While Kyle Larson ultimately walked away as the big winner this weekend at Vado Speedway, he might have made a new enemy in the process. Tyler Stevens was racing hard to stay in front of the NASCAR champion. Then, they both ended up wrecked.
That was in the Friday heats, two days before Larson’s big victory. What Stevens was ultimately upset about was Larson forcing the issue where he didn’t have to. Both would have transferred regardless of who beat the other. However, from Larson’s perspective, that’s another row up in the next race.
To add a bit of insult to injury, after the incident, Kyle Larson went to a backup car. Stevens did not have one to go to.
“Kyle’s a better racer than that,” Stevens said afterward, via FloRacing. “And it’s not like we’re racing for second or the lead, or even a transfer spot. We were both struggling, racing for sixth in a heat race, and coming into turn three coming to the checkered, he destroys me and tears his car up, too. It doesn’t make any sense from a racer’s standpoint why he would do that.”
Things only got more serious for the dirt racer as he kept talking.
“I wish he had the decency to come over here and say, ‘Hey, man, sorry. I didn’t mean to get into you.’ But he won’t.
“I used to have an amazing amount of respect for him. And I respect what he does in a race car, 100 percent. But driving like that, in those situations, there’s no need for it.”
If you didn’t tell me who the drivers involved in this conversation were, I’d think it was someone mad at Ross Chastain again.
Kyle Larson wins Wild West Shootout
The weekend only got better for Kyle Larson after Friday. He went to a backup car, it felt good and fit all his needs. Larson began to race very well after making the swap. So well, he was able to take advantage of a late Bobby Pierce tire issue to win at Vado Speedway.
The Dirt Double did not go according to plan. Larson failed to make the finale for the Chili Bowl. However, it appears that scheduling might have been an issue, even if he made the final.
So, one half of the Dirt Double, complete. Larson was patient on Sunday night. Pierce really did look like he was going to be able to run away with this one. Cutting a tire going from 7 laps to 6 laps to go, Pierce was unable to keep it going out front.
By the end of this race, Kyle Larson was out front with a comfortable lead. He would only lead those last six laps, but it was all that mattered in this race. One trophy and one new rival later, and Larson is a Wild West Shootout champion.
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