In a sport fueled by its rich past, NASCAR’s foundation is in its history and seasoned wheelmen. But in back-to-back seasons, the sport has seen three of its veteran drivers — Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards — unbuckle their seatbelts and cruise into retirement, creating a new focus on the youth.
This shift has helped put a spotlight on many fresh-faced drivers as they learn to hone their craft in hopes of becoming a Gordon, “Smoke” or Edwards.
Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney all spoke on the final day of last month’s annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway. Together with phenom Chase Elliott, they help form the core of this up-and-coming generation. Each having the on-track talent and off-track personality to build a career with longevity, the trio reflected on their 2016 seasons and what to expect for 2017.
MORE: Elliott’s 2017 season preview
Kyle Larson
The Chip Ganassi Racing wheelman’s Michigan win in August not only secured him a playoff spot, it finally silenced the “when will Kyle Larson win?” chatter, having not reached Victory Lane in his first 98 races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
“I just continue to want to win,” the 24-year-old said last week. “Wanting to win the second win is just as important as wanting to win the first win, to me.”
The Irish Hills victory earned Larson the accomplishment of winning in all three of NASCAR’s premier series, a feat few have achieved. He has five wins in the XFINITY Series along with a pair of Ws in the Camping World Truck Series.
And as the California native heads into the 2017 season with three full-time seasons on the odometer of his No. 42 Chevy, he aims for an even better year with the knowledge and passion akin to the veterans.
“I think everything needs to be better,” Larson said “… To be a championship team, you need to just be better than everybody at everything. I could do a better job at executing.
“Our pit calls could be better. I’m not saying that anything is bad, but I’m saying that everything could be a little bit better to gain lap time and improve on finishes.”
And with improvement across the board in 2016, 2017 already appears to be promising for Larson as he hungers for more success.