Kyle Larson acknowledges the surreal reality of joining NASCAR’s elite after securing his third Cup Series championship, reflecting on childhood idols Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart during a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio interview with Carla Metts on On3.
The three-time title winner finds himself wrapped in a media whirlwind following his championship burnout at Homestead. Amid the frantic schedule, mentors from his past have helped cement the magnitude of his latest achievement.
Working alongside Jeff Gordon presents a unique dynamic for the champion. “Yeah, I think for me, Jeff is like our boss, which is weird, but he’s also, more than that,” Larson told On3. “He’s a friend. And I don’t really, I feel like, pick his brain on too many things.”
Gordon served as Larson’s primary childhood idol. “I think, if I had to pick one guy, he’s the guy that I looked up to the most as a kid. I mean, I went to my first day of kindergarten, dressed head to toe in Jeff Gordon shorts, shirt, backpack, all of it,” Larson said, as reported by On3.
Jimmie Johnson also provided active support throughout the grueling Chase playoff schedule. Johnson frequently texted crew chief Cliff Daniels to offer encouragement. “That is special to me because he has accomplished so much and you can tell that he sees a lot of himself in Cliff and I and him and Chad,” Larson said, referencing crew chief Chad Knaus.
Tony Stewart heavily influenced Larson’s overarching career path and aggressive driving style. Shortly before his interview with Metts, Larson exchanged text messages with Stewart after viewing an NBC feature narrated by Stewart that left the newly minted champion visibly emotional.
“Because, I mean, Jeff and Tony both came from dirt, but when Jeff got to NASCAR, he kind of stayed on the NASCAR path,” Larson explained to On3.
“And, you know, Tony, he was just, I don’t know. I just felt like my personality and driving style and love for all racing and dirt track racing, especially, was more similar to him, where I didn’t ever want to just focus on just one thing.”
Metts said that Larson now shares an identical three-title count with Stewart, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Lee Petty, Darrell Waltrip, and Joey Logano. Seeing his name situated alongside those historic Hall of Famers remains difficult to process.
“Yeah, it’s surreal. Like I just did an interview back there, and I got to see the list, you know, finally. And it’s just, I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem real to me,” Larson told On3.
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