Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has suggested he wants to remain a part of Hendrick Motorsports for the rest of his life after inking a new deal with the team.
The Elk Grove, California native put pen to paper on a huge new five-year deal ahead of this Sunday's Daytona 500, which will see him continue to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet through the 2031 Cup Series campaign.
Larson will be just 38 years old when that contract expires, however, meaning he will likely have several years of racing in NASCAR ahead of him should he want it.
It certainly sounds as though he has no plans to even entertain the idea of racing anywhere else, though. At least that was his answer when quizzed on whether he'd sign a lifetime contract at Hendrick Motorsports if it were an option.
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Hendrick Motorsports for life
“For me, I don’t need the contract to know that I will hopefully be there for the rest of my life," Larson told the media at Daytona this week.
"I don’t ever foresee a reason for me to want to entertain being a part of another group.
"I know what I have at Hendrick Motorsports and I know what I have with a great leader with Rick, J.B., Cliff and everybody else – the Jeffs, Chad, you could go on and on. So maybe a lifetime contract will be the next one.
"But I am not too worried about it. I am pretty confident in where I am at and don’t have any plans to think about going anywhere else.”
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Cliff Daniels locked in
As part of the announcement that confirmed Larson's new five-year deal, it was also revealed that crew chief Cliff Daniels had signed a multi-year extension with the team.
When he was asked if he'd consider leaving Hendrick Motorsports for any reason, he echoed the sentiments of his driver.
"Honestly, a really similar answer for me," Daniels said, alluding to Larson's comments. "Very grateful for Mr. Hendrick, J.B., and everybody that helped put this together. And then we have Jeff Gordon, Jeff Andrews, Chad, and a whole leadership staff at Hendrick Motorsports.
"We are trying to be excellent on the racetrack now, but we are also looking into the future of people, talent, and resources of what it's going to take.
"It's really exciting to be a part of and to have a small piece of being able to build that in ways that they have included me in the conversation, and looking ahead to the future for all the reasons that I just mentioned.
"It's inspiring, and I am certainly happy to be a part of it and hope to be a big part of it for a long time.”
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