This message was edited on
December 15, 2009 at
10:27:28 PM by dirttrackracin
KYLE LARSON 2009 SEASON IN REVIEW
Elk Grove, CA. – For Kyle Larson, the 2009 racing season could almost be described in a manner that sounds like a presidential campaign slogan – diversity and change. The diversity came into play as Larson broadened the number and types of cars he competed in over the course of the season, while the change came late in the year when Larson parted ways with his long time ride to find a seat in a car of one sprint car racing’s legends, Brent Kaeding.
Larson’s 2009 racing efforts began on the first day of the year with the 16 year old making his first ever start in a 600 micro midget, choosing the biggest race of the year, the Tulsa Shootout, to make his debut. When the preliminary day was done for the 106 entrants Larson had placed the Gordon Seros owned machine on the outside of the front row next to sprint and midget star Brady Bacon. In the feature race contact with another competitor spun him from third and relegated him to the back of the pack. Larson was able to charge back to seventh at the checkered flag.
Larson returned to Tulsa two weeks later, while taking in the Chili Bowl Nationals as a fan. In a fortunate twist of fate Larson’s phone rang during the National Anthem of Friday’s final preliminary night. The call was an offer to jump into one of the Corey Tucker/Bryan Clauson team cars that was due to be driven by New York modified standout Jerry Higbie, Jr., who had taken ill during hot laps.
In a matter of 15 minutes, using borrowed racing gear from Chad Boat and towels stacked under his butt, Larson started last in the fifth heat. With no practice laps Larson drove to third at the finish, impressing the large throng inside the Tulsa Expo Center. Unfortunately, as a penalty for making a driver change, Chili Bowl officials did not allow the Elk Grove, California resident to earn any passing points. When the night was done Larson had garnered a place in Saturday’s D-main, where the adventure ended with an eight place finish on the final day of racing.
The sprint car racing campaign got underway in March with Larson driving the 360 of Harley Van Dyke at Marysville Raceway Park, where a run from 20th resulted in a sixth place finish. The next race saw Larson start a new chapter in his career as he began his first full season with the premier traveling 410 sprint car circuit on the West Coast, the Golden State Challenge (GSC) Series.
Driving his third season for Dave and Debbie Vertullo, Larson experienced several highs and lows on the GSC tour. The high point came at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway in May as Larson dominated the night and took his first GSC win, following his first ever 410 sprint car win at the Friday night point series at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway three weeks prior.
The low point of the GSC season came at Larson’s favorite track, Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway in late June. While racing his way to the front in the early going of the feature race another competitor drifted high just as Larson entered turn one at full song. Contact resulted and Larson executed a harrowing flip into the turn one catch fence that virtually destroyed the car. Larson emerged shaken but unhurt.
Larson shook off the effects of the devastating crash and resumed his steady pursuit of the GSC tour. When the season ended Larson finished fifth in points and relished one of his two personal goals for 2009, the GSC Rookie of the Year award.
The other goal was accomplished just weeks later when 17 year old Larson made the Gold Cup A-main event at Chico. Competing against the best drivers in winged 410 sprint cars, the touring World of Outlaws, Larson started 18th and drove to seventh before a last lap excursion over turn four dropped him to 15th in the final rundown.
Another highlight in Larson’s season was his first appearance of the season in the Vertullo 360 sprint car when the team headed to Ocean Speedway for a Civil War showdown that included the track’s very competitive GLR Series competitors. When the night was over Larson had set the new all time qualifying record, won the B-main, and raced from sixth starting to win the A-main in impressive fashion on the lightning fast track.
Larson also tasted the non wing variety of sprint car racing in 2009, with his first attempt at the scary fast half mile of Calistoga Speedway in a two night USAC/CRA show on Labor Day weekend. Looking like a veteran of this form of racing Larson started 15th on the opening night and drove by several non wing standouts on his way to battling Kevin Swindell for the win. Jumping the tall cushion in turn two late in the race dropped the neophyte from second to 12th , but only whetted his appetite for more the next night. A better qualifying effort saw Larson mix it up at the front with Swindell and Jesse Hockett until late in the race when he became a victim of an errant slide job that ended his night with a bent race car in the turn three fence.
In late September Larson tried his hand on asphalt for the first time, driving Ted Finkenbinder’s non wing 360 at Roseville’s All American Speedway. The USAC Western States race saw Larson exit the event in the early going with an overheating engine, but nevertheless gaining valuable experience for the future.
In October Larson put on a dramatic late race display from the back of the pack in the wind whipped Fall Nationals for 360 sprint cars at the tire chewing Silver Dollar Speedway. After approximately half of the field changed right rear tires to be able to make the final 17 laps, Larson, as clearly the fastest car on the rubber down track, drove by 14 cars to finish third, only needing a couple of more laps to get by runnerup Brent Kaeding and winner Sean Becker. The fine performance proved to be the final time Larson would drive the Vertullo 83v as the association ended during the following week.
With the high dollar Trophy Cup for 360’s next up on the calendar Larson found the biggest opportunity of his three year career when he got a ride in a team car to Brent Kaeding. Larson took full advantage in the feature race by driving to a third place finish behind winner Tim Kaeding and second place Randy Hannagan, and ahead of American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) National champion Shane Stewart. The effort also placed Larson fifth in the overall points of the unique two night program, earning his largest payday of the season.
Two weeks later Larson made his first appearance at the ASCS sanctioned Short Track Nationals for 360’s in Little Rock, Arkansas. Driving a car for Jesse Hockett Larson was very competitive on his preliminary night when he raced from the last starting spot in the A-main to slide into ninth on the last lap. Unfortunately, a turn three incident on the final lap put Larson gently on his head. With the big money on the line the next night Larson’s trip ended disappointingly when the engine seized while pushing off for warm ups.
Larson’s final race of the season saw the driver back in Brent Kaeding’s mount at Tulare, this time sans the wing while competing with the stars of the USAC National Tour. The opener of the two night show began with Larson winning his heat in dominating fashion, while turning laps under the track record set earlier by Bryan Clauson. A suspected engine problem while Larson sat ninth in the feature had the 99 car infield bound in the early going.
The next night saw another hard crash for Larson at the Thunderbowl when he was knocked into the turn one catch fence on the second lap of his heat. With major repairs, including a broken frame, accomplished by Kaeding’s massive crew Larson was able to shake off the effects and transfer from the B-main to the feature. In the early going a spun car in nearly the exact same place blocked Larson and sent him for another tumble, although a minor one that produced no significant damage to the race car. Larson restarted 25th and raced by several heavy hitters on his way to a 13th place finish.
The season tally included three wins, 14 top fives and 25 top tens in 48 races while competing in eight different cars. Larson looked back and said “This was a very satisfying year for me. We had some real good and consistent runs with Dave in the 83v, but some motor issues really hurt us in June. However, just at the right time, Rich Stadelhofer, owner of Stadelhofer Construction, really lifted our spirits when he stepped forward with some major help with our engines and damage repair from the first wreck at Tulare. He has also continued to help my career in many ways over the last several months”
Assessing the competition present in his run for Rookie of the Year in the GSC Larson added, “I’m very thankful for Dave and Debbie taking me to the GSC because it sure accelerated my learning curve running with guys like Tyler Walker, Jonathan Allard, and Brent, Bud and Tim Kaeding. After winning my first GSC race at Watsonville my confidence level definitely got a boost. I was ready when the Outlaws came to town for the Gold Cup and it felt so good to race competitively with them and move my way forward.”
Larson hopes to continue his venture into other forms of open wheel racing next year. “I had a lot of fun running the non wing stuff this year,” Larson began. “The cars are a little slower but they sure are fun to drive because they slide a lot more and the driver seems to be a bigger factor than in the winged cars. I still like the wing cars but I would like to do more non wing racing, whether it is on dirt or pavement, or in a sprint car or a midget. It’s the challenge of mastering all kinds of open wheel cars that I look forward to.”
Kyle Larson would like to give special thanks to all who helped during the 2009 season: Dave & Debbie Vertullo, Starr Property Management, Inc., Stadelhofer Construction, Phoenix ParkerStores and Lubrication Equipment and Supply Co., Wion’s Body Shop and Powdercoating, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, G & N Construction, JW Web Design, Safety Solutions-LFT Technologies, Simpson Performance Products, Steve’s Racing Photos, Wyman Construction, GME-Nields Steerings, LRB Manufacturing, Mancamp Motorsports, GraphX Designs, SWEPCO Lubricants, Edward’s Lawn Service, Sierra Tire and Wheel, John’s Racing Photos, Mophead Graphix, Patty and Lary Larson, Dennis and Zach Zimmerly, Ricci Dias, Davy Welsh, Gary Thomas, Marcel Cassullo, Joe Silveira, Brent Kaeding and crew, John and Ginny Moseley, Gordon Seros, Ted Finkenbinder, Harley VanDyke, Duke and Scotty McMillen, Mark Moore, Bryan and Tim Clauson, Corey Tucker, Chad Boat, Richard & Trevor Brown, Chad Cypert, Nick Wilke, Mike Seros, CJ Pelfanio, Shane Muir, Marsha Nuss, Colby Copeland, Val, Helen and Dale Brose,Dan Belton, Jesse Hockett, and to anyone who we maybe have regrettably missed.
Video Clips:
Shootout: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1HWEiH5ynU
Chili Bowl: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFXIE8r_n2U
Marysville Speedway: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWz2gx4twqc
Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car win: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AymrG6MDwUQ
First 410 win Silver Dollar Speedway: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBlTyotgZH0
GSC Thunderbowl Raceway harrowing flip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPNJSYSZ6SU
Gold Cup World of Outlaw A-main: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjBUmHt-8JA
Ocean Speedway Civil War Series Main win: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILFlcpIHXqE
Calistoga USAC Non Wing 410 Debut - Main event: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-3diR8KEGc
Calistoga USAC Non Wing Victim of a errant slide job: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOtQkuib1sg
Fall Nationals The last 17 laps to a 3rd place finish: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAcPW1tLt2c
Trophy Cup 3rd place finish: www.youtube.com/watch?v=09E_wH9bu6o
Trophy Cup Interview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lpUHB4FG9M
Thunderbowl Raceway USAC Non Wing 410 a hard crash: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWPZmOPMCr4
Thunderbowl Raceway USAC raced by some heavy hitters: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_l_bp7QMPE
For more information check out www.kylelarsonracing.com
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