Larson, McMurray get more practice time for IMSA event
Kyle Larson‘s experience at Daytona International Speedway has so far proven to be a thrill ride – not necessarily of the kind he’d prefer or enjoy.
But this weekend’s Rolex 24 at Daytona could change all that.
Larson’s car was caught in a last lap crash in the 2013 XFINITY Series season-opener at NASCAR’s most iconic track. Last year, he had two short and mostly unremarkable driving stints in his Rolex 24 at Daytona TUDOR United Sportscar debut for his Chip Ganassi Racing team. Then he brushed the wall on the very first lap of his maiden Daytona 500 weeks later.
But the 2014 Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Larson insisted this week, he’s not only ready to redeem himself and the team in this weekend’s Rolex 24: he’s fast.
“It helped that me and Jamie (McMurray) got a lot of track time at the Roar (Rolex 24 test weekend) because Tony (Kanaan) had to leave early because he was having his baby and (Scott) Dixon had to leave for something else,” Larson said this week. “Me and Jamie got to run a lot in testing where last year I didn’t get to run a whole bunch.
“I’ve already been in the car more this year more than I was all last year with the Roar and the race. This year, I feel pretty fast and I think they’ll put me in the car more.”
Despite Larson’s self-critique of last year, he and his Ganassi team finished a respectable 15th overall – their car retired in the final hour of the twice around the clock classic.
Qualifying for the Rolex 24 is Thursday. There are 53 cars entered overall, including two for powerhouse Chip Ganassi Racing. Larson will co-drive with his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teammate McMurray as well as IndyCar Series champs Kanaan and Dixon trying to earn an incredible sixth overall win for Ganassi’s program.