Kyle Larson will race in the 57th annual Knoxville Nationals Saturday night after team owner Chip Ganassi gave his approval for Larson to compete in one of the biggest sprint car races of the year.
Kyle Larson receives permission from Chip Ganassi to race Knoxville Nationals
It took a little begging, but Kyle Larson got approval to compete in the famed sprint car race Saturday night.
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Larson qualified for the Knoxville Nationals main feature by winning his qualifying heat Wednesday night at the half-mile Iowa dirt track. But he is also racing this weekend at Michigan International Speedway, site of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race, and that obligation is his focus as driver of Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 car.
To compete in both events, Larson needed Ganassi’s permission, which the car owner granted Friday afternoon. Larson is third in the Cup Series standings and has won the past two races at Michigan.
“I’ve been hearing all of you the last few days,” Ganassi said in a short video. “My phone and my Twitter account (are) blowing up. I’ve been hearing all the comments. OK, OK, OK, we’re going to let him race at Knoxville.”
Larson is a noted sprint car driver, having won six straight races earlier this summer. But this is the first time he’s secured himself a starting position in the Knoxville Nationals in advance, and that opportunity to win the prestigious race was too much to pass up.
“Winning the NASCAR championship this year is my main focus and my main goal, but I’m also extremely happy that Chip is allowing me to go back to Knoxville on Saturday and try to win a Knoxville Nationals championship as well,” Larson said. “To have the opportunity to go back and win that is very, very special to me. I can’t thank Chip enough for that.”
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