During Sunday’s eventful AdventHealth 400, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson fought for the lead over the final 26 laps on the hottest day of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule this season.
Hamlin pushed aside Larson to earn Kansas Speedway’s first checkered flag following a last-lap pass. Larson, after colliding with the wall, maintained control and placed second.
It was a big victory for Hamlin, snapping a 33-race winless streak and earning a place in the playoffs.
The race itself featured the most lead changes at the 1.5-mile track.
As Larson spoke with Fox Sports about the drama-filled finish, a scuffle started in the infield.
“What do we have here?” he said, grinning.
Of course, Ross Chastain was in the middle of the disturbance.
Showing Kansas winner Denny Hamlin the Ross Chastain – Noah Gragson fight. pic.twitter.com/pECPYB3Gml
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 7, 2023
Noah Gragson Confronts Ross Chastain
Moments after Hamlin completed the comeback win, Noah Gragson, who finished five laps down in 29th place, walked up to Chastain, who placed fifth. Gragson wanted to “discuss” their on-track confrontation. The two exchanged a few words before Chastain punched Gragson’s jaw.
The Chevrolet drivers were pulled apart before the fight escalated. Chastain, who has been mired in controversy following several races this season, attempted to explain what happened.
“Noah and I,” he told Fox Sports, pausing to laugh. “(We) have a very similar attitude on the race track. We train together. We know every little bit about each other.”
During the race, “I definitely crowded him on (Turn) 4 and he took a swipe at us on (Turn) 3,” Chastain said, adding after the race, “he came down and grabbed a hold of me.”
And Chastain threw the one and only punch.
“A very big man once told me we have a no push policy here at Trackhouse (Racing),” Chastain said, ending the interview with a nod to his team’s top-five finish. “Heck of fight for this group. There were times when we did not have the grip and balance in the car to do that.”
In the end, Hamlin found the right grip and balance, securing his fourth career win at Kansas. His patience paid off on the last lap, rallying from more than one second back.
“I’m so proud,” he said moments after climbing out of his No. 11 Toyota. “I got position and tried to side-draft (Larson) and clipped his right rear. Glad he was able to at least finish.”
Added Larson: “He was a little better than me at the end.”
TROUBLE AT THE FRONT! 😱 pic.twitter.com/wQ36qnhQxw
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 7, 2023
Kyle Larson Comes Back Strong After Early Spin
Larson, who started second, had an eventful afternoon. His adventure started on the fourth lap when Tyler Reddick moved up to make it three-wide with Chastain.
Initially, Larson took command by passing the two, but Reddick attempted to slide up and block Chastain along Turn 4. Reddick’s car hit Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet, forcing it to spin out.
Despite his recent bad luck, Larson was not struck by oncoming traffic this time. He dropped to the back of the pack. On a day dominated early by Toyotas, Larson steadily moved up through the field.
On Lap 132, he ran second to last week’s winner Martin Truex Jr. and claimed the lead from Bubba Wallace off a restart on Lap 154.
More fun followed.
Wallace, with drafting aid from Hamlin, reclaimed the advantage, but only briefly. Larson pulled a slide job on Wallace along Turn 2, slowing Wallace’s momentum, but just for a short time.
On the next lap, Wallace pulled alongside Larson and side-drafted him along Turn 4 and glided into the lead.
The three-lap duel ended when Christopher Bell, running in eighth place, spun out and crashed into the inside wall.
As it turned out, the fireworks at Kansas were just heating up.
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