Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, poses with the Coors Light Pole Award after qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway on August 1, 2014 Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Asian-American Rookie Kyle Larson Captures Top Starting Spot at Pocono

Kyle Larson has become a familiar name among NASCAR fans as a stand out rookie in the Sprint Cup Series 2014 season. This weekend he adds another accomplishment to his résumé as the Coors Light Pole Winner at Pocono Raceway.  Larson is the first graduate of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity (D4D) initiative to win a pole in the Sprint Cup Series. Larson starts first in Sunday’s GoBowling.com 400, which starts at 1 pm ET on ESPN. 

Larson set a track qualifying record with a lap of 183.438 mph – 49.963 seconds – en route to capturing the historic pole.

Larson’s rapid rise on NASCAR’s ladder is approaching a pinnacle – his first Sprint Cup Series victory. His closest effort came at Auto Club Speedway in March by finishing second.

In the Nationwide Series, Larson has already won twice with one win in the Camping World Truck Series. His first top-three series’ win was at Rockingham Speedway in the Camping World Truck Series in 2013. In 2014, Larson has two Nationwide wins at Auto Club Speedway in March and at Charlotte in May.

Larson’s only other national series pole was in the Nationwide Series at Bristol Motor Speedway in March this season.

Driving for Rev Racing, Larson became the first D4D competitor to win a NASCAR Touring Series championship by winning the 2012 K&N Pro Series East title. He also earned Rookie of the Year honors with two wins, eight top-fives and 12 top-ten finishes in 14 starts.

In 2013, Larson was the first D4D graduate to win the Rookie of the Year title in the Nationwide Series.

Created in 2004, the D4D initiative has seen multiple drivers in the program. Under the first model, drivers competed for NASCAR approval and supported development teams throughout the United States. The initiative has evolved and drivers now race for one team, Rev Racing, since 2010.  Larson competed with D4D’s Rev Racing in 2012.

On Saturday morning Larson went on to earn his first Camping World Truck Series pole, sweeping the top-spot for both races at Pocono this weekend.