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Japanese racing veteran Kamui Kobayashi reflected on his recent NASCAR Cup Series outing at COTA and his collision with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
NASCAR's Circuit of the Americas racing weekend played host to a diverse driver lineup. While Cup regular Kyle Larson secured a victory in the Xfinity Series race, notable appearances were also made by the likes of Ross Chastain and Daniil Kvyat in the Truck and Xfinity Series races, respectively.
Among those was Japanese racing star, former FIA World Endurance Champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Kamui Kobayashi. The 37-year-old, in his second NASCAR race, took the reins of No. 50 Toyota for the Denny Hamlin-owned 23XI Racing.
Starting from the 25th position, Kobayashi steadily climbed through the field, showcasing his prowess on the track. However, his momentum was abruptly halted when he found himself spun out by Stenhouse Jr. on Lap 26 of Stage 2, relegating the Japanese driver to a disappointing 29th-place finish in that stage.
Reflecting on the incident, Kobayashi voiced his frustration. He told Frontstretch:
"No, I have nothing to say. I mean, if they have an explanation, I think they have an explanation because I didn’t do anything wrong. I mean, he just hit me."
"The pace was there," he added. "It’s a big shame. Someone just damaged my race in the mid-stage."
Kamui Kobayashi on future NASCAR plans
The former Formula 1 driver competed in only the second NASCAR race of his career. Speaking of his future plans in the sport moving forward, Kobayashi remained optimistic.
He said, via the aforementioned source:
"No, I think no plans yet. But I’m sure we have opportunities I want to enjoy."
Expressing gratitude towards the 23XI Racing team and his sponsors, Kobayashi added:
"I definitely enjoy and thanks to NASCAR and everybody supporting. This time, Mobil 1, and of course TRD and 23XI [Racing]."
Comparing his result to that of his last Cup Series race in Indianapolis in the 2023 season, Kamui Kobayashi expressed positivity. He said:
"Everybody helped me to bring me here. I think all of the preparation has been done. It’s great. But the result didn’t come up. But with short notice, and short practice, I definitely think we did good compared to Indy."
This was Kamui Kobayashi's second NASCAR race. The Super Formula driver made his debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last season, where he finished 33rd after starting from 28th.
