Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

Larson "can't be mad" at Kyle Busch after "one hell of a show"

Kyle Larson finished second again but this one was “a hell of a show.”

Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Credit One Bank spins after contact with Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles Red White & Blue

Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Credit One Bank spins after contact with Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles Red White & Blue

Barry Cantrell / NKP / Motorsport Images

Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Credit One Bank
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles Red White & Blue celebrates
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles Red White & Blue celebrates
Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Credit One Bank
Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro DC Solar
Race winner Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles Red White & Blue
Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Credit One Bank
Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles Red White & Blue celebrates

With about five of 267 laps remaining in Sunday’s Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, Larson’s charge to run down leader Kyle Busch appeared to hit a snag when he brushed the wall.

But as the laps wound down, lapped traffic prevented Busch from driving away and Larson got back to him on the final lap. Larson nudged him to get around him off Turn 2 for the lead and Busch retaliated in Turn 3, spinning Larson.

No hard feelings

Busch also made contact with the car but managed to get to the checkered flag before Larson’s battered No. 42 Chevrolet.

“I had an opportunity there to slide in front of him and I figured I wouldn’t clear him or I would allow him to drive back underneath me,” Larson said. “So, I tried to get to his door and you know I opened the door for him to retaliate into (Turn) 3.

“I thought it was free game. I ran into him first, he got me after that, maybe a little bit worse than I got him, but that is alright. I love racing Kyle (Busch). I know all these fans are probably mad at him, but – hey – we put on a hell of a show for you guys and that was a blast.”

Respect

Larson made the trip to Victory Lane to see Busch after the race.

Asked what was said, Larson replied, “I just went down and talked to him and said, ‘That was a lot of fun.’ I have a lot of respect for Kyle Busch. He has a lot of respect for me. Like I said, that was hard racing.

“I didn’t think I was even going to get the opportunity to race him side-by-side for the win like that. I was getting really tight behind him just from running really hard up top to try to catch those guys.”

“Like I said, he roughed me up, then I roughed him up. I can’t be mad at him.”

Larson remains without a victory this season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series but it’s certainly not for lack of effort. Sunday was Larson’s fourth runner-up finish in 17 races this season.

While the other Chevrolet teams appear to be struggling with the new Camaro body style, Larson’s Chip Ganassi Racing team has been leading laps and contending for victories.

“I feel like our car is just as good. Today I actually felt my car was a lot better than I was last year here at least,” Larson said. “I mean, I was really, really pleased with that.

“I feel like typically at Chicago I’m an eighth-place car, and today I felt like I had winning speed. I was happy.”

 

 

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Dale Jr: First NBC Cup commentary with wild finish “felt so good”
Next article Clint Bowyer rebounds from “confusion” on pit road at Chicagoland

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA