In case you missed it, USPKS has some names on the grid this weekend at GoPro Motorplex. Kyle Larson (NASCAR, anything dirt oval), Will Power (IndyCar), and Josef Newgarden (IndyCar) are racing, and they must like pain because they’re all entered in X30 Pro.
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That’s really cool! I hope that rib protector goes under the suit tho. Gonna damage that lovely outfit.
Aren’t these fellas still active pros? I would have thought that their contracts would not allow for them to risk getting hurt karting.
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Larson races midgets and sprints on his off weekends so that’s probably more dangerous than karting. I’m sure most of these guys are doing more dangerous things than karting when they aren’t doing their “job”. Also, this counts as good “training” for their normal duties I would think, so probably not looked down on by teams.
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The IndyCar guys are allowed to run because their season is over. Their contracts don’t let them race during the season for safety but once the last race is done all restrictions are lifted. Larson doesn’t have that stipulation in his contact, but he’s only racing Saturday and flying to Texas for the Cup race Sunday. It worked out since all the Cup sessions are Sunday.
We were going to have McLaughlin running too but he backed out a couple days ago.
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Another reason to love IndyCar 
I think it would be a hard job for teams to tell drivers that run the Indy 500 that karting is “too dangerous” 
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Another reason to cheer for Larson. He is in the heat of his battle for his first NASCAR championship and still goes and races elsewhere. For the love of the game. Also big shout out to Hendrick that allows him to race pretty much anywhere any time as long he can meet his work commitments
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I am sure there are some fun contracts out there. The movie folks can’t do squat it seems.
It seems there was a guy named Paul Newman that did a little racing. Also Steve McQueen, James Garner, Jason Priestley, Patrick Dempsey. Even Tom Cruise a little bit. I think most just choose not to
I think the issue is hurting their ribs. If they injure their ribs in a kart race, they can’t compete in their IC race. If they get hurt in an IndyCar, that’s just a part of their job. If they get hurt outside of an IndyCar race, that could’ve been avoided.
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No driver that drove for Hendrick prior Larson regularly raced other cars. Hendrick reportedly would not allow it. Larson does because it is important enough to him to get it in his contract. I am sure there was some dollar value he gave up to get that freedom.
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That’s a very valid point. Doesn’t take much to pop a rib on a good day.
TJ, do you think he’ll crack the top 20?
Who?
I think any of them could crack the top 10 but I don’t think they’ll trouble the established top level karters.
JoNew was pretty wicked in a kart when I was racing with him. Larson will be out of his comfort zone, even if he is a versatile wheelman. Power might be a dark horse given he’s probably done a fair bit of testing on his stuff.
Karting will stress muscles and skill sets you aren’t used to using, even if you’re a top tier IndyCar or NASCAR driver.
Looks like 45 entries or so in Pro.
About 45 in X30, we’ll know for sure tomorrow. Power looked decent but probably not more than top 10, I didn’t looks at Larson much. Newgarden didn’t practice today but I have a feeling he’ll be plenty competitive, although he hasn’t run a series (Not Robopong) race since about 2008 so it’ll be an adjustment for him for sure.
Straying a little off track, Power’s kid is fast. Dalton looked quicker than anyone else by at least 2 or 3 tenths in X30 Senior, but we’ll see how tomorrow comes and goes.
I think Dempsey owns/co-owns a DPi or LMP race team.
Any place to check out results and practice times?
They’ll be up on Race Hero today, the unofficial practice yesterday did not have scoring
Definitely be interesting to see how these guys fare. I remember in 2018 just before the Indycar season started, Robert Wickens did one round of the Florida winter tour in shifter and won it.
Yes, I think something like that. I am not sure he still drives. As a driver he took third in class at Daytona and fourth in class at Le Mans while he was still on Grey’s Anatomy. I remember an interview he was thankful that acting allowed him to follow his passion. I remember thinking his Grey’s fans probably were not thrilled to hear acting was just a means to an end