Published 01/10/2023, 2:45 AM PST
Everyone loves a good comeback story. While there have been many of those in NASCAR, probably none like that of Kyle Larson. From being out of NASCAR for a year in 2020, to wrapping up the title in 2021 in the most dominating fashion ever seen.
On David Gravel’s YouTube show, Larson spoke about a lot of things that he has gone through in his career. It was obvious the question about 2020 would come.
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Learning from the mistake
Gravel started by saying “… you know you could do it, you had the capabilities to do it. But probably in 2020, you thought it wasn’t possible to win a Cup Championship. Then in one season, it happens. You do it in the first year and you’re driving for one of the top powerhouses of NASCAR.”
He added, “Obviously, you idoled (sic) Jeff Gordon when you were younger. You had something of a relationship with him. And to drive for Mr. H and all those things. I’m sure everything that has happened has probably made you a better person, a better man, a better father. It was probably just a great learning experience.”
Larson agreed, “Yeah, no doubt.” He then began to reveal, “I think, it’s honestly weird to say. But Katelyn and I, both said it a handful of times. We’re like everything that happened in 2020 with my mistake, was good, it was a good thing. It helped us all grow up.”
Like most people, Larson was under the false impression that he was all grown up. He was struck by reality, and he was struck hard.
Kyle Larson weathered that storm because of his family
In recent times, Larson has always been very honest about how important family is in his life. But the premise for it was established by that period of exile.
Larson told Gravel, “I mean, we had two kids at that time, so we felt like we were already grown up. But obviously not. Grew up quickly, and I would’ve never thought that I would be in the situation that I am now today, less than 2 years ago.”
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The burden was shared by everyone, he told. “It’s pretty crazy. It was a lot of hard work. Not only on my part, but Katelyn and a lot of people that kind of sticked behind me and believed in me in those tough times. It was… I don’t know, it was weird.”
“It was kind of a blessing in disguise. I got to spend more time with my kids, my family. I’d always said I wish I could leave NASCAR for a year and go race Sprint Cars and come back and it naturally – not in a good way – happened. We were on the road for 7 weeks in the motorhome, just the four of us.”
“Driving from track to track and staying at campgrounds. Just becoming a tighter family. And also racing and winning a lot. So yeah, 2020 will be a year I will never forget for many reasons,” he revealed.
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He entered that dark period in one form of Larson and exited it in another. A completely changed man. He has no regrets.
“It Helped Us All Grow Up”- Kyle Larson Considers Dark Period of 2020 Exile From NASCAR “A Good Thing” and “A Blessing Disguise”
