Larson sweeps Ultimate Challenge

California driver Kyle Larson is the story of the year in sprint car racing, and he proved why again on Tuesday night at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa by winning the USAC non-wing $15,000 to win Ultimate Challenge for the second year in a row. Larson is only 20 years old and has signed a driver development deal with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. This kid IS the next Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, or Jeff Gordon. If you want to say you were there when... you better come see him at Knoxville this week during the Knoxville Nationals when he races in the Wednesday night preliminary event.

Larson won the Monday night preliminary USAC feature easily and was locked in the eight car dash race on Tuesday but drew number eight and only made his way to seventh in that race with a fast narrow track. But in the feature when the race track widened out he was able to pass Justin Grant to grab the lead after seven laps to lead laps 8-30. Larson was chased by veteran Dave Darland the second half of the race in traffic, but Darland came up short in the end. Larson also becomes the first repeat winner of the Ultimate Challenge in its eleventh year.

I can’t put into words how impressed I am with Kyle Larson. I’ve never witnessed anything like this phenomenon in my life time. He wins in a non-win sprint car, with a wing, in a midget, or silver crown. In addition to winning the Ultimate Challenge in 2011 he won the Belleville Midget Nationals, swept the USAC four crown event at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, and he won one of the biggest World of Outlaws races last fall, the Gold Cup in Chico, CA. He finished fourth in his NASCAR Truck series debut last month at Kentucky, and he sits second in points in the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series with one win. Seeing him race a winged sprint car at Knoxville the past week has been impressive as well. It’s hard to fathom that a rookie has a chance to run up front at the Knoxville Nationals, but the car and talent is there to have a shot.

Winning Ultimate Challenge heat races was Chris Windom, Damion Gardner, and Justin Grant. Grant also won the dash to start on the pole of the feature where he finished third.

The winged 305 sprint cars were also on hand Yuesday night and it was Pella driver Mike Van Haafton grabbing the win.

The 52nd annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals stats tonight and ends on Saturday. The Saturday program will be recorded on Speed TV and broadcast at a later date.

Ultimate Challenge results: 1..Kyle Larson, 2. Dave Darland,3. Justin Grant, 4. Chris Windom, 5. Jerry Coons Jr., 6. Thomas Meserall, 7. Brian Clauson, 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Levi Jones, 10. Jon Stanbrough.