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DAYTONA, FL – FEBRUARY 15: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Chip Ganassi Racing Credit One Bank Chevrolet Camaro, during final practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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via Getty
DAYTONA, FL – FEBRUARY 15: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Chip Ganassi Racing Credit One Bank Chevrolet Camaro, during final practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kyle Larson had a tough time at Darlington. He came into the Goodyear 400 with a solid average finish of 12.2, but his night went south with just 39 laps left after the No. 5 spun out after hitting some trouble when he scraped the wall earlier in the race.
Just last year, Larson and William Byron snagged a one-two finish for Hendrick Motorsports at this track, and Chevrolet had been on a winning streak here with three consecutive victories, breaking a drought that stretched back to 2014. Unfortunately, this time Larson just couldn’t steer his car to the finish line.
Kyle Larson owned up to a mistake that knocked him out of a race
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On Lap 254, Larson had a left front tire blow after getting nicked as he was being passed for sixth place. However, even before he spun out, he could be seen struggling to lose spots. It’s as if he knew his tire was not working well. He joined Zane Smith and Ryan Blaney as early exits. But instead of pointing fingers at Goodyear or his team, Larson took the blame squarely on his shoulders.
He explained, “I was struggling. I got really loose at the end of that long run and William caught me and I was just letting him buy and wanted to and I just kind of hung out there. […] We had toe-link or something and then pit it and we shut pretty bad… I don’t know which tire I shut it was the left rear right rear but a tire should it and spawn in turn 3. So, yeah I hate that my mistake, you know, not even really trying hard at all. Just a little bit of frustrating myself right now, but you know good car today.”
Despite his recent win in Kansas, this incident left fans pretty sour on Larson. Many took to social media to express their disappointment in the Hendrick Motorsports driver, with some comments being quite sharp.
"I hate that my mistake, not even really trying hard at all, cost us a race."- Kyle Larson https://t.co/AHIixrhqD2 pic.twitter.com/SWkjxY9fXt
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 12, 2024
Do NASCAR fans think the #5 HMS driver isn’t cut out for it?
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We all know NASCAR fans wear their hearts on their sleeves, and when their favorite driver doesn’t win or perform up to par, they tend to lash out at the team and the driver. It looks like Larson is getting a taste of that right now after his crash at Darlington.
When Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports tweeted out, “Larson just spun and hit the wall,” the fans just lost it. One fan, clearly not impressed with Larson’s photo-finish win last week at Kansas, commented, “Hahaha, lol even.”
Others jumped into questioning Larson’s abilities, throwing out comments like “Talent issue,” “Skill issue,” and even “HE RAN OUT OF TALENT 😭😭😭😭.”
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Some fans didn’t hide their glee at his misfortune, with remarks like “My wish came true 😂” and “Things you absolutely love to see.” One fan called him a “Hahaha loser,” and another quipped, “He has Swifty Hangover.”
This week might not have gone Larson’s way, but he’s starting his Indianapolis 500 journey today, and who knows? That might just turn things around for him.