Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace praised Kyle Larson’s dedication to various forms of motorsports. Wallace compared Larson to four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon, noting that even Gordon didn’t have the same desire to compete outside of stock car racing.
Most NASCAR drivers spent their two-week Olympic break enjoying their free time. But Kyle Larson took a short break and returned to sprint car racing, competing in the World of Outlaws Ironman 55 weekend and acing the event, winning his third I-55 title.
After Larson’s feat made headlines, Kenny Wallace explained what sets the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 driver apart from other NASCAR greats: Wallace noted that even Jeff Gordon was overwhelmed by NASCAR’s demanding schedule and withdrew from other events. Wallace likened Larson to a little kid who gets excited whenever he gets behind the wheel of a race car. In an episode of Coffee with Kenny on his YouTube channel, he explained: “I’ve never met a racer who welcomed the opportunity to go to every race.
In other words, my dear friend Jeff Gordon, I came to NASCAR with him. Jeff didn’t want to go to every race. Jeff was tired of racing. Jeff Gordon didn’t want to participate in any type of racing. ” [1:38] “I think that’s the thing about Kyle Larson, he’s like a kid and he runs around like a Tasmanian devil. “Larson is so excited to participate in everything he can get, and I love that because that’s exactly what Ken Schrader is,” he added.
Kenny Wallace further asserted that he frequently praises Larson to remind everyone of the 32-year-old’s extraordinary talent. Wallace called the 2021 NASCAR Cup champion a “gift from God” and emphasized that we are witnessing one of the most talented racers in the history of motorsports.
Kenny Wallace compares Kyle Larson to motorsports legends
Wallace also praised Kyle Larson’s versatility, putting him alongside IndyCar legend A.J. Larson. Foyt and Mario Andretti excelled in a variety of motorsports and are generally considered the greatest racing drivers of all time. Wallace explained that no driver has been as committed to different types of motorsports as Larson. The 60-year-old former NASCAR driver said:
“I’m the biggest A.J. Foyt fan of all time, in my opinion. A.J. Foyt, the best Foyt of all time. In my day it was Foyt and Mario Andretti, you know why, because they could get in any car and win.” [at 1:13]
We’ve never seen a driver who loves racing as much as Kyle Larson. “A.J. (Foyt) loved it, but he didn’t always drive all types of cars,” he added. Kenny Wallace said that even the great Foyt didn’t like to race in NASCAR races because the cars were too loud.
