Kyle Larson’s Homestead Chase Cut Short as Ryan Blaney Prompts Race Ending Mistake

Everything was going well for Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson until the final laps of the race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Despite acing stage 1, Larson’s frantic pace and over-aggressiveness got him into trouble as he ended his day on a sour note. Coming off the thriller of a race in Las Vegas, the 2021 Cup Series champion had the momentum on his side but lacked the grace and luck that was needed to seal the deal.

With the race progressing into the final stage, the #5 driver became more hasty, and a critical error from Ryan Blaney got the HMS driver paying the price as the #5 Chevy went out limping into the garage

Kyle Larson & #5’s day comes crashing down after Ryan Blaney’s critical lapse gets HMS on the ropes

With Kyle Larson picking up stage 1 points and Blaney acing the 2nd stage, the battle between the Chevy and Ford was headed for an epic conclusion. But instead of going for a thrilling finish, it ended on a sour note with Larson‘s #5 Chevy limping into the garage after getting into the barriers.

In the 214th lap of the 267-lap race, both Blaney and Larson decided to pit. With Blaney going for the pit stop, Larson followed the #12 Ford aggressively into the pit entrance where Blaney, to meet the stipulations, had to slow down, causing Larson to bump into the rear of the Ford and then head first into the barriers.

That was it for the #5 team, but Team Penske’s #12 driver saw a lot more action in the race. The Larson-Blaney incident is not one that attracted media and fans’ attention. It was Blaney’s incident with the “Jack” and its aftermath that will not die out very soon.

WATCH THIS STORY: Kyle Larson: A Racing prodigy’s dream journey  

Ryan Blaney calls Denny Hamlin a “hack” amidst the chaotic race

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Last year in Martinsville, JGR’s “Jack” driver Denny Hamlin had sent a brutal warning to Alex Bowman, calling him out and denouncing him as a “hack.” Fast forward to Homestead-Miami, and it looks like the tables have turned as Ryan Blaney returned Hamlin the favor by using his rant against him. Highlighting the late tussle between the drivers, Blaney doubled down on the JGR veteran.

He said, “He tried to slide me two or three times and failed miserably and then just decided to use me up,” elaborating on Sunday’s stint. “If you’re going to slide somebody, slide somebody and commit. Don’t halfway do it and use me up. What did he say? Hack. I think he was that today,” said the Team Penske driver without mincing his words.

4Ever 400 really tested Blaney further as he got into another incident with HMS ace, Kyle Larson. The race could’ve gone either way with the #12 Ford and the #5 Chevy going for it in the final laps until Larson had to return to the garage. With Larson slamming into the barriers, Blaney got a load of valuable points, picking off a respectable top 5 finish.

Whereas Hamlin and his JGR teammate, Martin Truex Jr, met their match as the duo had to return to the garage with 19 points each. The #19 Toyota suffered a major engine failure. Hamlin finished 30th whereas Truex Jr finished just above him.

READ MORE: “Nothing I Would Share Publicly” – Denny Hamlin Tactfully Conceals Kyle Larson’s Secret As He Turns Diplomatic