“We all deserve second chances in life”: When NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett backed HMS’ decision about Kyle Larson amid his suspension

Former NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett hailed Rick Hendrick after Hendrick Motorsports signed Kyle Larson to give him a second chance in the sport amid his controversial suspension. HMS signed Larson on a multi-year deal in 2021, and he has been with the team ever since.

On April 13, 2020, during the global coronavirus lockdown, Larson used a racial slur while racing in an iRacing event. The aftermath of his action cost the Elk-Grove-born driver enormously, as Chip Ganassi Racing, the team he was with, fired him with immediate effect, that too, without pay.

Soon after this, he was also suspended by NASCAR and World of Outlaws indefinitely. His sponsors, such as McDonald's, Credit One Bank and Chevrolet, also cut ties with him. In a nutshell, Larson was in deep trouble.

However, on October 28, 2020, Hendrick Motorsports announced that they signed the #5 driver on a multi-year deal. Hailing HMS' action, Jarrett, who is the current NASCAR commentator with NBC, stated that everyone deserved a second chance, including Larson.

"I think we all deserve second chances in life," Jarrett said on Motorsport on NBC [0:58 onwards]. "I know I've had many second chances for different things in different ways and I'm just glad that Kyle Larson's life is gonna get back to kind of what he does and what we enjoy watching him do.

"Having that opportunity and thankful that Rick Hendrick was able to make this happen. It was gonna take someone like Rick Hendrick to step up and say 'hey, this young man is a good person, made a mistake, but that can't define and ruin the rest of his life and the rest of his career."

Prior to his Hendrick Motorsports announcement, Kyle Larson took to his social media accounts and apologized to everyone in the fraternity after months of inactivity. He accepted the accountability for his action and finished his sensitivity training with extra effort.

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Kyle Larson returned to NASCAR with a championship

As Kyle Larson returned to NASCAR in 2021, he won his first-ever championship that very season. He defeated Joe Gibbs Racing duo Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin and his teammate, Chase Elliott, to win the championship.

Kyle Larson (5) sprays champagne as the team celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit:- Imagn Images

The 2021 Cup Series saw one of the most dominant displays where the #5 driver registered a record 10 victories in the season. He claimed victories in Las Vegas, Sonoma, Nashville, Watkins Glen, Bristol, Charlotte Roval, Fort Worth, Kansas, and in the season-ending Championship 4 race in Phoenix.

In 2024, Larson claimed a total of six victories, qualified for the playoffs, and was one of the front-runners for the Driver of the Year award. However, he failed to make it to Championship 4 and was eliminated in the round of eight.