HMS star Kyle Larson to return to his racing roots just days after winning NASCAR championship

It’s next to impossible to keep Kyle Larson away from racing for long, as the Hendrick Motorsports star is set to make his return to his dirt-track roots just less than two weeks after clinching his second NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix. He is regarded as a very versatile driver, excelling in disciplines beyond NASCAR, such as dirt track racing and even the IndyCar Series.

Kyle Larson will compete at Placerville Speedway for the Hangtown 100 next week, a racetrack where he has raced since he was a teenager. The annual USAC National Midget event is scheduled for Friday (November 14) and Saturday (November 15), and Hangtown 100 is one of the nine USAC races in the coming weeks. Larson himself and Russell Motorsports Inc. are co-promoters of the event.

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has an emotional connection with Placerville, as he used to race here during his early racing days.

Expressing his emotions on returning to his racing roots and about the opportunity, here’s what Larson said (via FloRacing):

“It’s really special to me to be part of an event that means so much to me. Placerville Speedway is a place where my family and I grew up going to, not just as fans, but to race. Teaming up with Scott and Kami to continue growing this event is incredibly important to me, and I’m excited to not only help promote, but also to compete.”

The #5 HMS driver’s ability to compete and win across different types of cars and tracks is a key part of his reputation. He will look to win his third Hangtown 100 after winning it in 2019 and 2023.

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Kyle Larson secured NASCAR title after crew chief’s crucial late-race pit call decision and caution

Kyle Larson was not in contention to win the 2025 Bill France Cup; it was Denny Hamlin who led most laps of the race, but his title came down to a late-race caution and a crucial back-to-back pit call decision by his #5 HMS team. In the end, the pit call strategy turned into a championship-winning move.

The 33-year-old driver from Elk Grove, California, became the multi-time champion after taking advantage of the late race caution and tire strategy that helped him to gain track position and beat hard-charging Hamlin, who pitted for four tires on the pit road.

Larson finished third ahead of the other Championship 4 drivers Denny Hamlin (sixth), Chase Briscoe (18th), and William Byron (33rd) to become the 2025 NASCAR Cup champion.

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Edited by Yash Soni