Kyle Larson has not been as strict with his children about racing. Unlike other NASCAR drivers such as Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, who take the hands-on approach with their children to develop their racing skills and are typically present at most of their races, providing live feedback, Larson has adopted a more easygoing approach.
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He does not view childhood as a developmental program, which is why he refrains from establishing a rigorous schedule that might burden them. Instead, Larson has granted his children freedom to explore themselves and discover what they enjoy.
That explains why, beyond racing, his son Owen Larson also gravitates toward baseball and flag football, preferring team dynamics over managing a racecar’s throttle. His daughter Audrey, on the other hand, has split her energy between hunting checkered flags and whetting her hockey instincts.
Despite recognizing that his children may or may not return to racing, something he has pursued since his childhood, Larson refuses to saddle his children with his own expectations. He stated, “Any parent can parent their kids differently, but I think for us, it’s important to try to have our kids in as many activities as we can try to have them in, especially because they’re homeschooled, so they don’t get quite the exposure to other kids, probably.”
“I guess you could argue that either way, I think, because we do have them doing racing and hockey, and when the weather is better, playing baseball and stuff. So, yeah, I just think it’s important to have them mingling with other kids. And also, just staying active, being in different environments, and stuff,” he continued.
Audrey loves hockey and racing equally and likes being able to participate in all the things she does. Recently, Larson even enrolled Owen in hockey, so he can start soon.
The two-time NASCAR Cup Champion believes the hockey component proves enjoyable even more because it differs so dramatically from what he does. He knows nothing about hockey, and that’s why it is the place he can go and enjoy watching his children explore something different without fixating on analyzing their performances.
With racing, however, that’s not the case. To Larson, it’s gratifying to explore other avenues and witness his young ones learning while seeing how talented they are, especially without the pressure to perform over them.
