NASCAR: Kyle Larson tipped to return to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020
By Asher Fair
Kyle Larson has been tipped to return to Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season despite rumors that he may leave the team to drive elsewhere.
Kyle Larson’s career as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver began in the 2014 season with him driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, and he has driven for the team on a full-time basis to this day.
That will likely not change heading into what is set to be his seventh consecutive season as a full-time driver in the sport next year.
Larson has been tipped to return to Chip Ganassi Racing as the driver of the #42 Chevrolet for the 2020 season despite the fact that he had been rumored to potentially leave the team and sign elsewhere.
Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern shared this development on Twitter.
.@KyleLarsonRacin is set to return to @CGRTeams' No. 42 Chevrolet next season, per sources, despite some suggestion that he could land elsewhere.
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) July 18, 2019
➖ Meanwhile, Larson's teammate, @KurtBusch, remains in negotiations to extend his stay in the No. 1 Chevrolet for 2020. pic.twitter.com/6MZ2J2bWGd
One of the primary rumored destinations for the 26-year-old Elk Grove, California native other than Chip Ganassi Racing was Stewart-Haas Racing.
Stewart-Haas Racing team co-owner Tony Stewart reportedly wanted Larson to drive for the team in the 2017 season in large part due to the dirt racing background that the two men share, but that didn’t end up happening.
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As a result, there had been rumors that Larson would either replace Clint Bowyer behind the wheel of the #14 Ford or Daniel Suarez behind the wheel of the #41 Ford next year.
But barring some unforeseen circumstances following this latest report, neither of these scenarios will likely end up happening.
Larson has made 198 of his 202 career Cup Series starts driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. He has earned five victories, including four in the 2017 season, and recorded 50 top five finishes and 88 top 10 finishes. He has also taken eight pole positions and led 2,867 of the 55,364 laps that he has completed.
His average starting position is 14.1 and his average finishing position is 15.2. His career-high finish in the championship standings is eighth place, which he recorded in the 2017 season. He is still seeking his first victory in nearly two years, as he has not won a race since he won the race at Richmond Raceway in September of 2017.
Through the first 19 races of the 36-race 2019 season, Larson has recorded three top five finishes and seven top 10 finishes, and he has taken one pole position. He has led 185 of the 4,869 laps that he has completed. His average starting position is 15.2 and his average finishing position is 16.1, and he sits in 13th place in the championship standings.
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Expect Kyle Larson to be officially confirmed at Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season in the near future.