NASCAR CUP SERIES: CHAMPIONSHIP

November 7, 2021

Kyle Larson

Frontstretch TV Quotes

An Interview with:

Q. Here he is, climbing out of the car, celebrating with his team, Kyle Larson. Congratulations. You are a Cup Series champion.

KYLE LARSON: Let me get a drink here real quick. I can't -- I cannot believe it. I didn't even think I'd be racing a Cup car a year and a half ago. To win a championship is crazy.

I've got to say first off thank you so much to Rick Hendrick, Hendrickcars.com, Jeff Gordon, NASCAR, every single one of my supporters in the stands, watching at home, my family. I've got so many of my friends and family here. My parents, my sister, my wife and kids. Owen had been giving me crap a month and a half ago about how I can't win a Cup race when he's there, so that added a lot of pressure.

There were so many points in this race where I did not think we were going to win. Without my pit crew on that last stop, we would not be standing right here. They are the true winners of this race. They are true champions. I'm just blessed to be a part of this group. Every single man or person, man and woman at Hendrick Motorsports, this win is for all of us, and every one of you.

This is unbelievable. I'm speechless.

Q. When you crossed the finish line with those tears in your eyes, did you think about that day your dad brought that go-kart home without telling your mom and that moment led to this?

KYLE LARSON: I had a lot of thoughts, a lot of thoughts there those last -- really since before intros, right before intros it all hit me. I had tears running down my face just doing the ride-around. The crowd was cheering loud, and it was just a different atmosphere than I've ever been a part of.

This event was crazy. This format is wild. I'm glad we were able to get it done. And yes, a big shout-out to my parents for getting me involved in racing, my dad for everything he did, building my go-karts when I was young to get me playing around, my mom for videotaping every lap I ever raced and giving me something I could look at and study and get better.

Gosh, so cool, I cannot believe it.