)
Kyle started 2022 by winning the pole position for the 2022 Daytona 500. He then scored his first win of the season at Auto Club Speedway. He added another victory at Watkins Glen. Kyle continued to show his speed and skill throughout the year. He finished the season seventh in the points standings, with three wins and 13 top-five finishes.
More Wins and a Close Finish (2023)
In 2023, Kyle faced an early penalty but bounced back quickly. He scored his 20th career Cup Series win at Richmond. Two weeks later, he won at Martinsville. Kyle also won his third career All-Star Race, becoming one of only three drivers to achieve this. He won the Southern 500 to secure a spot in the playoffs. Kyle made it to the Championship 4 and finished third in the final race at Phoenix, ending the season second in the points standings.
Record-Breaking Moments (2024)
Kyle started 2024 with a win at Las Vegas. At the Kansas spring race, he won by an incredibly close 0.001 seconds, the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history! Kyle also attempted to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He won his third race of the season at Sonoma, tying him with racing legends Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Fred Lorenzen for career wins. He also won the Brickyard 400 and two playoff races at Bristol and the Charlotte Roval. Kyle finished the season sixth in the points standings.
Second Championship Title (2025)
The 2025 season was another triumph for Kyle. He scored his 30th career win at Homestead, placing him 30th on the all-time wins list. He added two more victories at the Bristol spring race and the Kansas spring race. In the Championship 4 at Phoenix, Kyle overcame a tire issue and finished third, securing his second NASCAR Cup Series championship!
Beyond Stock Cars: Open-Wheel Racing
Dirt Track Dominance
Kyle Larson is a master of dirt track racing. He used to own his own World of Outlaws sprint car team, Kyle Larson Racing. He often drives for his own midget team and Paul Silva's sprint car team. In 2020, Kyle won his first Chili Bowl Nationals title. He also won all six races in the 2020 Indiana Midget Week, showing incredible skill.
He continued his dirt racing success, winning the Pennsylvania Speedweek title and being named the 410 Sprint Car Driver of the Year in 2020. In 2021, Kyle won his second consecutive Chili Bowl Nationals. He also won the Knoxville Nationals three times (2021, 2023, and 2024), becoming a multi-time winner of this prestigious event. In 2025, Kyle won his third Chili Bowl Nationals, leading the entire race from the pole position.
IndyCar Challenge
On January 12, 2023, it was announced that Kyle would try to qualify for the 2024 Indianapolis 500 with Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports. He aimed to be one of the few drivers to race in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Despite a rain delay at the Indy 500, Kyle started fifth and finished 18th. He was named the 2024 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.
Kyle returned for the 2025 Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately, he crashed during the race and finished 27th, though he was later credited with 24th due to other cars' issues.
Other Exciting Races
Kyle has also competed in the famous 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race. In 2014, he made his debut in the event. In 2015, he and his team, including fellow NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray, won the race! He returned in 2016 but faced some mechanical issues.
Kyle in Pop Culture
Kyle Larson even made a cameo appearance as a limo driver in the 2017 film Logan Lucky.
Kyle's Life Off the Track
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Kyle grew up in Elk Grove, California. His mother is Japanese American, and her parents were in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Kyle is married to Katelyn Sweet, whose brother, Brad Sweet, is also a well-known sprint car driver. Kyle and Katelyn have three children: Owen Miyata Larson, born in 2014; Audrey Layne Larson, born in 2018; and Cooper Donald Larson, born in 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Kyle Larson para niños
