“Kyle Larson is a generational talent”: $70m NASCAR legend hails Rick Hendrick’s superstar HMS driver

NASCAR legend Mark Martin has praised Kyle Larson, citing the 2021 Cup Series champion as a “generational talent.” Larson drives the #5 Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports, the ride previously fielded by Martin.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, worth $70 million (as per Celebrity Net Worth), had a glorious motorsports career. Although he switched several teams in his tenure, Martin's sheer dominance on the asphalt made him a force to be reckoned with.

Even though the Arkansas native couldn’t etch the highly-coveted Cup Series championship, he placed his high-octane ride five times in the runner-up spot, claiming 40 Cup wins across 31 years.

One of Martin’s P2 standing came when he drove HMS #5 Chevy, collecting five wins in his maiden season with Rick Hendrick.

Moving forward, Kyle Larson took the reigns of the #5 ride when he joined the outfit in 2021. Not only did the Californian deliver a dominant performance like Martin, but he also clinched his Cup Series title in his first year at HMS. Despite Larson’s inability to etch a championship since 2021, the year-on-year improvement in his prowess attracted praise from Martin.

“As far as Kyle Larson is concerned, behind the wheel — I’m not going to go fanboy on him, but I’m going to tell you something, he’s a once-in-a-generation talent [that] we have the privilege to witness,” Martin said via Chase Holden (26:20).

It’s worth mentioning that Larson could’ve had a shot at his second Cup Series championship, but NASCAR’s knockout format prevented him from doing so.

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A look into how Kyle Larson has carried the legacy of the #5 Chevrolet

The #5 has been previously tamed by renowned drivers like Kyle Busch, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, Geoff Bodine, and more. The iconic number has made 1708 NASCAR Cup Series starts, securing 68 wins, 359 top-fives, 656 top-10s, and 73 poles.

Since Kyle Larson inherited the #5 Chevrolet, he has successfully maintained and carried forward the legacy of the veteran number. He clinched 10 wins on the road to the championship in his maiden season in the car and finished seventh in the next season with three wins, marginally lost the title in 2023, settling the season in P2 with four wins, and raked in six wins this past season.

Cumulatively, Larson has piloted the #5 Chevy in 143 races, from which he has bagged 23 victories, 63 top-fives, 81 top-10s, an average finish of 12.7, and 13 poles. On the contrary, Mark Martin, who ran 108 races in the #5 for HMS, collected five wins, 23 top-fives, 42 top-10s, an average finish of 15.8, and 10 pole spots.

Do you think Kyle Larson can claim his second Cup Series championship after the recent playoff disappointment?