Richard Petty says he’d consider the ‘finger in the chest’ if Kyle Larson ever tagged him on track

Richard Petty and Kyle Larson
Richard Petty(L) and Kyle Larson(R) - Source: Getty

Richard Petty weighed in on Kyle Larson's shunt with Ryan Blaney in the recently concluded Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Petty outlined the approach he'd take if Larson had taken him out in a similar fashion.

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The Stage 2 incident saw Larson slide up to the No.12 driver and nudge him, triggering a spin that briefly derailed Blaney's run. However, the Team Penske driver recovered to finish fourth, while Larson failed to break into the top-10.

Reflecting on the same, a fan asked Petty the following question on the latest episode of Petty Race Recap:

"If back in the day & Larson tagged the King, would the King use the finger in the chest if confronting Larson?"
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Richard Petty replied:

"It's according what circumstances. I mean if we're racing for the checkered flag is one thing. If you're racing in the middle of the race, it's a different situation. So when the race was over out, I probably said, 'Hey buddy, you know, and don't do that no more."
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Notably, the incident happened after Kyle Larson had trouble passing Ryan Blaney for multiple laps. During a post-race interview, Blaney wondered what he'd done to deserve the shunt. He noted how Larson came all the way up the track to make contact.

Larson, meanwhile, admitted to his faults and called it a misjudgment on his part.


Richard Petty casts doubt over Connor Zilisch's talent

Richard Petty recently went over Connor Zilisch's hot streak in the Xfinity Series. In an interview with The Athletic, Petty was asked if Zilisch has the makings of a future star, and the seven-time Cup champion pointed out that much of Zilisch's success comes from being in the fastest car on track.

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"I’m very impressed in what he’s doing, but he’s in the No. 1 car, OK? He’s in winning cars. So he’s expected to win. In the races when he starts first or second, he stays there. You don’t see him back in 25th, working his way through traffic. So that’s where the real drivers come in. And you know, he’s still young enough that he’s going to learn all that stuff," Richard Petty said.
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Echoing the sentiment, Denny Hamlin backed Justin Allgaier over Connor Zilisch for this year’s Xfinity Series title. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver proclaimed that Zilisch will win 10 races this year, but will fail to clinch the title. He argued that Allgaier's extensive experience at Phoenix, the site of the final round, gives him the edge over the rookie driver.

Nonetheless, the 19-year-old is currently holding ground atop the playoff standings. He's 59 points clear of the cutline and 29 ahead of Allgaier. The pair heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for Round 1 of the playoffs.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar
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