Saying he can't wait to "get mud all over my face" again Sprint Cup rookie Kyle Larson confirmed he will be competing in the Camping World Truck Series 1-800 CarCash Mudsummer Classic race at Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway dirt track on July 23.
Larson finished runner-up to fellow 2014 Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Austin Dillon in a dramatic last lap battle between Dillon, Larson and Sprint Cup veteran Ryan Newman in the inaugural event last year and Larson said he's already looking forward to testing his Turner Scott Motorsports truck this week.
"We're going to go test here pretty soon and get ready for that one because that's definitely a race I want to win,'' said Larson driver of the No. 42 Target Chevy in the Sprint Cup Series.
"We were close last year, so it's nice to get to go back and give it another shot."
In fact, when he was asked which NASCAR race he's most likely to win as racing schedule nears the midpoint, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver joked, "probably Eldora."
In its second year on the Truck Series schedule, the half-mile clay oval in Rossburg, Ohio has attracted some of racing's biggest names to join the truck series regulars in this points-race. Last year the legendary Ken Schrader competed in addition to Newman, who won the Brickyard 400 from the pole position at Indianapolis four days later.
For Larson, whose background is in sprint cars, the opportunity to compete in the event looms large on his calendar.
"It was a blast last year at Eldora'' Larson said. "You know, a race that I looked forward to when it was announced last year, and then to get to race it and see how well the show was run and how great the racing was made me even more excited for this year. Getting beat last year made me really pumped up for this year's race.
"I don't get to do a whole lot of dirt racing anymore, so to get back to kind of my roots makes it fun, too.
"I'm really looking forward to when we go test here. I think it's next week. So it would be nice to get back in the dirt and get dirty and sweat a little bit and get mud all over my face and stuff."
This weekend Larson will be racing in both NASCAR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide races at Indianapolis. The Sprint Cup took last weekend off, but Nationwide were in Chicago for the EnjoyIllinois 300 at the Chicagoland Speedway.
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| Larson with girlfriend Katelynn Sweet |
Larson finished in third place.
"I thought we had a real good car," Larson said. "I had some fun, just frustrating coming in third when I thought we had a real good chance to win."
Larson has two wins on the Nationwide circuit but is still awaiting his first win on the Sprint Cup circuit. He hopes that will end this weekend in the "Crown Royal presents, The John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard."
The race will be Sunday at 10 a.m. PT and will be televised on ESPN.
The Nationwide race, the "Lilly Diabetes 250", will be Friday at 1:30 p.m. PT, also on ESPN.
Larson is currently 14th in the Sprint Cup points standings.
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