Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer Credit Rick Hendrick Intervention for Clean Kyle Larson-Alex Bowman Racing in Vegas

After the race in Fontana in which Hendrick teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott came together, with the latter ranting off his frustrations publically on his teammate, Rick Hendrick stepped in the heat of the things heading to Las Vegas. The Hendrick boss organized a meeting in midweek. What was said in that meeting? Perhaps we’ll never know.

Although, its effect was immediately on display in Las Vegas. At least that’s what the analysts at FOX Sports think.

The analyst panel of former NASCAR drivers Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer, and longtime analyst Mike Joy all seemed to be on the same page about the way the two Hendrick cars battled for the win in the final lap.

Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman went door-to-door in the last lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the latter coming out victorious in the end. Crucially though, the two of them kept matters clean between the No.5 and the No.48.

“They were fair, they were very fair. I mean, even coming down into (turn) 3 and 4, Kyle (Larson) came right down on him but he didn’t touch him at all,” Danica Patrick said. “And that’s what you’d expect from the last corner of the last lap. And he got loose himself. So yeah, they raced fair, nobody hit each other.”

Clint Bowyer sarcastically asked, “You don’t think that meeting Tueday or Wednesday had anything to do with that?”

Mike Joy jumped in, “With Rick Hendrick and his four drivers?”

“Yeah, that meeting,” Bowyer affirmed.

“It definitely has an immediate effect,” Patrick added.

Alex Bowman insists he and Kyle Larson have always raced each other clean

In his post-race interview, the race winner was asked about the midweek intervention by Mr.H.

“I think the talk was a big wake-up call. Obviously, when Mr. H calls a meeting like that, it gets your attention, it’s always going to,” Bowman said.

“Anytime Mr. H talks, he’s got your attention, but especially in a situation like that.”

As for the racing action between him and his teammate, Bowman added that he and Kyle Larson have “historically” always raced each other really clean.

“I think that this was no different,” he said.

Also Read: Alex Bowman finds himself on the receiving end of Kyle Busch’s storm of fury after the race in Las Vegas