Published 01/15/2023, 8:00 AM EST
As the NASCAR world gears up for the next season to begin in February 2023, there is some amazing news already surfacing for the year 2024. Rick Hendrick spilled some beans on the 2021 Cup Series winner, Kyle Larson. The announcement has come pretty early, considering this year has just begun, but it is indeed exciting for everyone.
It has been his childhood dream for Larson to compete in the Indianapolis 500. The Hendrick Motorsports star waited a long time for such an opportunity and he couldn’t have asked for more. It will be nothing less than his dream coming true to do it with Rick Hendrick and to drive a McLaren. The NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick will be making his IndyCar team owner debut after 40 years. His experience with cars in the NASCAR Cup Series and the team will be to his advantage.
Rick Hendrick on his decision for Kyle Larson
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Claire Lang of the SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, recently posted on their Twitter account, “It fires Kyle up and it’s good for the company. @TeamHendrickowner Rick Hendrick spoke with @ClaireBLang about the decision to team up with @McLarenIndyCar in 2024 for the #Indy500.” In the interview, Rick Hendrick shared his vision and spoke about his surprising decision for IndyCar and Kyle Larson.
He said, “To have new opportunities, new challenges, it fires Kyle up and you know it’s good for the company. I mean, I think I don’t want him to get hurt. I don’t like to see him take unduly risk in other types of racing. But at the same time, I think it sharpens him up, I watched William Byron, and I watched Chase you know, Alex in the sprint cars I think the guys just race and want to race and it kinda you, know we meet new people, we’ve met new people with him so we’ve tested alongside the Cadillacs and that we ran the Cadillac with Jimmie and it comes back, racing translates.”
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RICHMOND, VA – APRIL 29: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
Larson over the years
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Being a consecutive winner for two years in 2020 and 2021, Kyle Larson dominated the Chili Bowl. His consistency of over a decade led to his breakthrough. He won his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship in 2021, having participated in multiple series races over the years. 2022 was a rough year for him, though it ended with a lot of good news. With an intent to try his hands at something different this year, he was seen at the Wild West Shootout.
In 2023, we will see him racing a lot more in the sprint car racing series. And it definitely looks like he is going to have a busy year. Larson is considered the most successful dirt racer in the country, with the kind of varied experience he carries. With the announcement of him taking part in the IndyCar 500 with McLaren Racing, he is very excited. That being his dream always, it certainly looks like Hendrick’s decision to support him is only wise.
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Watch This Story: “He Was Winning Everything..”: Hendrick Motorsports Star Kyle Larson Once Revealed the Fallen From Grace NASCAR Driver Who Was “The Guy to Beat” While He Was Growing Up
Fans can only wait and watch as of now for this year’s NASCAR season to begin. With the early surprise of Larson and the IndyCar 500 reveal, what do you think the excitement level would be?