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“RIP”- Kyle Larson Pays His Respects as the NASCAR World Loses Great Artistic Talent
“RIP”- Kyle Larson Pays His Respects as the NASCAR World Loses Great Artistic Talent
The new year isn’t off to a great start for the NASCAR community. What was supposed to be a terrific year for racing fans and drivers alike is quickly turning into what can be described as a nightmare for them. The year started with a bad omen, so to speak, with the passing of Cale Yarborough. In the following days, Mike Wallace lost his better half to cancer. And then, the music world lost a maestro with the sad demise of Toby Keith. Now, there’s another tragic story that has left Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson in pieces.
On February 9, famous helmet artist and owner of Indocil Art, Ryan Young, passed away. The artist, who was “an MTV kid” and renowned for his iconic helmet designs, died at the age of 50. Expressing his grief, Larson put out a brief yet touching statement, extending his condolences while sharing his good times with Young.
Kyle Larson bids one last goodbye to his helmet buddy
Ryan Young, who shot to fame after designing a rock and roll-inspired MTV helmet for Lizzy Musi, was also a well-known name in the NASCAR scene. While he worked in association with multiple drivers, he was Larson’s go-to helmet guy. The very talented designer created some of Larson’s most iconic headgear, including the HendrickCars.com piece for Phoenix.
“RIP”- Kyle Larson Pays His Respects as the NASCAR World Loses Great Artistic Talent
Mourning the loss of his friend, Kyle Larson took to Instagram and wrote, “Hated getting the news of @indocil Ryan Young passing away yesterday morning. Such an extremely passionate and talented artist that I’m going to greatly miss.” While drivers may not have much creative control over most parts of their racing gear, helmet designs are one thing that helps them showcase their identity and personality. For Larson, there was no one better than Young to design just what the driver wanted.
“I’m not sure people realize how involved I like to be on the design process of my helmets. I always loved talking to him and working through fun ideas for designs.”
“We would both come up with off-the-wall thoughts and probably confuse each other most times, but he ALWAYS knocked it out of the park and supplied me with the sickest helmets in the pits. Just a great guy and will be missed by so many! RIP,” the HMS sensation further added. With this touching tribute, Larson posted a picture of Ryan Young and a few of the many helmets the artist designed for him.
It was just 17 weeks ago that Ryan Young celebrated his 50th birthday. To thank everyone, he took to Indocil Art’s official Instagram account and wrote, “50 freaking Years!.. My customers and friends are absolutely the best.. here’s to the past 50 and to everything that comes next. Always pushing myself to be the best business owner, friend, artist, car enthusiast, fabricator, dad, son, brother, and boyfriend I can possibly be. Yours truly, Ryan Young.”
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After hearing the news of Young’s passing, several names in the NASCAR community joined Kyle Larson to bid adieu to the artist who’s gone but won’t ever be forgotten.
As Ryan Young “will be missed,” a veteran Cup driver sent prayers to his family
The statement from the Hendrick Motorsports driver tells us how much Young meant to him. However, in NASCAR, Larson wasn’t the only pilot getting his lids designed by the owner of Indocil Art.
Front Row Motorsports ace driver Michael McDowell was also stunned to hear the sad news. In his X post, McDowell wrote, “Ryan Young has been a friend and my helmet painter for over a decade. Very saddened by his passing. Praying for all of his family and friends.”
Christopher Wheeler, strategist at Chip Ganassi Racing, also tweeted, “Godspeed to the mayor of Rock Hill. Ryan Young was unique in lots of ways, but you always knew where you stood with him. His passion is seen in everything he touched over the years growing Indocil Art, and he will be missed.”
Ryan Young has been a friend and my helmet painter for over a decade. Very saddened by his passing. Praying for all of his family and friends @IndocilArt pic.twitter.com/CfoC15THCC
— Michael McDowell (@Mc_Driver) February 10, 2024
While the cause of his sudden demise is still unknown, Ryan Young’s passing has left a void that certainly cannot be filled anytime soon. There’s no doubt his legacy will live on through the myriad of iconic helmets he created over the years. We extend our condolences to his family and friends.
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A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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