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2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson did not expect to contend with the drivers he did with when clinching victory in Fontana last Sunday. The front of the pack in the WISE Power 400 looked quite different from last year as new regulations set in.
After the celebrations were over, Larson went on to talk to the media and mentioned a few names like Tyler Reddick, Eric Jones, and Daniel Suarez. He appreciated being able to race with them and said:
“It was neat today to see some guys who don’t typically run up front and contend for the win. The 8 was dominant today. The 43 was super impressive. The 99 there at the end.”
The #8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 of Tyler Reddick was by far the most dominant force during the race. He, however, retired due to tire failure and damage sustained by a collision with William Byron. This opened the door for Kyle Larson to work his way up and fight for the win, which he ultimately did.
Kyle Larson on contact with Chase Elliott during WISE Power 400
The 2021 Cup Series champion and his team-mate Chase Elliott made contact with each other in last Sunday's race. The incident caused Elliot to retire while Kyle Larson went on to win the 400-mile event in Fontana.
While tempers flared on Elliott's car radio, Larson later took responsibility for his role in the crash. He was quoted by the post-race media as saying:
“I had a run, so I went to peel off, and as soon as I peeled off, my spotter is yelling, ‘Outside! Outside! Outside!’ And I had no clue he was even coming.”
In a post-race interview, Jeff Andrews, the general manager at Hendrick Motorsports, explained how the team will handle the Larson-Elliott dynamic. He said:
“I talked to Chase after the race and, we gotta understand what those guys have been through all day long and where they had come back to. That is obviously to be in contention to win the race. And I think, you know certainly nothing intentional there by Kyle.”
Watch the interview here:
Meanwhile, NASCAR returns next week with more action, with the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6.
