Kyle Larson admits blame for Blaney incident following contact with Ryan Blaney during the closing laps of Stage 2 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway, located near St. Louis. Addressing the clash, Larson openly recognized fault, emphasizing it was an unintended error that impacted both drivers’ performances in a tense and dramatic moment of the race.
Details of the Incident and Larson’s Admission
As the end of Stage 2 approached, Larson collided with Ryan Blaney‘s car, a move he quickly acknowledged was his mistake. While some competitors might avoid responsibility, Larson was transparent with his account, clarifying his actions immediately after the race.
“I’m sure he should be upset (but) I just I misjudged it,”
—Kyle Larson, Driver
Larson explained that on the lap before their contact, he intended to get close to Blaney to provoke a handling issue. However, the following attempt went awry, leading him to try to return in line, which resulted in the unintended contact.
He further described,
“It wasn’t anything malicious at all and obviously I probably hurt his second stage and potentially maybe his finish, but it wasn’t on purpose.”
—Kyle Larson, Driver
Outcomes for Both Racers after the Mashup
Despite the appearance of a police-like precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver, the collision caused minimal damage to both cars. Ryan Blaney, though spun by the incident, managed to rally back and earned a fourth-place finish. In contrast, Larson’s day took a downturn as he ended up twelfth.
“He made a mistake but I paid the penalty for it. I am happy we were able to rebound and come away with a pretty good finish.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
After Gateway, the NASCAR Cup standings saw Denny Hamlin leap into first place. Larson landed in third position, trailing Hamlin by 60 points, while Blaney moved up to fifth, just 18 points behind Larson. Thus, despite the incident, both drivers remain in championship contention as the season progresses.
Larson and Blaney Look Ahead after Gateway Drama
In the aftermath, Larson expressed hope that Blaney would not hold a grudge moving forward, emphasizing the professional respect between drivers.
“I hope he knows it was an accident, although it might not look like an accident. I wasn’t meaning to get into him. So, if he wants to retaliate, I understand. But I don’t think it would get to that point.”
—Kyle Larson, Driver
Blaney, meanwhile, appeared ready to move forward from the incident, opting to keep his focus on upcoming races and the broader competition.
“Next week we just want to go run another race and run where we should run,”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
“We will approach it like a normal weekend and see where we end up after Bristol.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
Significance for Drivers and the Championship
The incident at World Wide Technology Raceway adds another chapter to both Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney‘s competitive narratives as they pursue the Cup title. While emotions ran high, each driver demonstrated professionalism—Larson in claiming responsibility, Blaney in his resolve to focus on future events. With the Bristol race approaching, their ability to move past this conflict will be key as the pressure of the championship race intensifies.
