Kyle Larson won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday for his first NASCAR victory since he was reinstated from a nearly yearlong suspension for using a racial slur while playing a video game early in the pandemic.
LAS VEGAS — Kyle Larson is back in NASCAR and back in victory lane. On Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Larson raced to his first NASCAR victory since he was reinstated from a nearly yearlong suspension. He ran just the first four races last season, then lost his job for using a racial slur while playing a video game early in the pandemic. He worked all last year on rebuilding his image and was hired by Hendrick Motorsports when NASCAR said the suspension would lift at the start of this year. «Thanks Mr. H. for believing in me,» Larson radioed to boss Rick Hendrick after crossing the finish line. He then celebrated his first career victory on an intermediate track with a smoke-filled burnout. Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s only Black fulltime driver, was the first competitor to congratulate Larson at his car. There’s no better place to answer a call from Rick Hendrick than victory lane! ????@KyleLarsonRacin| https://t.co/c8UD8QZ9FE pic.twitter.com/KlcGvjEwpX Larson’s move to Hendrick was expected to be electric. Larson is considered one of the top talents in NASCAR but won just six times in six seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing. Paired with mighty Hendrick, everyone suspected Larson would at last reach his full potential.
