Kyle Larson reflected on his “dumb and aggressive” maneuver against Denny Hamlin during the overtime restart at Nashville Superspeedway. Larson’s bold move cost Ross Chastain a chance at victory, as he got spun around in the process.
Larson lined up in the second row behind Hamlin and Chastain for the Ally 400’s first overtime restart.
On the restart, the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy driver pushed aggressively into Turn 1 to gain clean air and challenge Hamlin for the lead. However, his attitude had a negative impact on Chastain’s appearance.
Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass asked Kyle Larson if he was deliberately aggressive on the restart, given his rival Denny Hamlin was on the front row. Larson admitted that his move on Hamlin was “dumb and aggressive” but was unsure if he would have raced other drivers differently.
“I do not know. I’m not sure because I didn’t have somebody in front of me to see how I’d race. I would eventually realize that I needed clean air on my nose, regardless of who was in front of me. But, certainly, I’m not as stupid or aggressive as I once was. But you don’t really know until you’re in the scenario,” Larson told Pockrass during the Chicago Street Race.
After the race at Nashville, Larson took responsibility for wrecking an innocent Ross Chastain, who finished 33rd. Larson expressed regret for ruining another driver’s day but emphasized that he was racing hard for the win.
Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin had a tense battle in Nashville earlier in the race, with the latter expressing his displeasure by bumping Larson under caution. The two drivers have emerged as championship favorites, with three wins apiece. The duo are expected to continue exchanging wins and battling fiercely throughout the season.
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