NASCAR champ Kyle Larson’s bond with Philly urban youth racing stays strong

by: Isabella DiAmore, The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Cup Series Champion helped host Urban Youth Racing School’s Grand Prix event in Fairmount on July 22, giving Philly students a chance to connect with NASCAR drivers.

Community members and kids swarmed NASCAR driver Kyle Larson upon his arrival at an Urban Youth Racing School event on Friday, asking for photos and autographs. Student drivers were itching for a moment to shake his hand, introduce themselves, and seek racing advice.

In front of the Please Touch Museum, Larson, more than 30 attendees, and UYRS founders Michelle and Anthony Martin gathered around a makeshift karting track for the Grand Prix of Philadelphia, an event held by UYRS to introduce inner-city children to motorsports.

The defending Cup Series champion was the host of the event ahead of competing at Sunday’s M&M’s Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway. Larson, 29, started advocating for urban youth exposure in motorsports in 2017. He first met the Martins then and has become a regular participant in helping the Philly-based organization.

“It has always been about really making sure kids had access to him,” Anthony said Friday. “That’s important because they have access to a Cup driver. He was always big on doing that.”

Two years ago, Larson met with the students at UYRS. It wasn’t unusual for Larson to have conversations with the students, but this in-person meeting was for Larson to address matters that went beyond racing.

In April 2020, Larson was suspended from NASCAR for more than six months and fired by Chip Ganassi Racing because of his use of a racial slur during a livestream of an iRacing event, a subscription-based online video game. Larson thought he lost communication on his headset and was trying to get the attention of someone.

“Hey, [N-word],” Larson said to a white man who was on the other line of the headset. The video went viral across media platforms. NASCAR then released a statement responding to Larson’s actions.

“NASCAR has made diversity and inclusion a priority and will not tolerate the type of language used by Kyle Larson during Sunday’s iRacing event,” according to the statement. “Our Member Conduct Guidelines are clear in this regard, and we will enforce these guidelines to maintain an inclusive environment for our entire industry and fan base.”

Larson, who is half Japanese, began his racing career as part of the sport’s Drive for Diversity program. He released a video on Twitter the same day NASCAR announced his suspension, apologizing.

“I made a mistake. I said the word that should never, ever be said, and there’s no excuse for that,” he said. “I wasn’t raised that way. It’s just an awful thing to say.

Larson was reinstated by NASCAR on Oct. 19, 2020, and went on to win the Cup Series in 2021, his first career Cup championship. On Wednesday, he was honored with the Best Driver Award at the annual ESPYS. Although he seeks forgiveness, Larson knows that his mistake is out there forever.

“It’s definitely given me a different perspective on my words and how I treat other people,” Larson said.

‘He learned a lot’

In 2017, Larson met the Martins at an award ceremony held by UYRS to celebrate the kids. The Martins had a partnership with Chevrolet, and Larson attended on the car company’s behalf. He then came back the next year and started to work on different programs the school could offer.

“Kyle from the very beginning would always interact with our students,” Michelle said. “He was always very kind. When they spoke with him, he was there. He was really into what we were doing.”ADVERTISEMENT

» READ MORE: The Urban Youth Racing School is about more than fast cars

After he was suspended, Larson lost his sponsorship deals and was uncertain if he would ever race again. The Martins stayed by his side.

Larson told Michelle he wanted to fix what he did, although he knew the damage was already done. Michelle said she believes in second chances. She thought back to her students in the classroom at racing school. Some would walk in wearing ankle monitors.

“I’m constantly asking people to give my students a second chance,” Michelle said. “I would be a hypocrite,” referring to if she hadn’t accepted Larson’s apology for the use of a racial slur.

Michelle recalled students from the organization approaching Larson directly about it, asking, “Why?” and “Is that how you see us?”

He told them it wasn’t the context he was using it in and apologized again. Larson then started to become more in tune with the Philly community. He never realized how much the students looked up to him.ADVERTISEMENT

“He learned a lot,” Michelle said. “I think Kyle has become an even better human after it. He learned our fight. He learned about our community in a way that he never thought that he would — that became really real to Kyle.”

The connection to the area and bond with the students became a priority for him, Larson said.

“It’s been great being with everybody,” Larson said. “I was able to donate simulators, and a lot of times, kids call me and ask for advice on how to get around a certain track or something. Just having a close relationship is great.”

At the event, Larson used his relationship with Chevrolet to have other drivers come out to the event, such as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman. Influencers and other athletes also were there to show their support.ADVERTISEMENThttps://9e4c8ec07d403d7c67f5a63f8420de7c.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

One person in particular was Larry Miller, the Jordan Brand chairman for Nike, who is a Philly native and served as a grand marshal at the event. He had a relationship with the Martins since they founded the organization in 1998.

Miller, 72, recently wrote his memoir Jump: My Secret Journey From the Streets to the Boardroom. He wrote of his involvement in a Philly gang when he was 16, committing the murder of another teenager, Edward White. He apologized and sought forgiveness from White’s family in 2021.

When asked how he felt about Larson representing this event, Miller, a Black man, shared that everyone makes mistakes.

“We all do things that we probably shouldn’t,” Miller said. “It’s what we learn from those things that really makes a difference to me.ADVERTISEMENThttps://9e4c8ec07d403d7c67f5a63f8420de7c.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“The way he’s addressed the fact that, ‘Hey, I made this mistake, and now I want to make sure that other people don’t make the same mistake that I did. I support the efforts to improve representation in this particular sport.’”

Diversifying motorsports

Friday’s event was an opportunity for locals to learn more about motorsports.

Besides track racing, UYRS teaches students about STEM, mechanical engineering, and remotely piloted vehicles, in hopes it’ll open more doors for them in the future.

The nonprofit was founded at first solely as a racing school. Now the Martins are looking to expand their organization into a large building with more resources.

“One could be an engineer; one could change tires and make $150,000 a year,” Anthony said. “For them to see those careers right in front of them, and then now have access to those drivers, it’s big time.”

Philadelphia City Council President Darrell L. Clarke attended the Grand Prix, along with other drivers such as Lavar Scott, who is a part of the Drive for Diversity program with Rev Racing. Both spoke on the importance of building more youth racing programs in the city.

Almost 60% of NASCAR participants are male and 61.9% are white, while 40.2% are women and 14.3% are Black or African American. Clarke said expanding motorsports in Philly could help diversify NASCAR in years to come.

“NASCAR and General Motors understand the need to diversify the sport,” Clarke said. “There’s been a couple of things said by a couple drivers that were very negative incidents. They want to make change to the face of NASCAR. Not what they say, but what they show.”

» READ MORE: Pocono’s ongoing NASCAR bond was forged as a race for Philadelphia and New York fans

The Martins hope to have an indoor track in the future. For now, they believe Larson’s presence, along with that of other drivers, will show students in Philly that this could be a career for them.

“It shows them that NASCAR is open,” Anthony said. “Motorsports is open for them … you can be a part of it, so when you have guys with this level, these top drivers coming in here to support them there’s nothing more powerful.”

Published July 23, 2022