NASCAR drivers like Kyle Larson come from humble dirt and go-kart racing backgrounds, which have helped elevate their reputations in the sport through sheer skill. Yet for Larson, his skills behind the wheel and their determination were not the only factors that pushed him to success. His family played a huge role, too.
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Larson’s parents, Mike and Janet, did not come from wealthy backgrounds and had to make significant financial and personal sacrifices to support his racing career. While they avoided total financial ruin through careful management and early sponsorship, the journey demanded working-class dedication, including borrowing money, lengthy road trips, and commitment every weekend.
The family invested roughly $1,200 to get their first go-kart running. In fact, to secure his early, approximately $200,000 car, Mike had to borrow money. Larson remembers those sacrifices vividly.
During his recent interview with Out of Bounds, when asked about who helped him get where he is today, Larson said, “My parents for sure. But specifically, probably my dad. He was the one working on my cars all throughout the week while also working a full-time job and making sure my equipment was good, setting up my race cars. My mom ran my website, all of that.”
“And then they just, they mold you into the person that you are today. So, yeah, all the credit goes to them for sure,” the 2025 Cup Champion added.
Larson’s family spent years trekking across the West Coast, attending 70 to 80 sprint car races annually as part of the grind to get him noticed. The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver’s early days were primarily on dirt tracks, with his dad frequently wrenching late into the night. And that investment bore fruit, as his rapid ascent from karts to sprint cars by age 18 brought in the necessary funding.
Larson does not personally work on his cars because of his father
In his March 2021 interview with FloRacing, Larson reflected on his early racing days, recalling how his father maintained their equipment on a shoestring budget. Because of that, they would hardly ever mount new tires on the go-kart. His dad would try to bring them back to life every week.
Also, because his dad had hairy legs, Larson always saw rubber stuck in his dad’s hair. He would never let Larson touch the go-kart because he didn’t trust him, and that’s probably why he is who he is today and still doesn’t work on his cars.
Thankfully, Larson’s grip on NASCAR and his dirt track exploits have paid off handsomely, without requiring him to work on his equipment or machinery personally.
