Larson Runs Strong In Tulare World of Outlaws Before DNF In Feature
Tulare, CA - October 18, 2008. With the World of Outlaws out west for the final time in
2008, 16 year old Kyle Larson was allowed another opportunity to measure his progress in
sprint car racing against the best the sport has to offer. In what could best be described
as a two step forward and one step back advancement, Larson showed a huge Thunderbowl
Raceway crowd on a beautiful California night that he is steadily climbing toward his goal
of being a full time racer.
With the tenth fast qualifying time of the 44 entrants, Larson bolted from outside the
front row of heat two and drove away from the pack to claim his first dash appearance with
the World of Outlaws. “We were only 31st quick after hot laps,” said the
runnerup in the California Civil War Series. “But my car owner and crew chief, Dave
Vertullo, made an adjustment to the left front for qualifying and the car was much faster.
It felt perfect in the heat race.”
Larson, nominated in 2007 for the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie
of the Year in both the 410 and 360 divisions, then appeared on the front stretch with the
likes of Steve Kinser, Jac Haudenchild, and Terry McCarl to draw for his dash starting
assignment, which came up six. Larson held his own in the CRV Racing
Products/Eagle/Kistler 83v, finishing seventh of the ten starters while recording the
sixth fastest lap in the event and finishing ahead of the two fastest qualifiers on the
night, Jason Meyers and Brooke Tatnell.
At the outset of the 35 lap feature event Larson felt the onslaught of Tatnell, Meyers,
Chad Hillier, Jonathan Allard, Paul McMahan, Tim Kaeding and Tony Bruce Jr. By lap five
Larson found himself in 14th. “I was just trying to gather myself and get a feel for
what the car was going to do. With these guys, though, there is no waiting to get
going.”
On lap six Larson began to battle back and passed Bruce. Three laps
later Bruce got back by, while C and B main transfer Tommy Tarlton charged by on lap 11.
At that point two time defending WoO champion Donny Schatz fell in behind Larson and began
to show his nose to the young driver. For the next eight laps Larson held off the advances
of Schatz and began to distance himself while once again reeling in Bruce. “The setup
Dave had on the car was really starting to work and I was getting faster every lap. I
could hear that Donny wasn’t there any more so I began to feel that I could start to
move forward.”
However, on lap 20, Larson’s night came to an end as he hit a developing rut in turn
three and four that had previously eliminated Evan Suggs and would later claim Kaeding.
“The left front part of my frame rail bottomed out in the hole and unloaded the rear
of the car and it came around real quick. Shane Stewart couldn’t miss me and the hit,
which wasn’t hard at all, bent my left front radius rod and drag link.”
As Larson was towed to the pits a great race developed between Kinser, Haudenschild and
Hafertepe, with “The Haud” making the race winning pass in very heavy traffic.
Kinser had prevailed over Haudenschild the night
prior at Watsonville, with both showing that the over 50 set can still get it done as
youth continues to be infused into the sport.
“Tonight was awesome, except for the ending,” summed up Larson. “We
weren’t even planning on being here. Dave said we needed tires so Ron Wyman from
Wyman Construction and my good friend Kevin Swindell stepped up and got us a couple of
tires, which we really appreciate. So late Friday Dave said we were going to Tulare. I was
pretty pumped up when I won the heat race and knew I was going to be in the dash. Running
with the best winged sprint car drivers in the world is the greatest experience I can ask
for. I hope one day I can be as good as Kinser, Haud, Schatz, Meyers, etc. I really want
to run with the World of Outlaws one day and make a living doing it.”
Larson and the Vertullo Racing Team will be heading to their final race of the 2008 season
as they contest the 15th Annual Trophy Cup, also at Thunderbowl Raceway. The three day
event will see a large field of winged 360 sprint car drivers competing for a $112,500.00
purse.
Larson’s racing efforts are sponsored by CRV Racing Products, Starr Real Estate and Property Management, Global ParkerStore,
Safety Solutions – LFT Technologies, D & J Towing, RPM Indoor Kart Racing and
Conference Center, A.R.T. Ent. Speed Equipment, Wion’s Body Shop and Powdercoating,
JW Web Design, Mophead Graphix, SWEPCO Lubricants, Sierra Tire and Wheel, and Wyman
Construction, Mancamp Motorsports and Edward’s Lawn Service.
