Kyle Larson NASCAR versatility stands out as a defining trait in his racing career, driven by a supportive culture change within Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) that began in 2021. When Larson transitioned to HMS from Chip Ganassi Racing, former champion Jeff Gordon had recently taken on a vice chairman role. Gordon, sharing a background in dirt track racing with Larson, helped usher in a more flexible environment that allowed drivers to pursue varied racing disciplines. This culture shift broke from past restrictions, permitting Larson to compete in dirt racing alongside his Cup Series commitments.
Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick described Larson’s dedication:
He just eats, sleeps, and drinks racing. He wants to win every race.
—Rick Hendrick, Team Owner
Larson’s journey to this freedom wasn’t straightforward, as strict policies had limited extracurricular racing efforts in the past. For example, Kasey Kahne, when joining HMS in 2012, had to give up his Sprint Car and Midget racing activities, and Larson himself was required to tone down his dirt track appearances while at Ganassi. However, Jeff Gordon’s arrival with a new leadership perspective helped reshape those norms.
Reflecting on their shared background, Gordon said in 2021:
I saw him at dirt tracks, and we had that background.
—Jeff Gordon, Vice Chairman, Hendrick Motorsports
Before officially joining HMS, Larson admitted he was unsure how his passion for sprint car racing would be received. He recalled a conversation at Rick Hendrick’s house where he nervously brought up his desire to continue racing dirt cars:
Before I got hired, I went to Rick’s house and into his basement. A conversation about racing and what I’d been up to. It got to the point in the end when he was like, ‘Yeah, we wanna hire you. We want you to be part of our team…Is there anything that you want?’ …I thought I knew that Rick and Jeff and Hendrick Motorsports would be like totally against dirt racing. I was good friends with Kasey, and I could see that they wouldn’t allow him to run, and when they did, Hendrick didn’t seem like he would love it. And I was nervous.
—Kyle Larson, NASCAR Driver
To Larson’s surprise, Hendrick and Gordon fully supported his interest. He added:
I was like, ‘I’m just gonna throw it out there, I’d really like to race sprint cars still.’ I was waiting for them to be like, ‘Yeah, no.’ But they were like, ‘Yeah, no problem! We’ll let you do that.’ Jeff Gordon was like, ‘You know, we’re changing our culture at Hendrick Motorsports, we’re really trying to be different.’ I was like, ‘Wow, Awesome’…Man, they’ve been great. They’ve never said no to one dirt racing request I’ve had. It could be the night before a Cup race, and I had to fly three hours. They know I’m gonna get home at 4 in the morning, they’re cool with it…I’m sure they prefer I don’t do it sometimes, but it’s been great.
—Kyle Larson, NASCAR Driver
Overcoming challenges while maintaining a relentless racing schedule
Kyle Larson’s versatility is further demonstrated by his ability to handle setbacks and keep competing across various motorsport events. Leading up to his second attempt at the Double in 2025, Larson faced multiple challenges including crashing during two Indianapolis 500 practices and being involved in a violent incident at a Lakeside Speedway sprint car race where another vehicle went airborne into his car. Despite these difficulties, Larson showed resilience by dominating the Cup Series race at Kansas, leading 221 of 267 laps to claim victory.
His attempt to simultaneously compete in the IndyCar and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 races—known as the Double—did not go as planned due to wrecks in both events. Yet Larson remains enthusiastic about broadening his horizons, recently expressing interest in racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which highlights his passion beyond stock car racing.
Chad Knaus, HMS Vice President of Competition, praised Larson’s mental toughness and love for racing:
Nothing really gets under his skin…doesn’t get wound up. He doesn’t get emotional about maybe something that happens on the racetrack.
—Chad Knaus, Vice President of Competition, Hendrick Motorsports
Knaus also emphasized Larson’s dedication:
He loves driving race cars and he loves competing, and that’s something that’s pretty special. And when you have a young man that talented that wants to drive all the time, you need to let him do that.
—Chad Knaus, Vice President of Competition, Hendrick Motorsports
This mix of mental resilience and a supportive team environment has enabled Larson to maintain an active presence in both dirt racing and NASCAR, giving fans a rare glimpse of a driver excelling in multiple disciplines simultaneously.
Bridging traditional and modern motorsport cultures through adaptability
Kyle Larson’s ability to race across different platforms illustrates a significant evolution in NASCAR’s approach to driver versatility. The cultural change led by Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick at Hendrick Motorsports removed previous rigid limits, allowing Larson to blend traditional dirt track racing with high-profile NASCAR Cup competitions. This approach nurtures both his development and broad appeal in the sport.
Larson is viewed by many as one of the most intriguing figures in NASCAR today, not just for his achievements on the track, but for embodying a new kind of racer who bridges multiple forms of motorsport without sacrificing his performance. His continued success serves as an example of how flexibility and passion can coexist with professional excellence in top-level racing.
As Larson pursues new challenges, including potential endurance racing like Le Mans, the industry will watch closely to see how far his skills and versatility can take him. Lerarning from legends like Jeff Gordon, supported by a forward-thinking HMS leadership, Kyle Larson is well positioned to redefine what it means to be a versatile competitor in motorsports.