Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch collided on the final lap of Stage 2 during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Prior to the collision, the two former champions were running in the top ten.
Live Leaderboard Larson was racing to the left of Busch into Turn 1 when his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet snapped sideways.
That skid sent him straight into Busch, who smacked the outside SAFER barrier in Turn 2. The crash ruined Busch’s day after he led 15 laps in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, his first since May 5 at Kansas.
Busch, the defending Gateway winner, instead leaves with his first DNF of the season and the first since the playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway in September 2023.
“It looked like he got loose, I guess, down the front straightaway into Turn 1,” Busch told reporters after being examined and released from the infield care center.
“He was on ancient tires and attempting to get us a position. I’m not sure what that single point meant for him, but it certainly damaged us because it took that point away, as well as the ones we’d get for the stage and the remainder of the day. So frustrating.
“We can’t afford days like that,” continued Busch, who exits Gateway with his fourth finish of 15th or worse in the past six races. “The Rebel Camaro wasn’t what it was last year, but it was a top-10 car and we were gonna finish there. But (now) we’re not going to finish at all.”
Larson, a two-time winner this year, was able to continue despite the contact. The 2021 Cup champion missed last week’s Coca-Cola 600 after participating in the Indianapolis 500, with weather thwarting his attempt at the 1,100-mile double.
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