NASCAR's greatest villain wrecked Kyle Larson simply days after the ex-champ praised his 'superior' techniques

• Ross Chastain discovered himself in the midst of controversy once more, wrecking Kyle Larson in Darlington.
• Larson had simply praised Chastain’s controversial type days earlier.
• Workforce proprietor Rick Hendrick issued a warning to Chastain after the race. 

When controversy occurs in NASCAR, Ross Chastain is seemingly by no means too far-off.

Chastain discovered himself in the midst of it once more this weekend when he and Kyle Larson wrecked within the ultimate laps on the Darlington race as the 2 drivers battled for the lead.

Just some laps after Larson had pushed Chastain up into the wall, he returned the favor on a restart, shoving the previous champion as much as the wall. It didn’t work properly for Chastain as he misplaced management of his automotive and spun in entrance of Larson, costing each drivers a shot on the win.

—NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) May 14, 2023

Whereas that is seemingly a weekly incidence for Chastain — he received right into a fistfight with Noah Gragson only one week in the past — this one has a bitter twist because it got here simply days after Larson had praised Chastain and his controversial type.

In Larson’s most up-to-date episode of his “Excessive Restrict Room with Kyle Larson and Brad Candy” podcast, Larson spoke about Chastain’s combat with Gragson.

“I kinda adore it,” Larson mentioned. “I feel Ross is nice. At this level, I feel he’s kind of like proudly owning it. And I feel he is received the potential to be extra well-liked than Chase Elliott. So I feel it is superior. He is shifting the needle.”

—Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) May 11, 2023

To place Chastain in Elliott’s firm is a daring assertion, because the 2020 champion and son of also-popular Invoice Elliott has recurrently been voted NASCAR’s hottest driver. 

Larson’s feedback have an identical tone to these of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr, who mentioned the game wants extra drivers like Chastain.

“Ross is that I-don’t-care-I am-not-here-to-make-friends man that we want within the sport,” Earnhardt mentioned on his “Dale Jr Obtain” podcast. “Boy, have we lacked a few of that. Ross is a man that is are available, and he is on the market racing like he isn’t getting a test. Each spot he is racing for is price meals on the desk. Little bit of a throwback in the best way drives, for my part. He does not give an inch, and we want lots of guys on the market like that. The extra, the higher.”

Larson’s feedback are unsurprising as he’s certainly one of NASCAR’s friendliest drivers and usually steers away from controversy. Nevertheless, his boss, legendary proprietor Rick Hendrick, was lower than thrilled with Chastain’s newest antics, particularly contemplating each groups — Hendrick Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing — are Chevy companions.

“I do not care if he is driving a Chevrolet if he wrecks our vehicles,”  Hendrick instructed the media. “I do not care. I’ve instructed Chevrolet that. Should you wreck us, you are going to get it again. Should you do not do it, they will run throughout you. I am loyal to Chevrolet, however when any individual runs over us, then I count on my guys to carry their floor. I am not going to ask them to yield simply due to Chevrolet.”

Hendrick went on to share a sense that different drivers and analysts have additionally expressed about Chastain — that he’s hurting himself greater than the opposite drivers.

“He does not must be that aggressive,” Hendrick mentioned. “I suppose at this level within the race, perhaps you are tremendous aggressive, however you simply do not run folks up within the fence. He will make lots of enemies. It is arduous to win a championship once you’ve received lots of paybacks on the market.”