And, this year‘s worked out where I‘ve been able to be a fulltime dirt guy and then also get a second chance to get back to Cup for next year.
SC&M: Well, and that kind of leads into my next question. Steve Kinser had a great career in sprint cars. Donny Schatz has a great career in sprint cars. There are several drivers who have had great careers in sprint cars, and you could as well. How much thought did you give to, ‘I may be a sprint car racer from here on out,‘ and what were your feelings about that?
KL: Yeah, I mean, I had a lot of thoughts initially, after everything happened, ‘cause I didn‘t know at all…it all happened overnight. So, I didn‘t know where my life was going to be taking me, as a career path or anything like that, or where I‘d be living, or things like that. You know, everything happened so quick, so I had a lot of thoughts and emotions, and all that in the beginning. I didn‘t know what I was gonna do but, I mean, I would have been content, there in the beginning, to just be a dirt guy the rest of my life.
But that also comes with a massive sacrifice for my family, just based off the fact that dirt racers are gone from home all the time. And it wasn‘t anything I was expecting to do. So, I would‘ve, I guess, felt guilty that I was not gonna be able to spend as much time with my family, especially with them getting into school and things like that. This year, Owen hadn‘t started kindergarten yet, so he was able to travel with us a bunch. It was just good to get to do this year with my family and have a lot of fun, and making memories, and kind of reflecting on a lot of things.
But yeah, I mean, I always kind of had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to get back to NASCAR, just because I do feel like I‘m one of the greatest drivers out there, so I wanted to get an opportunity to show that. So, my goal throughout the year was to always do what I could to get back to what I was doing because, personally and professionally, I feel that there‘s a lot that I‘ve got left to show. So, I‘m just glad it all worked out and I‘m able to get a second chance with Hendrick and hopefully to do a good job for everybody.
SC&M: After making the Hendrick Motorsports announcement, you stated that you still have a desire to go after a World of Outlaws championship at some point. How serious are you about that, and is that something that you‘re already planning into your career to…
KL: Yeah, I mean, I don‘t have a timeline or anything, obviously. But, yeah, I think someday I‘d like to. I feel like, for sure, I can. I think we proved it this year, that we could win a World of Outlaws championship. But, obviously, the sport develops and the competition gets better and things like that. But someday I want to travel fulltime and chase an Outlaw championship. You know, as my kids get older, I think it‘ll become easier.
Obviously right now I can‘t do it, and even when they‘re in school it‘s just tough to do, but I think someday I would like to. I think when that day comes, I don‘t think it‘s something that I want to do, and chase, every year. I think I learned a lot this year about who I am as a race car driver. I enjoy not chasing points. I think I realized that this year. I had a lot of fun racing midgets, sprint cars, if there was an All Star race that paid more money than an Outlaw race, I liked doing that.
Doing the dirt late model was awesome. I mean, taking a weekend off when we wanted to was amazing. So, I feel like that‘s what I enjoy doing as a race car driver, and I feel like that‘s what people recognize me for is being able to jump into different types of cars and run with different series, and just be versatile. So, I think someday I would like to chase the Outlaw tour for a year, or two maybe, and hopefully have won a championship in those seasons.
SC&M: Rick Hendrick agreed to you running sprint cars in 2021 as long as it doesn‘t interfere with NASCAR events. Do you have any idea at this point how much short track racing you‘re going to be doing?
KL: I haven‘t seen schedules yet. You know, late model stuff, their schedules are out. But I haven‘t seen any sprint car stuff yet. So, until I see that, I have no clue what I can run and what makes sense. I don‘t wanna burn myself out, and I‘m definitely…NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports is my main priority and I wanna give my best effort to pay back everybody here who‘s given me a second chance. So, that‘ll be my main priority. But, when I can, I want to still run other things — sprint cars, midgets, late models, that type of stuff. So, I‘m thankful that they‘re, so far, allowing me to do it. And I think everybody understands that it‘s important to me and it also makes me a better race car driver, staying behind the wheel like that.
SC&M: In addition to being a great form of racing, Donny Schatz has said that racing late models has taught him things that he‘s been able to use in the sprint car. Tell me about your experience in the late models. You‘ve never raced anything similar to a late model, have you?
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