What was Chip Ganassi thinking? That's what we all were wondering when he signed up Kyle Larson to run in the Cup Series this year.
Yes, we saw a few flashes of potential from the kid in the Nationwide Series last year, but, he was running a full season for the first time in one of NASCAR's national series, had no wins and just 6 top-5s when he was named to succeed Juan Pablo Montoya.
Many of us felt like Ganassi was pushing him along too quickly and hoped he wouldn't run into one of those Joey Logano situations where it would take him years to dig out from under the expectations.
Early returns: we were wrong. The kid is not only talented, but fearless. And, he's not intimidated by anyone.
So, he didn't pick up any Nationwide wins until last week at Fontana (when he's actually a Cup driver). It kind of reminds you of what we thought when Rick Hendrick hired a guy who was having a less than memorable Busch Series career. That was Jimmie Johnson. I'd say that worked out okay.