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Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson grew up idolizing Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart. Now he’s one of them, and he says it hasn’t sunk in.
In a sitdown with Carla Metts for SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Larson was reminded that he now has as many Cup titles as Stewart, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Joey Logano.
“Yeah, it’s surreal. Like I just did an interview back there, and I got to see the list, you know, finally. And it’s just, I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem real to me,” Larson said.
“Like, why is, or how and why is my name on the same list as those guys who’ve just done so much for the sport and are Hall of Famers? And it’s just, it’s wild to me. So I think as I get probably days removed from right now, it’ll soak in and I’ll appreciate it even more than I already do. But in the time being, it feels like I’m in some sort of dream.”
A Text From Tony Stewart
Larson said he had just been texting with Stewart before the interview, and that a piece Stewart narrated for NBC’s broadcast got to him.
“I just was responding to text messages. Back there, and yeah, he had texted me. So that was special,” Larson said. “And I think they played a piece on TV that he narrated. So I got to see that; that was really cool and definitely got me choked up.”
Why Stewart Shaped Larson
Larson said Gordon and Stewart were his favorite drivers growing up, but Stewart was the one he modeled his career after, because Stewart never stopped racing everything.
“Because, I mean, Jeff and Tony both came from dirt, but when Jeff got to NASCAR, he kind of stayed on the NASCAR path,” Larson said. “And, you know, Tony, he was just, I don’t know. I just felt like my personality and driving style and love for all racing and dirt track racing, especially, was more similar to him, where I didn’t ever want to just focus on just one thing.
“He even made fake names so he could go do it. So yeah, Tony is just, when I think of like the best race car drivers in the world, you know, the most versatile race car drivers in the world, you got Mario (Andretti), AJ (Foyt), and Tony.”
Gordon the Boss, Johnson the Supporter
Larson said it’s still strange that Gordon, his childhood hero, is now his boss as Hendrick’s vice chairman.
“I mean, I went to my first day of kindergarten, dressed head to toe in Jeff Gordon shorts, shirt, backpack, all of it,” Larson said. “So to get to work with him now, though, is great, and get to try to catch him someday in some categories is great.”
He said Johnson texted him and crew chief Cliff Daniels throughout the Chase.
“You can tell that he sees a lot of himself in Cliff (Daniels) and I and him and Chad (Knaus). And I think he wants to see us get close to his success. So yeah, that goes a long way for me.”
Gordon, for his part, says he’s “pretty confident” Larson will pass his four titles.
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