NASCAR Star Kyle Larson Explains Why American Drivers Don't Get Respect From Europeans

Sometimes, for whatever reason, Americans just *Rodney Dangerfield voice* don't get any respect, and Kyle Larson is giving his take on it.

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champ Kyle Larson was a guest on SPEED With Harvick & Buxton, hosted by NASCAR great Kevin Harvick and the voice of IndyCar, Will Buxton.

Larson is one of the most versatile drivers on the planet, from his successes in the Cup Series and on dirt tracks to taking two cracks at the Indianapolis 500.

However, he noted that Europeans tend to look down their noses at American drivers.

"Americans in general don't get the respect that they deserve from Europeans," Larson said. "In any form, I feel like, of sport. But yeah, in racing especially too." 

Larson then hit on something that has always bugged me, too, even as a big fan of Formula 1: the perception that F1 drivers are the best-of-the-best-of-the-best that the racing world has to offer.

"I mean, Formula One is huge, right?" he said. "It's by far the biggest, most-watched motorsport. Understandably, their fans are so focused on... They're not paying attention to what we're doing over here (in the U.S.), and rightly so. That's fine, whatever. 

"But yeah, I think that makes it to where they don't think there can ever be another driver as good as the worst Formula One drivers."

I think people who watch enough racing realize this isn't accurate, but I think it's still the common perception.

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In fact, sometimes F1 refers to its grid being made up of the 22 best drivers in the world.

I mean… some are.

But were recent F1 drivers like Nikita Mazepin or Nicholas Latifi better than some drivers in IndyCar, sports cars, or NASCAR?

With all due respect, no, they were not better than Àlex Palou, Scott Dixon, Kyle Larson, or many other drivers who have found homes in American-based series.

But that's the perception and, as Larson noted, hopefully someday that changes.

"Hopefully, we'll get to a point where NASCAR and American auto racing get the respect it deserves," he said. "Because there's so much different, diverse racing in America, I think, compared to Europe, that in my mind it would have to develop a driver that's just as good or potentially better than (one from) any other part of the world."