Back in the early months of 2016, Kyle Larson was still a driver looking for his first win in the Cup Series. He was armed with the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet for his third full-time season and actively seeking victory lane. It was at this time that he made a keen observation about his growing reputation in the sport as an aggressive driver.
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In a 2016 interview with veteran reporter Jeff Gluck, he noted that his image as an overly aggressive and impatient driver could stem from the way he races on intermediate tracks. He, unconventionally, used to like riding the top lane and agreed that people were pretty accurate in considering him an aggressive driver because of that.
He added, “That’s pretty accurate to say I’m an aggressive, high-line driver. I feel like I’ve kind of changed the game of NASCAR on a mile-and-a-half track where more people are searching for the top now.” This thought naturally needed more diving into. Gluck felt the need as well and asked Larson to explain how he created the impact he claimed.
The driver responded by stating how it used to be only him who rode the top lane and that it gave him an edge over his competition. “I feel like in the races I watched before I got to NASCAR, nobody ran like right next to the wall,” he continued. “And I feel like since I’ve gotten here, a lot more people do now.”
He wasn’t sure if it was the intricacies in the car or the track that inspired the advantage, but he was fixated on the idea that he had a part in changing the racing style in NASCAR to a certain degree.
How Larson manages his track aggression nearly a decade after his 2016 interview
Since he had that conversation with Gluck, Larson has reached victory lane 29 times and secured a Cup Series champion. A lot has changed in this time, but his reputation as an aggressive driver has remained. He continues striving to find the balance that would let him use the aggression to his advantage.
He said at Homestead-Miami last year, “I think part of what’s good about me is that I am aggressive and part of what is bad about me is I am aggressive. I would love to harness that a little bit without giving up the good side of it.” This character has the ability to both win and lose big.
He admitted this and concluded, “Like I have a lot of speed, but I do crash a lot. Trying to figure out how to balance the aggression without giving up that aggression, too. It’s tough.” Hopefully, he will figure out the solution in 2025 and have another remarkable season.
