Kyle Larson Racing Explained

Kyle Larson Racing
Founded:November 2013
Base:Mooresville, North Carolina
Principal:Kyle Larson
Justin Marks
Paul Silva
Former Series:World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
All Star Circuit of Champions
Drivers:Shane Stewart
Carson Macedo
Driver Titles:1 (2016 Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown)

Kyle Larson Racing, originally Larson Marks Racing, is an American sprint car and midget car racing team owned by NASCAR driver Kyle Larson. Fielding cars for Shane Stewart and later Carson Macedo, the team won over 40 sprint car races across multiple series between 2014 and 2020; Larson himself has won multiple crown jewel midget races driving for the team.

History

Sprint cars

In November 2013 the formation of Larson Marks Racing, co-owned by Kyle Larson and Justin Marks, was announced; the team hired Shane Stewart to drive it's No. 2 sprint car, primarily in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, for a partial season in 2014 with a move to full-time WoO competition in 2015.[1] Stewart won at Eldora Speedway in the team's second-ever start.[2] In 2015, Stewart won the prestigious Kings Royal at Eldora with the team;[3] he went on to finish second in the World of Outlaws points standings,[4] and during the 2015–2016 offseason was champion of the Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown at Cocopah Speedway.[5]

After the 2017 season, Larson took full ownership of the team, renaming it Kyle Larson Racing and hiring Paul Silva as general manager.[6] After the 2018 season, Stewart departed to join CJB Motorsports, having won 35 times during his time driving for KLR.[7] rookie Carson Macedo was hired as his replacement,[8] and would win the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year title at the end of the 2019 season,[9] winning five races overall during his two seasons with the team.[10]

In October 2020, it was announced that Kyle Larson Racing's sprint car team would be closing operations at the end of the 2020 racing season; Larson cited difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic as one reason for the closure.[10]

Midget cars

In addition to its sprint car team, KLR fielded a No. 1K midget car for Larson to drive in selected events.[11] The team began running in the summer of 2019, and planned to run an "off-season" schedule of prestigious races that winter, including the Turkey Night Grand Prix and Chili Bowl Nationals.[12] Larson won the Turkey Night Grand Prix for his fifth win in six starts with the team,[13] and after reaching the feature of the Chili Bowl Nationals eight times in twelve attempts without a victory,[14] [15] Larson won the event in 2020,[16] [15] his first year running for his own team.[17] Returning in 2021 with his own team once again,[18] Larson won again in 2021, scoring back to back victories in the prestigious race.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gluck . Jeff . Kyle Larson starts new sprint car team with Justin Marks . . January 21, 2021 . Tysons Corner, VA . November 9, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140408120312/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/11/09/kyle-larson-sprint-car-shane-stewart-justin-marks-world-of-outlaws/3483839/ . April 8, 2014. live.
  2. Web site: Fenwick . Adam . Stewart Ready To Tackle Full Outlaw Slate . . January 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121175448/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/stewart-ready-to-tackle-full-outlaw-slate/ . January 21, 2021 . November 29, 2014 . live.
  3. Web site: Elliott . Jeremy . Shane Stewart makes epic run to Kings Royal title as Donny Schatz runs dry . The Patriot-News . January 18, 2021 . Harrisburg, PA . July 19, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121024836/https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2015/07/post_757.html . January 21, 2021 . live.
  4. Web site: Elliott . Jeremy . World of Outlaws money list for the 2015 Sprint Car season . The Patriot-News . January 21, 2021 . Harrisburg, PA . November 11, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121025307/https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2015/11/world_of_outlaws_money_list_fo.html . January 21, 2021 . live.
  5. Web site: 'The Dude' Takes Winter Heat Finale; Stewart is the Champ . Speed51.com . January 18, 2021 . January 10, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160405104703/https://speed51.com/the-dude-takes-winter-heat-finale-stewart-is-the-champ/ . April 5, 2016 . live.
  6. Web site: Weaver . Matt . NASCAR star Kyle Larson to become sole owner of his World of Outlaws team in 2018 . . January 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121175848/https://www.autoweek.com/racing/nascar/a1836701/kyle-larson-become-sole-owner-his-world-outlaws-team-2018/ . January 21, 2021 . December 8, 2017 . live.
  7. Web site: Shane Stewart & Kyle Larson Racing To Part Ways . Speed Sport . January 21, 2021 . October 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121024550/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/world-of-outlaws-sprint-cars/shane-stewart-larson-parting-ways/ . January 21, 2021 . live.
  8. Web site: Kyle Larson Racing Hires Carson Macedo . Speed Sport . January 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121180143/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/world-of-outlaws-sprint-cars/kyle-larson-racing-hires-carson-macedo/ . January 21, 2021 . October 30, 2018 . live.
  9. Web site: Modestio . Lou . Kyle Larson Racing to Close at Season's End . . January 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201123163728/https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2020/10/25/kyle-larson-racing-to-close-at-seasons-end/114481210/ . November 23, 2020 . Quincy, MA . October 25, 2020 . live.
  10. Web site: Ryan . Nate . Kyle Larson Racing announces its closure after the World of Outlaws season . . January 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201125052615/https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2020/10/23/kyle-larson-racing-closing/ . November 25, 2020 . October 23, 2020 . live.
  11. Web site: Lucas Oil Backing Kyle Larson's Midget Entry . Speed Sport . January 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210121180645/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/other-midgets/lucas-oil-backing-kyle-larsons-midget-entry/ . January 21, 2021 . November 19, 2019 . live.
  12. Web site: Seelman . Jacob . Self-Owned Midget For Larson At Chili Bowl . Speed Sport . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210123211412/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/other-midgets/self-owned-midget-for-larson-at-chili-bowl/ . January 23, 2021 . November 4, 2019 . live.
  13. Web site: Seelman . Jacob . Larson Storms To Third Turkey Night Victory . Speed Sport . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200804113731/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/usac/larson-storms-to-third-turkey-night-victory/ . August 4, 2020 . November 30, 2019 . live.
  14. Web site: Spencer . Lee . Kyle Larson to field his own equipment at Chili Bowl Nationals . Racin' Boys . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210123210435/http://racinboysscoop.com/news/news.asp?NewsID=51348 . January 23, 2021 . November 3, 2019 . live.
  15. Web site: Kyle Larson finally wins elusive Chili Bowl in 13th try . . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200121112739/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2020/01/19/kyle-larson-finally-wins-elusive-chili-bowl-in-13th-try/41028911/ . January 21, 2020 . McLean, VA . January 19, 2020 . live.
  16. Web site: Long . Dustin . Kyle Larson scores first Chili Bowl Nationals victory . . https://web.archive.org/web/20201127165824/https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2020/01/19/kyle-larson-christopher-bell-chili-bowl-nascar/ . November 27, 2020 . January 19, 2020 . live.
  17. Web site: Wilhelm . Chase . Kyle Larson wins second qualifying night at Chili Bowl; Christopher Bell earns Race of Champions win . NASCAR.com . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210123210959/https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2020/01/15/kyle-larson-wins-second-qualifying-night-chili-bowl-christopher-bell-race-of-champions/ . January 23, 2021 . January 15, 2020 . live.
  18. Web site: Larson Wins Chili Bowl Night 2 . . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210115142518/https://www.mrn.com/2021/01/13/kyle-larson-scores-seventh-preliminary-chili-bowl-win/ . January 15, 2021 . January 13, 2021 . live.
  19. Web site: Seelman . Jacob . A Second Helping Of Chili For Kyle Larson . January 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210123212651/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/other-midgets/a-second-helping-of-chili-for-kyle-larson/?linkId=100000028620638 . January 23, 2021 . January 17, 2021 . live.