Kyle Larson has been granted permission to keep racing on dirt after securing his NASCAR Cup Series return.
Hendrick Motorsports signed Larson after NASCAR lifted his indefinite suspension. The team owner Rick Hendrick said that Larson would be allowed to race on dirt if the schedule doesn’t interfere with that of the Cup races. He said:
“I don’t want to see him get hurt, but this is his love, and I think it actually makes him sharper.
“As long as it doesn’t interfere with the NASCAR team, then I’m OK. Like he said, if we get in a championship run and being 100 percent committed to his job here, as long as he can do that and race the dirt too, it’s OK.”
Larson also spoke of priorities in his responsibilities while having space for his passion too.
“I think everybody knows that dirt racing is important to me and continuing to do that is important to me, but at the same time, I obviously know my priorities are here at Hendrick Motorsports and having my full focus on that.”
“Yeah, I’ll still be able to race dirt stuff next season, but if there’s meetings or anything going on revolving around my NASCAR commitments, then that’s what comes first. I’m thankful that they’re letting me still run dirt stuff next year. I think with the schedule being a little more open like it was this year, I’ll have plenty of opportunities to get my fun in and stay sharp, and continue to become a better race car driver. I’m definitely thankful for that.”
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