After making a name for themselves in NASCAR, drivers are frequently in the limelight. Things were different back in the day when most popular drivers were indigenous and were only deemed as local heroes instead.
However, NASCAR drivers, even the ones at the very top, are not celebrities in the traditional sense. While they are popular names, they are not the most recognizable faces, except for the NASCAR circuit. Being in the public eye, drivers often have notions built around their image, with some misconceptions that are far from accurate, according to Larson.
Larson Addresses the Fan Assumption That Irks Him
Although NASCAR is not the highest-paying sport, it is still a competition where drivers often take home multi-million-dollar paychecks every year. Besides, after Formula 1, NASCAR is the highest-paid motorsports format. Despite this, drivers are seldom in the sport for the paychecks. However, motorsport fans often build preconceived notions around NASCAR drivers for this exact reason, and this was also the case with the HMS driver.
Kyle Larson, who is currently one of the most famous drivers not just in NASCAR, but the world, is not immune to this either. In his recent interview with Jeff Gluck from The Athletic, Larson revealed the most common misconception about him.
He began by confessing to his nastiest moment in NASCAR and talking about his overly competitive nature. After which, the No. 5 driver cleared the air about the most common misconception fans had about him back in the day.
Although Larson’s passion for NASCAR and driving in general is starkly visible from his many records, early on in his career, fans deemed he did not care about the sport. Larson said:
“People back in the day used to get wrong that I didn’t care about NASCAR.”
He further added that many folks in he community still believe that he is in it for the money, and if given a choice, he would be elsewhere.
“People think, ‘Oh, I’m just doing this for the money, and if I had a choice, I’d be racing sprint cars all the time.’ That really bugs me, because it isn’t about the money.”
The 2021 championship winner was quite vocal about his love for NASCAR and explicitly stated that he would not be doing it for any other reason. Larson also wished for his fans to realize that about him.
“I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t love it, you know? So I do love this. I wish fans would realize that. And I feel like they have over time, but not all of them, and you’re never going to convince everybody.”
Having fans question the passion of a driver of Larson’s stature is a bit startling, considering his schedule, which includes much more than just his Cup Series races. In his latest venture outside NASCAR, Larson is all set to compete in the upcoming Indy 500.