Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, appear to have resolved their recent tensions following an intense race at Iowa Speedway where Elliott made contact with Larson’s car multiple times. Larson spoke at Watkins Glen International, addressing the so-called Kyle Larson Chase Elliott feud and emphasizing that he has moved on and is focused on racing.
During the Iowa race, Larson, known for his typically calm demeanor, lost his temper after Elliott hit him three different times. Over the radio, he expressed his frustration in strong language, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining composure while trying to be both a good teammate and a strong competitor. The confrontation culminated in Larson finishing in 28th place, while Elliott ended the race in 14th.
At Watkins Glen, Larson downplayed the hostility that had been perceived by fans and media. He stated,
“Everybody’s making a big deal about Chase. I really wasn’t that mad at Chase,”
—Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports driver. Reviewing the race footage helped him realize the situation was not as frustrating as he initially felt, and he quickly put the incident behind him without the need for any further discussion.
He explained,
“It’s just racing. After watching the replays and stuff, it wasn’t what I thought it was from the seat. And two, I was less frustrated with him than I was [with] others. Everything compiled and I was trying to keep my cool.”
—Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports driver.
Conflicting Views From Other Racing Figures on the Larson-Elliott Incident
The Iowa race aftermath saw different perspectives emerge from notable NASCAR figures. Denny Hamlin sharply criticized both Larson and Elliott, urging NASCAR officials to intervene and enforce penalties. He expressed concern about their disregard for other drivers on the track, accusing them of creating hazardous situations that could cause accidents.
Hamlin remarked,
“What I’m calling on is NASCAR officiating to do something about it, ’cause it’s a complete disregard for the people that you’re laying back from because you’re just willing to stick them in a four-wide situation where you know they’re going to wreck or someone’s going to wreck and you just don’t care.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver.
He added,
“They laid back so much, they must have been running 10 miles an hour faster, probably more than that. Then the cars in front of them, when they all took off and then they both tried to shoot the gap at the same time in the middle. It’s like they both deserved to wreck.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver.
On the other hand, Steve Letarte, a former crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports and current TV analyst, offered reassurance that the incident would not create long-term friction between Larson and Elliott. Speaking on the Inside the Race podcast, Letarte compared the situation to past disputes within the team that were eventually resolved.
He noted,
“Well, this is why Jeff Gordon is the perfect co-chairman of the organization, because he has seen it nearly get torn apart when him and Jimmie Johnson were disagreeing and when they run into each other in Texas, somebody’s upset, there’s chirping on the radio,”
—Steve Letarte, NASCAR analyst and former crew chief.
Will Team Owner Rick Hendrick Step In to Keep Peace?
With the Watkins Glen race promising close competition and the possibility of contact on the track, it appears that any earlier disagreements between Larson and Elliott have been settled. Still, the intensity of their Iowa clash draws parallels to a nearly two-decade-old run-in within Hendrick Motorsports between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
At that time, tensions had grown so severe that Rick Hendrick, the team owner, held a well-known “milk and cookies” meeting to resolve the issues between Gordon and Johnson. This intervention helped defuse the conflict, allowing the drivers to restore their friendship and collaborate effectively again.
Given Larson and Elliott’s professionalism and their statements following the Iowa race, it is unlikely Hendrick will need to intervene similarly. However, the competitive nature of NASCAR and Hendrick’s history suggest that keeping team harmony will remain a priority as the season progresses.
