Kyle Larson’s trip to Iowa Speedway quickly went from promising to punishing. One week after a runner-up finish at the Brickyard 400, Larson’s hopes of improving in the championship standings were dashed by contact, chaos, and sheer frustration.
The trouble began early when Larson and teammate Chase Elliott repeatedly clashed during restarts. The two Hendrick Motorsports drivers traded paint multiple times while battling for a top-ten spot.
Later in the race, with just under 100 laps to go, Larson’s day unraveled. While fighting for sixth place, Christopher Bell made contact with Larson, nearly spinning him out and costing him several positions. Then Ross Chastain capitalised on the opening and made contact of his own, sending Larson even further down the running order as he was shuffled back through the field.
Moments later, Larson unloaded his frustration on the team radio.
“F— every single motherf—— — damnit,” he said after the sequence. The tension continued to rise as a caution flew when Bell spun in a separate incident with Tyler Reddick.
“How much f—— room do I have to leave people?” Larson asked over the radio. “I’ve been trying to be good to teammates, trying to be a good competitor, and it hasn’t gotten me anywhere the last f—— hour.”
Despite the efforts of crew chief Cliff Daniels to keep his driver composed, Larson’s fortunes didn’t improve.
He later picked up nose damage while slowing for a spinning car, forcing a pit stop for repairs. Not long after, he was involved in another caution when Ty Dillon slowed in front of him.
Larson eventually crossed the line in 28th, with only two lead-lap cars finishing behind him. The poor result dealt a significant blow to his regular season championship campaign. He now trails points leader William Byron, his teammate and the Iowa race winner, by 45 points, with playoff seeding implications on the line.
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