Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell are not in good terms after their contact in NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International.
The two cars made contact when Larson tried to make a pass for second place on Bell. However, this move sent Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota off the race surface.
Larson won the race but Bell could only recover to a seventh-place finish. Bell was not pleased with Larson, who admitted his mistake after the race.
“A battle all the way to the end” – Denny Hamlin on regular-season title competition with Kyle Larson
But after seeing the reply more, Larson is of the opinion that he was not at fault as he though he was.
“Initially I thought I was completely at the wrong,” Larson said. “But honestly, I think more after watching the replay, I think we both had a factor in what happened. I got in there, I didn’t dive-bomb like he said I did. I was a half-a-car-length back on him going down the frontstretch, looked to his inside the whole braking zone and was actually further forward than I actually really was. I locked the brakes up late in the braking zone when I realized he was going to turn in the corner, and really turned in like I wasn’t there.
Larson sends it deep!
Bell doesn't give up space!
Contact and the No. 20 gets spun! pic.twitter.com/S0Sbm1stMH
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 8, 2021
“I’m not sure if his spotter just didn’t tell him or what happened there but, either way, I still feel bad about it. I don’t ever want to spin anybody out, especially Christopher Bell. I have a lot of respect for him on the race track and we’ve had amazing races together. Obviously, he’s upset, and I get it. But after watching more of the replays, I don’t think I was fully at the wrong.”
Larson has tried to patch things up but it seems that Bell is still angry with Larson and not willing to talk to him at the moment.
“I reached out and tried, but I guess he’s not willing to talk to me, which is kind of whatever,” Larson said. “I think any adult in the field would at least have a conversation with you, but he doesn’t care to. So, we’ll move on from it and if he wants to get me back, that’s fine. Whatever. I’m not going to worry about it. If it makes him sleep better at night to ignore me and want to crash me or whatever, so be it.”
Nonetheless, the move earned Larson his fifth win of the season and the top spot in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.