A NASCAR-themed wildcard went close to happening in Adelaide last year, Kyle Busch pulling the pin on plans to run in Super2 with Image Racing and Supercars with Triple Eight at the eleventh hour.
It has long been thought that the highly versatile Larson could be the next target for Supercars and the South Australian Motorsport Board, with Larson having already flagged his interest.
The Californian recently made a flying visit to Australia to compete at the three-night High Limit International event at Perth Motorplex where he won $100,000.
Shortly after that victory he revealed to Speedcafe that very early talks about Adelaide are underway, with his preference to race both a Supercar and a Sprintcar in the South Australia capital.
The latter would be part of the NAPA Sprintcars in the City concept that successfully debuted at the Adelaide 500 last November.
“It’s definitely on the radar,” said Larson. “Nothing is set in stone yet. There’s talks kind of starting but still a lot to work through.
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“I for sure want to get there and run the Supercar, but more than anything I want to get there and run the Sprintcar because just the atmosphere, racing in the city is really cool.
“I got to experience that the last couple of years with Chicago in NASCAR, and I just picture us racing a Sprintcar in Chicago, and that’s kind of what Adelaide is.
“I really, really want to get to that one and then come back here to Perth. I’d like to do a couple of trips to Australia next year and to get to race a Supercar and knock that off the bucket list would be pretty neat.
“We’ll keep working on it and hopefully put a plan together and hopefully get something announced in the next couple of months.”
While Larson would likely be a frontrunner in a Sprintcar, the going would be tougher in Supercar given how competitive the field is, and how unique the V8-powered racers are to drive.
There is also the punishing nature of the Adelaide track, with street circuits still something new the NASCAR scene – as proven by Shane van Gisbergen when he won on debut in Chicago back in 2023.
Larson, however, has no concerns about how tough it could be the acclimatise to Supercars.
“I like trying to learn things, quickly,” he added.
“Obviously I would not expect to run very good because Shane van Gisbergen, he came in [to NASCAR] and kicked all of our buts. So I know these Australian racers and Supercars drivers are extremely good.
“So I would not be surprised to run last. But just being part of the experience would be a lot of fun for me.”
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