DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Daytona 500 stands as the crown jewel every driver yearns to earn. Amongst the contenders, Kyle Larson emerges, a formidable force on the NASCAR circuit, tantalizingly close to tasting victory but forever elusive.
With the dawn of the new Cup Series season marked by the grand spectacle of the big race, all eyes are on the driver of the #5 car, poised as one of the main contenders to watch.
"Kyle Larson to me is the pinnacle of what we have as a race car driver in this world. Not in NASCAR, not in IndyCar, not in North America. Like in the world," said A.J. Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16.
"He's super fast. He's always competitive; always up front. He's a great teammate. He shares a lot. He's open, so he's a good one," said William Byron, driver of the No. 24.
What keeps Larson at the top of the game is his love of being behind the wheel as he could compete in about 60 or more races this year.
"What makes me stand out is just that I race a lot of other types of cars. I race more than just NASCAR stuff. I think just being in racing situations even when you're not in the same type of vehicle you're still putting yourself in racing situations. Your reaction times are staying sharp. All this and that. I'm your typical Californian. Laid back, easy going. Don't get too worked up or down. Just a pure racer I guess," said Larson.
At just 31 years old, Larson already has a storied career including 23 Cup Series wins while winning the Cup Series Championship in 2021. But one race Larson is still missing on his resume is the Daytona 500.
"He's so good at driving a racecar that this race will never define his career, but, I know the competitor he is, he wants it bad and he'll be one to be reckoned with this weekend," said Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3.
Larson aims to etch the Daytona 500 title onto his illustrious resume as he revs up for the showdown on Sunday, Feb. 18, at the iconic Daytona International Speedway.