Elk Grove turned into a sea of red, white, yellow, black, and blue as hometown hero Kyle Larson returned to celebrate his 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. The City of Elk Grove, in collaboration with Sonoma Raceway, hosted the festivities along Historic Main Street in Old Town on Friday, November 14, a homecoming that brought the small California town to a standstill and reminded Larson of just how deeply his success resonates beyond the racetrack.
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The day started with Larson greeting fans, signing autographs, and posing for photos with the diehards who had followed his journey from dirt tracks to NASCAR glory. From there, the celebration went for a Championship Parade winding down Elk Grove Boulevard before looping onto Railroad Street and finishing at Old Town Plaza, where Larson was joined by special guests and community leaders.
Hundreds lined the streets, waving banners and flags, their cheers echoing through downtown Elk Grove. To accommodate the event, city officials temporarily closed sections of the boulevard in both directions from 11 a.m. until the parade and its onlookers cleared. Local travelers were advised to take alternate routes, but few seemed in a hurry to miss the moment.
Once the parade concluded, a ceremony followed, featuring tributes from the California State Assembly, the Elk Grove City Council, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, and representatives from Sonoma Raceway. Each took a turn honoring Larson’s championship run and the pride he brought to his hometown. An emotional Larson, touched by the turnout, addressed the fans through his scrum interview with humility.
“It’s really cool! I have the City of Elk Grove and Sonoma Raceway again. You put this deal together, it makes me feel really special and makes me feel like the championship was not only important to me but just as important to my race fans, family, and all that. I would encourage everybody, whatever they are into, enjoy it and focus on doing a good job and progressing and growing.”
He admitted that returning home always feels like a rare luxury these days, as he does not get to see anybody that often anymore, from Elk Grove anyway. So, he felt good to come back and see how much the championship meant to everybody.
Speaking with KCRA, the #5 HMS driver reflected on his Northern California roots, recalling weekends spent racing sprint cars across the West Coast at tracks in Placerville, Chico, Watsonville, Tulare, Marysville, and Petaluma. Those early laps laid the foundation for what would become one of NASCAR’s most decorated careers. Elk Grove had already recognized his impact before, awarding him the key to the city and declaring November 22 as “Kyle Larson Day.”
Larson’s bond with Sonoma Raceway runs even deeper. As a kid, he attended races at the track, then known as Sears Point International Raceway, dreaming of one day competing there. That dream has long since become reality. With wins in 2021 and 2024, and an unprecedented streak of five straight poles from 2017 through 2022, Larson has established himself as one of Sonoma’s all-time greats.
The 2026 season will see Larson return to wine country once again for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 on Sunday, June 28, preceded by the ARCA Menards Series West race on Friday, June 26, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday, June 27. For the fans of Elk Grove, that weekend will be another chance to watch one of their own continue to make his name in racing history.
