Kyle Larson talks Road America, Indy 500, pre-race nerves
FILE-Kyle Larson (#24 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet) racing during the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube NASCAR Cup Series race, on March 6, 2022, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. (Christopher Trim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE - Running first in points this NASCAR Cup season is exactly what one driver expected to be doing.
In fact, running first in anything is what he expects to do.
Tim Van Vooren goes Beyond the Game with Kyle Larson.
Tim Van Vooren: "You're expected to be near the front, and you've been running near the front most of the time. What's your view so far?"
Kyle Larson: "Yeah, it's been a good year so far. We've been, fast, as we, you know, figured we would be. We got a win at Vegas, you know, a few weeks ago. And we're currently leading points, so hopefully we can just kind of maintain these good runs and, you know, carry it on into the, into the regular season and on into the postseason."
TVV: "How much self-motivation does a driver who's had your level of success require, Kyle?"
Larson: "For me, I think, and probably for a lot of drivers, I guess as you get older, and you feel like you're close to your not peak, but you're in your prime, you're just trying to find those little fine details to make yourself better. And you know what that may be. I think that's why I race a lot of different types of vehicles besides just NASCAR."
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TVV: "You brought up the other kinds of racing, the Indy, the double for the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. It sounds like you're going into that with the idea that it's going to be a cool thing to process all the way around because it's different to go through all that. Do you anticipate it being more of a physical challenge or a mental challenge, Kyle?"
Larson: "Well, I think, since I'm new to it, I think it will be both. I think it will be both physically and mentally challenging just because I'm not used to it. You know, like I know what to expect in a NASCAR. I know what to expect in a dirt sprint car. But in an Indy car, I currently don't know what to expect. So that's challenging on the mental side. And then on the physical side. Yeah, those cars don't have power steering. So, you know, the steering wheel kind of is heavier. It, you know, kind of challenges your arms a little bit more. The speeds are faster. So you feel the G-forces more, stuff like that, that will make it probably more challenging."
TVV: "We miss you guys coming up. Do you miss Road America?"
Larson: "I do. I miss going to Road America. That's a beautiful area. A track with a lot of history. The fans were always great there as well. So yes, I do miss going there. I did have a lot of fun in Chicago last year, though. I think that's the reason that kind of took the place of Road America. But, who knows how long we'll be able to race in the city. So, yeah, maybe hopefully Road America can end up back on the schedule."
TVV: "Lastly, just your emotions when you hop in a car. Are there nerves at this level with your level of experience? Is that the wrong word to put on it?"
Larson: "I definitely don't get nervous before a race. I would say, you know, I get some butterflies and nerves. I would say before qualifying because you know the magnitude of that one lap and what it means to your race. So I would say, yeah, qualifying is the most kind of pressure you feel throughout the weekend, at least for myself."