The World of Outlaws confirmed to NBCSports.com Tuesday afternoon that NASCAR veterans Kyle Larson and Kasey Kahne will race when the NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns Friday at Knoxville Raceway.
Larson was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR for using a racial slur during an iRacing event last month. The World of Outlaws said he would be permitted to return to racing in its series after completing sensitivity training.
An Outlaws spokesman said Tuesday that Larson met the needed requirements to race in its series.
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Larson remains indefinitely suspended by NASCAR. A spokesman confirmed Tuesday that NASCAR won’t have further updates on Larson until he has completed its sensitivity training and has been reinstated.
RACER’s Kelly Crandall initially reported the news in a tweet that Larson had been invited to race at Knoxville after being cleared by the Outlaws.
The event at Knoxville will be closed to the public but will be televised via pay-per-view streaming on DIRTVision.
The World of Outlaws released revised schedules Tuesday through mid-June for its sprint car and late model series. Several races will include limited, socially distanced crowds.
Kahne, who retired from NASCAR after the 2018 season, will be racing for Kasey Kahne Racing. His sprint car team announced Monday that he’d be in the No. 9 car for “one night only.” He hasn’t raced in the Outlaws since being injured in a crash a year ago at Williams Grove Speedway.
Larson also has his own sprint car team that races full time on the World of Outlaws circuit. According to a tweet from the Associated Press’ Jenna Fryer, he will be racing the No. 57 at Knoxville.
A multiple-time winner in the series, Larson had moonlighted in dirt racing while competing in NASCAR’s premier series since 2014.
Hello @JamesMcFadden25 is it okay if this guy borrows your uniform on Friday?@kaseykahne returns to the No. 9 #KaravanTrailers car for one-night only @knoxvilleraces. pic.twitter.com/lweTZSoE2R
— Kasey Kahne Racing (@KKRdirt) May 4, 2020