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2011 22-time
open-wheel feature winner Kyle Larson will hope to follow in
the footsteps of USAC standouts such as Ryan Newman, Tony
Stewart, and Jeff Gordon when he races in the NASCAR K&N Pro
Series, East this year as part of the Drive for Diversity
initiative. Larson was announced as member of Revolution
Racing today during a press conference in Charlotte.
The Elk Grove,
CA native is just the latest open-wheeler to go into the K&N
Series lately, following Kevin Swindell and Cole Whitt as
open-wheel stars who had stints in the East in recent years.
Larson is easily the
most accomplished driver to ever join Drive for Diversity to
the point that he was too busy to attend the press conference
this afternoon.
His 2011 season included wins
across the World of Outlaws, USAC Sprints, Midgets, and Silver
Crown cars, ASCS National Tour, local 360s, King of the West,
and many other series. He is the only driver in history
to win features in USAC, WoO, and ASCS, and he accomplished
that feat in a single season. During his rookie season
in USAC, Larson looked like a veteran while staying in the
hunt for both the USAC National Midget and USAC National
Drivers Champion titles all the way to the very end of the
season.
The 19 year-old will be joined in
the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, East by third year member of
Revolution Racing Ryan Gifford, who finished in the top-ten in
the 2011 series points. Also running in the East will be
Brian Ortiz, who will move up from the NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series, and Jose Arteaga moving over from the
NASCAR Mexico Series.
Also of note, Carson City, NV's
Mackena Bell will continue in the NASCAR Whelen All-American
Series Late Models with Trey Gibson as her teammate.
The Revolution Racing team
experienced great success in 2011 with Sergio Pena and Darrell
Wallace, Jr. both winning races and finishing in the top-five
in the East standings. Both drivers have left the
program, with Pena taking Revolution Racing competition
director Andy Santerre with him to Hattori Racing, while
Wallace moves to Joe Gibbs Racing for a championship run in
the East and a part-time Nationwide schedule.
Larson will move into a Revolution
Racing team in the middle of a transition period, and for the
new member of the diversity movement, he will have to overcome
great adversity to achieve success. His quick adjustment
to stock car racing was evident despite limited laps during
the combine, but with an East series chock full of young
talent this may be the biggest test of Larson's career.
If the track record of previous
USAC stars is any indication, and with Tony Stewart's
endorsement, Kyle Larson may be on his way to becoming a
NASCAR star if the stars align throughout 2012.
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