The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—especially in the Larson household. While NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson battles for his second championship in the playoffs, his 7-year-old daughter Audrey just made family history. Tuesday night at Millbridge Speedway in North Carolina, little Audrey Larson earned her first-ever racing victory in the Cadet division, bringing both tears and massive smiles to the proud racing family.
A First Win That Made Dad Emotional
During a NASCAR media availability on Wednesday, Kyle Larson couldn’t hide his excitement about Audrey’s breakthrough moment. Speaking from inside his car via Zoom ahead of the Bristol race, the Hendrick Motorsports driver got visibly emotional talking about his daughter’s win. Watch the video here.
“Yeah, it was really cool. Obviously you don’t ever forget a first win so I remember being at Millbridge for Ellen’s first win and then lucky enough to be able to be there for Audrey’s first ever win as well last night. So no, it was really neat. She has been doing a really good job. She’s only been racing for about a year and yeah, she is really competitive And she has driven and works at it. It was cool moment for sure. You could see that she was happy and you know getting choked up a little bit in her interviews so it was cool.” Larson said, his voice filled with pride.
The win came in Millbridge’s Cadet division, which is designed for young racers under 10 years old. It’s the entry-level outlaw kart class that helps kids learn car control and racing basics at the 1/6-mile dirt oval in Salisbury, North Carolina.
The Moment That Almost Made a NASCAR Champion Cry
When asked if he got choked up watching his daughter win, Larson’s honest answer showed the soft side of one of NASCAR’s toughest competitors:
GP fans reports, “I had moments when she told me that she got ready to cry afterwards, you know in the trailer, that’s probably when I mostly got choked up. So I don’t know I was videotaping dad on my phone. Maybe if I had my phone down and really absorbing the moment it would have been awesome. She is my only daughter. She has a soft spot,” Larson admitted.
Like many proud parents, Larson found himself caught between capturing the moment on video and living in it. But seeing his little girl get emotional in her post-race interview nearly brought the 2021 Cup Series champion to tears.
Racing Runs in the Larson Family
Audrey isn’t the first Larson to taste victory at Millbridge Speedway. Her older brother Owen scored his first win at the same track in March 2023, making the venue extra special for the racing family.
- Owen Miyata Larson: Born December 22, 2014 (now 10 years old), already showing racing talent
- Audrey Lane Larson: Born May 7, 2018 (now 7 years old), just scored her first win
- Cooper Donald Larson: Born December 31, 2022 (now 2 years old), too young to race but probably watching from the sidelines
The Larson kids have been regular fixtures at dirt tracks across the country, competing at venues like Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, I-44 Speedway Park, Cycleland Speedway, and Port City Raceway.
The Emotional Victory Lane Moment
After taking the checkered flag, Audrey’s joy was obvious to everyone watching. Photos from the track showed the 7-year-old holding a trophy nearly half her size, beaming with pride as she posed with her dad and team members.
Kyle shared the moment on his Instagram story, posting a photo of Audrey walking away from the track with her hardware, captioning it: “Left with the hardware tonight! First win!”
The young racer’s emotional interview after the win—where she got choked up talking about her victory—reminded everyone that no matter how young or old, that first win feeling never gets old.
Following Dad’s Footsteps at Millbridge
Millbridge Speedway holds a special place in the Larson family story. Kyle himself has won at the track multiple times, making it a natural training ground for his kids to learn the basics of dirt racing.
The facility offers several divisions for young racers:
- Cadet Division: Ages under 10 (where Audrey races)
- Beginner Box Stock: Ages 5-8 with restrictor plates
- Box Stock: Ages 8-13 with AKRA Clone engine rules
- Intermediate: Ages 10+ with more powerful engines
The Larson Racing Legacy
| Family Member | Age | Racing Status | Notable Achievement |
| Kyle Larson | 32 | NASCAR Cup Series Champion | 2021 Cup Series Champion, 50+ wins |
| Owen Larson | 10 | Youth racer | First win at Millbridge (2023) |
| Audrey Larson | 7 | Youth racer | First win at Millbridge (September 2025) |
| Cooper Larson | 2 | Too young | Future racer? |
What’s Next for the Young Racer?
With her first victory under her belt, Audrey will likely continue developing her skills in the Cadet division before moving up to more competitive classes. Her dad’s success in NASCAR and dirt racing provides the perfect blueprint for a potential racing career, though Kyle has always emphasized letting his kids choose their own paths.
Nascar reports Kyle saying “We don’t take it quite yet as serious as Kyle or Kevin do,” Larson said. “I would say Owen’s pretty laid back with it, and I think racing is just kind of fun for him and a way to hang with his friends, and get a little competitive. Audrey, I would say, (has) more got the competitive mindset. (She) wants to watch video, run on the simulator, go to the go-kart track and practice, go testing at Millbridge, race as much as she can. I have fun with that because she’s more similar to me in that aspect. But I also want to just keep it fun for them, not burn them out at a young age, which is, I think, easy to do.
The emotional win at Millbridge shows that Audrey has both the talent and competitive fire needed for racing success. Whether she follows her dad all the way to NASCAR or finds her own racing path, Tuesday night’s victory will always be remembered as the moment a racing legacy continued.