Kyle Larson Bio
Kyle Miyata Larson, born on July 31, 1992, is an American professional racing driver widely regarded as one of the most versatile talents in motorsports. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports, and also runs part-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for JR Motorsports. Beyond stock cars, Larson has built a stellar reputation in dirt track racing, capturing major events such as the Knoxville Nationals, Kings Royal, and Chili Bowl Nationals. He is a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, having won the title in 2021 and 2025, and he was honored as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Miyata Larson was born on July 31, 1992, in Elk Grove, California, and attended his first race with his parents just a week after his birth. He grew up in a family with deep ties to Japanese heritage through his mother, whose parents spent time in a Japanese internment camp. His father, Mike Larson, and mother, Janet Larson, supported his early interest in racing, and Larson began competing in outlaw karts in Northern California at the age of seven. The family environment encouraged his passion for speed, and as a teenager, Larson progressed quickly into open-wheel racing.
As a teen driver, Larson raced United States Auto Club midgets, Silver Crown cars, and sprint cars, competing for teams like Keith Kunz Motorsports and Hoffman Racing with Toyota backing. A USAC official gave him the nickname “Yung Money” in recognition of his talent. He captured the 2011 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway by winning in all three USAC car types in a single night, becoming only the second driver in history to accomplish that feat, and was named the 2011 Rookie of the Year.
Path to NASCAR
Larson’s path to NASCAR began when he signed with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in 2012 as part of the team’s driver development program. He won his first full-bodied stock car race at New Smyrna Speedway on February 11, 2012, and quickly moved into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East with Rev Racing. He won the 2012 K&N Pro Series East championship and was named Rookie of the Year, beating rival Corey LaJoie for the title.
His progression through the NASCAR ladder continued rapidly. Larson made his Camping World Truck Series debut in 2012, scored his first Truck Series win at Rockingham Speedway in 2013, and stepped up to the NASCAR Nationwide Series later that same year with Turner Scott Motorsports. By August 2013, Chip Ganassi Racing announced that Larson would drive the No. 42 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2014, replacing Juan Pablo Montoya and launching his national series career.
Kyle Larson Career
Early Career (2012-2013)
Larson’s early NASCAR career was defined by fast learning and frequent wheelwork. In 2013, he ran a full Nationwide Series schedule, surviving a frightening last-lap crash at Daytona that sent his car airborne and injured several spectators, and he was named the 2013 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year. He also picked up his first Truck Series win at Rockingham Speedway, beating Joey Logano and celebrating with the now-famous steering wheel-less donuts that NASCAR later asked him to stop performing.
He also made his first two Cup Series starts late in 2013 with Phoenix Racing, gaining valuable seat time before his full-time rookie season. His open-wheel success continued in parallel, highlighted by six USAC National Midget wins in 2012, including the prestigious Turkey Night Grand Prix.
Cup Series Breakthrough (2014-2019)
Larson’s first full Cup Series season came in 2014 with Chip Ganassi Racing, where he earned the Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year award with eight top-fives and 17 top-tens. He scored his first Cup Series victory on August 28, 2016, at Michigan International Speedway, qualifying for the Chase for the first time. In 2017, he strung together three consecutive Michigan wins and added a regular-season finale victory at Richmond to set a new personal best of four wins in a season.
From 2018 through 2019, Larson posted consistent top-10 points finishes and made the All-Star Race his showcase event. In 2019, he won the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte and snapped a 75-race winless streak with a victory at Dover. He ended the 2019 season sixth in the standings, his best Cup result to that point. His 2020 season, however, was cut short in April when he was indefinitely suspended and later released by Chip Ganassi Racing after using a racial slur during an iRacing event.
Hendrick Motorsports Era (2021-Present)
On October 28, 2020, Hendrick Motorsports signed Larson to a multi-year deal to drive the No. 5 car beginning in 2021, with team owner Rick Hendrick personally sponsoring the car through HendrickCars.com and NationsGuard until long-term partners were secured. The contract also included a special clause allowing Larson to continue racing dirt events. He responded with one of the most dominant Cup Series seasons in modern history in 2021, winning 10 races, the regular season championship, and the Cup Series title at Phoenix.
After engine issues hampered his 2022 playoff run, Larson rebounded in 2023 with wins including the Southern 500 at Darlington and his third All-Star Race victory, tying him with Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. In 2024, he captured the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and added playoff wins at Bristol and the Charlotte Roval. In 2025, Larson secured his second Cup Series championship with a third-place run in the finale at Phoenix, capping a season that featured 30 career Cup wins. He signed a five-year contract extension on February 11, 2025, keeping him at Hendrick Motorsports through 2031.
Driving Style and Strengths
Larson is widely recognized for his smooth, calculated driving style and his exceptional car control, especially in traffic and on slick surfaces. He excels on intermediate ovals, road courses, and high-banked tracks, and his ability to adapt to dirt racing in midweek stock car weekends gives him a feel for changing track conditions that few Cup drivers can match. His long-time crew chief Cliff Daniels has been a steady presence atop the pit box, and the pairing has produced multiple playoff runs and two championships. Larson’s race craft is built on patience, tire management, and the willingness to try unconventional lines.
Notable Races and Milestones
Some of Larson’s signature moments include his first Cup win at Michigan in 2016, his sweep of the Coca-Cola 600, the All-Star Race, and a road course win in 2021, and his dramatic 0.001-second victory over Chris Buescher at Kansas in 2024, the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history. He also won the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona overall with Chip Ganassi Racing, the 2021 Prairie Dirt Classic, the 37th Kings Royal, the BC39, and three Knoxville Nationals titles between 2021 and 2024. His 2023 All-Star Race win made him the only driver to win the exhibition event on three different tracks.
Kyle Larson Career Wins
Kyle Larson has compiled victories across NASCAR’s three national series, in IndyCar competition, and in a wide range of premier dirt events. In the NASCAR Cup Series, he has reached 32 wins with 214 top-tens and 22 poles, including the 2016 Pure Michigan 400 and the 2025 AdventHealth 400. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he has 19 wins, 91 top-tens, and 9 poles, and in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series he has 4 wins, 13 top-tens, and 2 poles.
Cup Series Highlights
Larson’s Cup Series career is highlighted by championships in 2021 and 2025, along with 10-win seasons in 2021. He has won crown jewel races such as the 2021 Coca-Cola 600, the 2023 Southern 500, and the 2024 Brickyard 400, and he captured the 2022 Daytona 500 pole position. His three All-Star Race wins came in 2019, 2021, and 2023, and he reached the Championship 4 in 2021, 2023, and 2025.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Cup Series, Larson has been a dominant force in dirt racing, winning the Chili Bowl Nationals in 2020, 2021, and 2025, the Knoxville Nationals in 2021, 2023, and 2024, and the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2023. He also won the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona overall with Chip Ganassi Racing, sharing the No. 02 car with Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, and Jamie McMurray. In 2012, he was the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, and he has since added ARCA Menards Series wins at Pocono and Sonoma in 2014.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup Series | 32 | 214 | 22 |
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 19 | 91 | 9 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 4 | 13 | 2 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Kyle Larson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Larson’s family has shaped both his personal identity and his racing path. He is the son of Mike Larson and Janet Larson, and his mother is Japanese American. Her parents were held in a Japanese internment camp, an experience that has shaped family history across generations. Through his marriage, Larson is connected to the world of sprint car racing, as his wife is the sister of former World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion and NASCAR driver Brad Sweet.
Personal Life
Larson married Katelyn Sweet on September 26, 2018, and the couple has three children. Their first son, Owen Miyata Larson, was born on December 22, 2014, their daughter Audrey Layne Larson was born in 2018, and their second son Cooper Donald Larson was born on December 31, 2022. The family has been a steady presence throughout Larson’s career, and he has credited them with helping him navigate his 2020 suspension and his return to racing with Hendrick Motorsports.
2025 Season Performance
Kyle Larson’s 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season was the defining year of his second championship run. He opened the year with a 20th-place finish in the Daytona 500 before stringing together a strong regular season, highlighted by his 30th career Cup win at Homestead and a third straight Michigan victory. He added additional regular-season wins at the Bristol spring race and the Kansas spring race, where he edged the field once again on an intermediate oval.
Throughout the playoffs, Larson did not win a race but consistently finished inside the top tier, locking himself into the Championship 4 with a fifth-place run at Martinsville. In the finale at Phoenix, he suffered a right front tire issue and dropped a lap down, but a late caution gave him the wave around, and he restarted fifth. He gained positions on the final restart to finish third, securing his second Cup Series championship and cementing Hendrick Motorsports’ continued dominance.
Off the track, Larson signed a five-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports on February 11, 2025, keeping him with the team through 2031. He also expanded his part-time schedule in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with JR Motorsports, picking up wins at Bristol and Texas as a substitute for Connor Zilisch, and returned to the Indianapolis 500 with Arrow McLaren. With the championship secured, Larson enters 2026 as one of the most established stars in the Cup garage and a clear favorite to chase a third title.
