Wow, I can hardly believe that I am already five races into my rookie season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. If you saw the video that Target put together that was posted on autoweek.com a few weeks ago, you know that driving in NASCAR's highest series has always been a dream of mine.Looking back, I'm really glad my mom took so many home videos of me as a kid so that everyone had a chance to get a brief glimpse of my racing career. Even though I'm only 21 and don't have much experience racing stock cars, I've been behind the wheel of something for most of my life. Starting at the age of 7, I got in a go-kart that my dad built for me. Right away, I was hooked. My parents both loved racing long before I was born, and I guess it was their passion for the sport that made me want to get in a car and give it a shot.

Since first getting in a kart, I've been in something with four wheels almost nonstop. People have said that I'll race anything, anywhere, anytime -- and for most of my career, that has been true. From sprint-car racing all over California and the rest of the country to late models in Florida to midgets at dirt tracks in New Zealand, I've raced a lot of cars at a lot of tracks. Now that I am a full-time driver in the Sprint Cup series, my racing is primarily limited to the tracks of NASCAR in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS. And while I won't be racing as much I used to, there has been plenty to keep me busy since joining the team at Target Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

I have had some really great experiences already this year that probably wouldn't have happened if I weren't a NASCAR rookie and a member of a versatile team. Before the NASCAR season kicked off, I was able to drive for Ganassi Racing in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona sports-car race. It was a great experience, getting to spend some time with, and drive with, the other members of the Ganassi racing family. One of the highlights of the race was being behind the wheel at night when the fireworks were going off. Hopefully I can do that race again next year. Maybe I'll eventually persuade Chip to put me in an Indy car to pull the famed double: the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

After a short break following the sports-car race, I was in Daytona for Speedweeks. While waiting eagerly to get the season started, I had the chance to fly with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds in one of their F-16 jets. Needless to say, it was the flight of a lifetime. We took off and almost immediately flew straight up, as Daytona Speedway quickly got smaller and smaller below us. The pilot took us down near Cape Canaveral and worked through a lot of maneuvers that are routine for them. It definitely gave me a new appreciation of speed!

I have also had some memorable experiences early in the season as a new member of the Target Racing family. Before heading down to Daytona for the 500, I had the chance to visit and to tour St. Jude Hospital and the Target House in Memphis. Through their charitable giving, Target helps to fully fund a home near the St. Jude campus where families can stay, rent free, while their child is being treated at the hospital. I had a lot of fun meeting and talking to a bunch of great kids and their families. It was really incredible to see how kids who are going through so much could still be so happy and outgoing.

More recently, I was thrilled to be a part of Target and Chip Ganassi Racing's celebration of 25 seasons as racing partners. The event, which took place over the Las Vegas race weekend, was pretty spectacular. There were acrobats, a car unveiling and a concert that included several well-known musicians that I am too young to remember. While I never really listened to much music by Vince Neil, Dave Navarro, Mark McGrath or Fred Durst, they all did a great job playing a bunch of classic songs I did know. At the party, we also unveiled the cars that will be racing in this year's Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in celebration of the 25 years of Ganassi's partnership with Target. Both the Indy car and stock car feature a silver paint scheme with red lettering, and they look really good.

Aside from some sponsor commitments, which are fun, and media commitments, which are usually fun, I'm still settling into a routine that doesn't include racing all the time. Since I do have some free time at home in between races, I'm trying to get into a good workout routine with my pit-crew coach, Shawn Peet. Working out for the purpose of racing hasn't really been something I've done in the past, but I know that it's an important thing to do over the long season. Driving in a 400- or 500-mile race can really take it out of you, and having energy left at the end of the race can make the difference between having a good or great finish.

I'm looking forward to what is to come during the rest of this season. Thankfully, I already have a Nationwide win under my belt, along with two top-10 finishes in the Cup Series. I'm excited to add to both of those stats in the near future as I try to win the Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year and contend for a spot in the Chase for the Championship. Check back in with me here each month to see what I'm up to, on and off the track. It should be an exciting year!

Editor's note: Kyle Larson, 21, of Elk Grove, Calif., is in his first full-season season racing for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS. Larson has been racing since he was 7 years old, but he has only been racing stock cars for three years.

He was the 2012 K&N Pro Series East champion, as well as the series' Rookie of the Year. In 2013, while racing with Turner Scott Motorsports, Larson captured the NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year honors. Larson is also racing for TSM this season in the Nationwide Series, driving the No. 42 Cartwheel by Target Chevrolet Camaro. He resides in Huntersville, N.C.

Follow his 2014 season here on autoweek.com and on Twitter @KyleLarsonRacin and @CGRTeams.





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