Kyle Larson juggles a packed racing calendar. Besides balancing Sprint Car events and managing the High Limit Racing Series, he will also pull double duty with the Indy 500 and NASCAR Xfinity races.
Advertisement
And yet, he remains dialed in to the realities of parenting, even if he doesn’t get to spend as much time at home as peers like Joey Logano or Denny Hamlin.
Larson recently appeared on The Freak Nation show by SpeedFreaks on YouTube. He was quizzed on everything — from racing and its business side, to living in Phoenix with his family. What particularly stood out was his good old tried and tested approach to being a father.
He was asked about when his 10-year-old son, Owen Larson, might get a phone of his own. But Larson laid down a few ground rules first.
“We told him when he’s responsible enough, we’ll contemplate it. But he’s got to treat his sister nicer, like carry on with more chores and stuff first… then I’ll wait a little bit,” he explained.
He admitted it’s tough because many of Owen’s friends already have phones by the age of nine or ten, which, in Larson’s view, is far too soon. That’s why he and his wife have made a conscious effort to limit screen time. Rather than letting their children stay glued to iPads or phones, they encourage Owen and Audrey to spend more time outdoors, keeping them grounded and active beyond the digital world.
That same approach extends to how Larson views his son’s relationship with racing.
No pressure from Larson on son’s racing future
Although Owen Larson enjoys racing, he doesn’t share the same all-consuming passion his father had at that age. According to 2021 NASCAR Cup Champion, Owen is simply wired differently.
While the senior Larson was immersed in racing from the get-go, on the track, or even through video games, Owen divides his time between several interests. He dabbles in racing but also plays baseball, flag football, and skates, showing a wider athletic curiosity.
That said, Larson isn’t losing sleep over his son’s lukewarm interest in carrying the family’s racing torch. He has made it clear that he doesn’t want Owen to feel boxed in by his father’s expectations. He feels there’s no point in forcing the wheel into his son’s hands if his heart lies elsewhere.
For Kyle Larson, being a champion on the track matters. But clearly, being a present and open-minded dad matters just as much, if not more.
