When two of NASCAR’s top drivers clash, sparks fly in every direction, and not even the spotter is spared. In the final stage of the USA TODAY 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin collided, leading to a heated exchange between Larson and his spotter, Tyler Monn.

Larson, typically known for his composure, snapped at Monn after being warned about the recurring collisions with Hamlin. What exactly did Larson say, and how did the racing community respond?

The NASCAR Cup Series USA TODAY 301 at New Hampshire was an intense race filled with action and drama. Wet weather conditions added to the excitement. Rain halted the race for 2 hours and 14 minutes with 82 laps to go while Tyler Reddick was in the lead. During the race, Alex Bowman faced issues with smoke coming from his car, and Kyle Busch and Noah Gragson made contact and spun out. However, the most notable incident was between Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin, which escalated into a feud with Larson’s spotter, Tyler Monn.

After the Stage 3 restart with 100 laps to go, while Larson was attempting to pass the #45, Denny Hamlin entered the picture. The #11 driver ended up dooring Larson, shoving him out of line. Reddick and his owner Hamlin cleared their competition and set out to settle it amongst themselves. Larson and Hamlin made contact, leading an aggressive yet frustrated Monn to comment, “He runs you like that every time. You know why? Because you let it happen.” Larson’s response was blunt: “Shut the f*ck up.”

This remark silenced the radio, leaving the NASCAR community buzzing. This incident added another layer to the Larson-Hamlin rivalry, one which saw sparks fly even in Iowa last weekend. Towards the end of the Iowa Corn 350, Kyle Larson was in a three-wide battle with Brad Keselowski and Daniel Suarez. But a slight nudge from Suarez sent the HMS driver spinning. Before that happened, Denny Hamlin saw an opening on the outside, and just as he was going for it, he collided with a spinning Larson.

Maybe Larson didn’t show his aggression at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway because of what happened in Iowa. Following the incident last weekend, the #5 driver fumed over the radio, “Can you go ask [Hamlin’s spotter Chris] Lambert what the f*ck? I know Denny is having a rough day, but…” However, his crew chief, Cliff Daniels, asked him to let it go.

That said, how many times have you seen Larson bullying someone on or off the track? While some would debate the question being wrongly put, others would give 100s of instances where the HMS driver showcased his calmness and ran decently to lead his way to the top. But his comment on the radio didn’t align with his character, and fans quickly came to crew chief Monn’s defense, politely criticizing Larson for his outburst.

Fans believe Kyle Larson is okay “being treated as a pushover” by Denny Hamlin

One fan, empathizing with the spotter, commented, “Truth hurts, but the spotter is right. Larson needs to push back and quit letting Hamlin push him around.” Another echoed this sentiment, admitting, “He’s not wrong, and I’m a Larson fan. He never retaliates,” showing their support for Monn’s tough love approach.

While this is true most of the time, there has been one instance in the past where Kyle Larson retaliated. At the Pocono Raceway last year, these two protagonists were in a tight battle yet again. And during that, Hamlin hit Larson, which resulted in the HMS driver slamming into the outer wall. Understandably furious, Larson turned uncharacteristically vengeful and hit Hamlin’s door on the front stretch. However, that didn’t do much to either help Larson or derail Hamlin.

The #11 driver went on to win the race, which Larson could only manage a 20th-place finish. Reflecting on this history between them and how often Hamlin has affected his runs, a fan made a critical remark. “It’s one thing if it’s the first time, but this isn’t the first time Hamlin has cost Larson a win or a better finishing position.” The HMS driver started the race in 19th and slowly made his way through the pack. Even though he crossed the line in a respectable P4, fans believe he could’ve gotten a better result without the Hamlin incident.

Highlighting Larson’s own aggressive tactics, which is not the case, as far as we know, for the #5 HMS driver, another fan pointed out, “Kyle does that same exact move every week to just about everyone else. DH didn’t wreck him; just put him in a situation to either lift or possibly make a mistake. It’s racing, and Larson does it all the time,” resonating with the community’s call for consistent behavior on the track.

A fan even drew attention to the ongoing rivalry, saying, “[The spotter is] right, though. Guess Larson’s okay with being treated as a pushover by Hamlin,” emphasizing the need for Larson to stand his ground. Another user humorously wrote, “Well, if @KyleLarsonRacin wasn’t a Denny fan, then it wouldn’t happen all the time.”

Despite Larson fighting for his sanity, fans were right when they emphasized how he needs to fight back. Although the weekend’s over and the race at NHMS was for none of the drivers caught in a brawl, it was Christopher Bell who took two back-to-back chequered weekends. The JGR driver’s interpretation of the weekend was somewhat close, as the rain gods stretched the race by hours. But unlike the last time, the gods were on C. Bell’s side. What are your views on Bell winning his ninth race and Larson not wanting to give it back? Let us know in the comments.