NASCAR

Team owner Chip Ganassi 'concerned' when Kyle Larson races sprint cars

Brant James
USA TODAY Sports
Kyle Larson often moonlights in sprint car racing.

Corrections/clarifications: A previous version of this story included incorrect information on the number of sprint car races in which Kyle Larson has driven this season.

FONTANA, Calif. — Chip Ganassi said he would be happy if Kyle Larson, who won his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday, decided he no longer wanted to race sprint cars.

But the team owner also said he is loathe to try to dissuade his 24-year-old budding star from using another outlet for his considerable talents. Larson is the points leader of the Cup Series after five races and is among a handful of young drivers NASCAR is hoping will attract new fans to the sport.

The dangers of sprint car racing were further illustrated Saturday when veteran and former NASCAR, ARCA and IndyCar driver Dave Steele died in a crash at Desoto Speedway in Bradenton, Fla. Larson was among scores of drivers to lament Steele’s death, as they had Bryan Clauson’s in August 2016 and Jason Leffler's in June 2013.

Larson and Justin Marks are co-owners Larson Marks Racing, which fields driver Shane Stewart. Larson already has raced in three dirt events this season, with more planned. Larson Marks Racing's next race is set for Placerville (Calif.) Speedway on Wednesday, according to the team's website.

MORE COVERAGE:

Famed sprint car driver David Steele dies in crash at Florida track

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Kyle Larson breaks through, wins Auto Club 400 in Fontana

Clint Bowyer cashes in on opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing

“Let’s just say this: I do get concerned when he wants to do that,” Ganassi told USA TODAY Sports. “I would say I’d be much happier if he said he wanted to go play golf. But also, at the same time, I don’t want to slow him down. If he thinks that makes him better, OK, great. If he thinks that’s slowing him down, I would think he would stop it. But for now, he thinks it makes him better.

“I don’t want to tell him otherwise. I don’t know otherwise. It’s been so long since I’ve driven I wouldn’t want to impart my own personal history on that. If he thinks it makes him better, I believe him.”

Follow James on Twitter @brantjames

PHOTOS: KYLE LARSON THROUGH THE YEARS