Dirt track drivers around the world were able to see the light at the end of the tunnel on Monday as NASCAR announced that Kyle Larson had been approved to race with them again, beginning in January 2021.
“NASCAR continues to prioritize diversity and inclusion across our sport,” said the sanctioning body in an official statement. “Kyle Larson has fulfilled the requirements set by NASCAR and has taken several voluntary measures to better educate himself so that he can use his platform to help bridge the divide in our country. Larson’s indefinite suspension has been lifted. Under the terms of his reinstatement, he will be cleared to return to all NASCAR racing activities effective January 1, 2021.”
This comes after an indefinite suspension from NASCAR competition went into effect on April 13 for the 28-year-old shortly after Larson had used a racial slur during an iRacing exhibition on Easter night. With his NASCAR career imploding before his eyes, Larson went back to his roots to self-reflect and work on getting his career back on track.
The dirt world would welcome Yung Money with open arms as countless fans flocked to see their favorite driver in person as Larson traveled across the nation, picking up wins in multiple racing divisions.
With Larson’s most recent win coming last weekend in the Bettenhausen 100, a USAC Silver Crown event, he now sits at a whopping 42 wins in 83 dirt races in 2020. That results in a batting average of (.506) with 37 of those coming since June. A statistic that is alien to any other driver in history. (@walkapedia_)
With such a staggering season in favor of Larson, it is not far-fetched to see why many dirt track competitors are looking forward to seeing a little less of him next year. While his name brought many eyes to the Saturday night shows, it has been a daunting task for even seasoned veterans to out-smart the Elk Grove, California native.
Assuming that Larson can nab one of the few open slots in the NASCAR Cup Series roster, next season should also be one that his dirt fans could look forward to with the recent announcement of the return to dirt for the Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway in the spring.
