NASCAR is no stranger to heated altercations between drivers, especially on the track. Last week’s race in Kansas saw yet another exchange of blows between Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson, which made headlines across the racing world. While the incident was nothing new for the sport, it did bring attention to the dangerous nature of on-track confrontations and their consequences.
The NASCAR security team intervened in the scuffle between Chastain and Gragson before things escalated further. However, the brawl raised questions about the league’s protocol for handling altercations and the role of drivers in diffusing tension. It also put the spotlight on Kyle Larson, who had found himself in a similar situation with Bubba Wallace last season and had later proclaimed, “I’m not a fighter.”
Kyle Larson takes a bold stance on driver brawls
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Following the recent altercation between Gragson and Chastain, Larson was asked about his thoughts on fighting in NASCAR during a press interview, specifically in the context of his altercation with Bubba Wallace last year. Larson stated that he doesn’t see himself ever wanting to fight and doesn’t think it’s worth the potential consequences.
“I can’t see a scenario where I’m ever going to be in the mood to fight or want to fight,” Larson said. “So I feel like competitors would probably know that as they come over, you know that I’m not going to fight, I’m probably not going to fight back. So I don’t really know if that matters or anything, but I’m not a fighter.”
Larson’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among drivers that fighting has no place in the sport. While it’s understandable that emotions can run high in such a competitive environment, drivers need to be able to control their tempers and avoid physical altercations.
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The Bubba Wallace–Kyle Larson fight in Las Vegas keeps coming up
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In the world of professional racing, emotions can run high on and off the track. This was certainly the case for Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race last year. The two drivers got tangled up on the track, with Larson pushing Wallace into the wall during a turn and Wallace retaliating. This led to a fiery altercation between the two drivers that left them both out of the race.
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The incident began when Wallace and Larson were jockeying for position during the race. As they approached a turn, Larson got a little too close to Wallace’s car and ended up pushing him into the wall. After bouncing off the wall, Wallace’s car rammed into Larson’s, causing them both to spin out. The two cars came to a stop, and the drivers got out to assess the damage.
That’s when things took a turn for the worse. Wallace, clearly agitated by the incident, walked over to Larson and began shoving and berating him. Despite Larson’s attempts to evade him, Wallace pushed him repeatedly before the safety crew intervened and separated them.
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Despite the fallout from the incident, both drivers have since moved on and continued their racing careers. Wallace has become a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in racing, while Larson has gone on to win multiple races and become one of the sport’s top drivers.