NASCAR: Kyle Larson return on the horizon?
By Asher Fair
With Kyle Larson having finally applied for NASCAR reinstatement, is a return to the Cup Series on the horizon for the former Chip Ganassi Racing driver?
Kyle Larson was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR all the way back in April, almost immediately after using the N-word in a virtual event on iRacing which was being live streamed on multiple Twitch channels late on Easter Sunday.
The 28-year-old Elk Grove, California native, who was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing after multiple sponsors cut ties with him over his use of the racial slur, completed the sensitivity training which NASCAR required he complete prior to his reinstatement.
It took him several months, but he finally applied for reinstatement in mid-October, doing so only after working on his personal growth in response to his mistake, notably outside of the public eye.
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It was reported at the time of his request that NASCAR would likely approve his request “within a few weeks”, and as expected, that approval came.
That all but spells a Larson return to the highest level of stock car racing next year. Larson being “reinstated” by NASCAR is not the door opening him to talk with teams about competing in 2021. That has clearly already been happening, likely for months. It is the door opening for him to actually be able to compete. So why would he bother to request reinstatement if he didn’t have something big in motion to compete for next year?
There would be no point in doing so, and he likely would have done so back in April in May immediately after he became eligible to do so otherwise.
Recent rumors have linked Larson to the open seat at Hendrick Motorsports with seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson set to retire. While Alex Bowman is set to replace Johnson behind the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet, Bowman already drives the #88 Chevrolet for the team, so Johnson’s true “replacement” in terms of the team’s driver lineup has not yet been named.
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It is believed that Larson, or whomever gets the call to replace Johnson, will drive the #5 Chevrolet and that the #88 will not be used in 2021.