Kyle Larson On NASCAR Plate Racing

**CIRF** · 01-22-2016, 09:23 AM

This article was recently in NSSN. This kid makes a lot of sense about a type of racing that doesn't.

Larson Speaks Out Against Plate Racing

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Kyle Larson loves most things NASCAR-related, but he’s not a fan of restrictor-plate racing.
Larson, 23, won NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 2014 with Chip Ganassi Racing and has come painfully close to winning at the Cup level, but he hasn’t yet done it. He also hasn’t fared well at NASCAR’s two restrictor-plate tracks, Daytona Int’l Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. And he doesn’t shy from his giving his thoughts about them.
Larson has one top-10 finish in eight career Cup plate races, a ninth at Talladega in May 2014. He averages a 23rd-place finish at at the 2.66-mile circuit. His results have been even worse at Daytona, where he’s only completed one race and has a 36.8 average finish. Larson was involved in a crash in the Coke Zero 400 last July at Daytona, where he finished 39th. On his two-way radio, Larson said he hated the track as he pulled into the garage.
His feelings haven’t changed much. SPEED SPORT spoke with Larson on Thursday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, and he discussed what NASCAR could do to make Larson like restrictor-plate racing.
“Demolish the race tracks,” Larson said with a laugh. “They’re fun – kind of. It’s dangerous. We’re going 200 miles an hour, three-wide for three and a half hours. You’re close to injury all the time. I mean, our cars are safe, but you’ve seen the wrecks. I don’t know. It’s just not racing to me. It’s a chess match.
“Racing, to me, is (when) you use driver skill to find a different line to pass somebody. (In plate races), you’re just kind of dependent on which line’s moving and I get the short end of the stick most of the time.”
Larson’s objective for the season as a whole is the same as what he wants to do at Daytona and Talladega: finish the races.
He failed to finish six races last season. Armed with a new crew chief in Chad Johnston – who joined CGR after having spent two years as Tony Stewart’s crew chief – Larson believes getting to the finish is goal No. 1, and getting there before everyone else is goal No. 2.
“I’ve had a lot of DNFs, and that takes you out of contention to make the Chase (on points),” Larson said. “I’ve just got to be more patient.”

**TS FAN** · 01-22-2016, 10:32 AM

I think plate racing is stupid and I have always thought it was stupid. Want to put on a circus, then plate racing is an option. Nascar drivers should not be forced to endure this dangerous nonsense. My rant for the day.

Kyle Larson: future nascar champ. Chip get your butt in gear and get this kid a team that can support his talent.

**drano** · 01-22-2016, 10:50 AM

Kyle Busch skipping all restrictor plate races in the lower divisions in 2016.

**dirtdobber45** · 01-22-2016, 12:52 PM

Why dont Nascrap jus putem on a 2 bbl carb and see where that goes. Fans want close racing but it has gotten out of control

**CIRF** · 01-22-2016, 01:32 PM

Obviously we as fans are in agreement on the danger and lack of the ability of the teams to adequately separate themselves from 3 abreast lines of race cars for what amounts to the whole race. The answer to the dilemma is not something I personally am learned enough to address with a solution. I feel that if NASCAR mandated much lower horsepower engines sans the r-plates the teams would circumvent the lower horsepower numbers in probably a short time.

The fact that it is impossible to win a r-plate race without "help" goes against all common sense related to the term "racing". I believe this is more of a knock on r-plate racing than even the danger to the drivers. Rest assured I don't discount the danger factor but the basic premise of the "help" aspect is where most fans concern lies.

The reason I posted the quotes from Larson is because what he says probably carries as much or more weight as any of the young guns in Cup racing today. The older guys have been periodically critical of r-plate racing for a long time now and it hasn't seemed to sink in with the powers that be in NASCAR. Larson's job, on the surface, appears to be safe, at least for a few more years and he may be able to be just a bit more critical than some of younger guys that are a bit less high profile.

I'm cognizant of my past disdain for all things NASCAR but this tweaked my interest since it is unusual for a guy who hasn't been around very long to be as outspoken as Larson. Not sure if that will be an asset or a liability in the future.

**mudslinger47** · 01-22-2016, 08:53 PM

Why worry about the politics and the why's and why nots...watch the race, enjoy it for what it is and let it go at that...spending all your time analyzing can even ruin a good day fishing...

**buster83** · 01-23-2016, 12:18 AM

well when they ran them big blocks they did`nt seem to have that problem. me i think nascar does this intentionally to keep the cars close but it has just ruined both tracks.

**CIRF** · 01-23-2016, 12:23 AM

If a guy like Larson, who is young, hungry and primarily unafraid, is apprehensive and dislikes the whole r-plate premise then maybe it's more flawed now than ever. If you wanna' take issue with Larson's analysis then have at it. Mud, I'm figurin' you have just about as much credibility as myself and anyone else who's next lap in a Cup race will be our first.

As Larson said, it's a chess game that's more about luck and a helper or two than it is about skill and courage and if ya' wanna' read between the lines it's reasonable to assume he means it really ain't racin'. Larson just finished up with The Chili Bowl, which is, in fact, REAL racing that doesn't demand another car's help to win so possibly the contrast is fresh in his mind.

**Raceready** · 01-23-2016, 01:15 AM

I agree except for the part about demanding another cars help may not be necessary in some of the past cases. Us old timers in the sport remember several of the plate races where although most everybody had to draft to make hay, there was always a dead ringer or two that could just plain accelerate at will and pull away from out of a long line of cars unaided by any partner.

**CIRF** · 01-23-2016, 08:56 AM

As A.J. Foyt would say, "quite true" Raceready.

From time to time a mysterious phenomenon would take place. A certain car would appear to have 50 horsepower more than all the rest. There was one time that saw one car in particular pass a dozen and a half other cars or so in just a handful of laps. IIRC Kenny Wallace was the secondary beneficiary by latching onto the bumper of one of those incredible (literally) super restrictor plate cars at Talladega, Kenny got pulled all the way to 2nd that day.

That whole deal might have been due to the racetrack having been built on ancient indian burial grounds! LOL!

**dirtdobber45** · 01-23-2016, 10:52 AM

Mark Martin always said he never liked those races either. I remember big E pulling out from the back and passing everybody like they were sittin still at Daytona during onenof those big bud shootouts

**CIRF** · 01-23-2016, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by dirtdobber45

Mark Martin always said he never liked those races either. I remember big E pulling out from the back and passing everybody like they were sittin still at Daytona during onenof those big bud shootouts

I was at Daytona that day dirtdobber. It was 1995. The #3 car started the 2nd 10 lap segment in 9th position and took the lead in a lap and a half. That was with very little drafting help, too. That exhibition had a bunch of folks shaking their collective head's wondering where all that horsepower came from. Many who were shakin' their heads were in the garage area. My wife's Dad, who was a fan of the #3 car, was even a little skeptical of that deal.

By 1995 the driver of the #3 car had already, for several years, been frequently jetting down to Daytona to take Billy France Jr. fishin' and entertaining Billy with various trips and excursions. Given those circumstances the dominant car driven by the guy jetting to Daytona on a regular basis shouldn't have been much of a shock or surprise.

**kidrock** · 01-23-2016, 02:23 PM

The only way to change it is to get the top drivers to boycott those races.

**Raceready** · 01-23-2016, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by CIRF

As A.J. Foyt would say, "quite true" Raceready. From time to time a mysterious phenomenon would take place. A certain car would appear to have 50 horsepower more than all the rest. There was one time that saw one car in particular pass a dozen and a half other cars or so in just a handful of laps. IIRC Kenny Wallace was the secondary beneficiary by latching onto the bumper of one of those incredible (literally) super restrictor plate cars at Talladega, Kenny got pulled all the way to 2nd that day. That whole deal might have been due to the racetrack having been built on ancient indian burial grounds! LOL!

They try to use the ancient burial ground as the reason some drivers get their very first win there.

**mudslinger47** · 01-23-2016, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by CIRF

If a guy like Larson, who is young, hungry and primarily unafraid, is apprehensive and dislikes the whole r-plate premise then maybe it's more flawed now than ever. If you wanna' take issue with Larson's analysis then have at it. Mud, I'm figurin' you have just about as much credibility as myself and anyone else who's next lap in a Cup race will be our first.

As Larson said, it's a chess game that's more about luck and a helper or two than it is about skill and courage and if ya' wanna' read between the lines it's reasonable to assume he means it really ain't racin'. Larson just finished up with The Chili Bowl, which is, in fact, REAL racing that doesn't demand another car's help to win so possibly the contrast is fresh in his mind.

I'm not disagreeing....I'm saying your over analyzing..... my opinion is it makes for good racing.... I would expect that Larson would be a little apprehensive, he hasn't become good at it yet...there are many drivers that like it... does that make them wrong? Mikey Waltrip loves the plate racing, say what you want, but he is pretty good at it...

**Raceready** · 01-23-2016, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by dirtdobber45

Mark Martin always said he never liked those races either. I remember big E pulling out from the back and passing everybody like they were sittin still at Daytona during onenof those big bud shootouts

Also there was the race in later years that Little E won in which he was recorded saying " I felt like I had about 200 more horses than everybody else" !

**kidrock** · 01-23-2016, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by mudslinger47

I'm not disagreeing....I'm saying your over analyzing..... my opinion is it makes for good racing.... I would expect that Larson would be a little apprehensive, he hasn't become good at it yet...there are many drivers that like it... does that make them wrong? Mikey Waltrip loves the plate racing, say what you want, but he is pretty good at it...

That's because Mikey took Sr advice and that was you have to be on NASCAR side so they give you a bigger restrictor plate. Lol

**CIRF** · 01-24-2016, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by mudslinger47

I'm not disagreeing....I'm saying your over analyzing..... my opinion is it makes for good racing.... I would expect that Larson would be a little apprehensive, he hasn't become good at it yet...there are many drivers that like it... does that make them wrong? Mikey Waltrip loves the plate racing, say what you want, but he is pretty good at it...

Mikey Waltrip needed to be good at something and I reckon restrictor plate racing was his calling. Problem is they only race at Daytona and Talladega 4 times a year. Please point out the drivers who have admitted to liking r-plate racing. I'm genuinely curious. No over analysis, just sayin' that no one can win a r-plate race without help from at least 1 other car, usually it takes 2 or 3. And, it is very dangerous. Larson was only pointing out the obvious. Racing that is contingent upon having another car's help to win goes against every logical premise that defines the term "racing".

Originally Posted by Raceready

Also there was the race in later years that Little E won in which he was recorded saying " I felt like I had about 200 more horses than everybody else" !

Raceready, he probably did.

Originally Posted by kidrock

That's because Mikey took Sr advice and that was you have to be on NASCAR side so they give you a bigger restrictor plate. Lol

Ding, ding, ding!!! Kid is the winnner!! Your prize is a hearty cyber pat on the back! LOL!