The simmering tension between NASCAR stars Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin reached new heights during the Ally 400 race at Nashville Superspeedway, spotlighting an evolving rivalry that we’ve come to love this 2024 NASCAR Cup Series. Throughout the 399-mile race, particularly during the climactic final laps and the conclusion of Stage 2, Larson and Hamlin showcased a thrilling duel.
The race was marked by a number of aggressive swipes from each driver, emblematic of a competition that Larson himself appears reluctant to label as a full-blown rivalry. Speaking to the Frontstretch YouTube channel after the race (embedded below), Larson seemed to downplay the sustained nature of their tense competition.
“I don’t know. I mean, I wouldn’t agree or disagree. It comes and goes,” he admitted. “I feel like, you know, we race well together at times, and there’s times when I feel like, you know, he races me not the fairest, and I’m sure he feels the same way.
“So yeah, it’s not an ongoing rivalry, but there’s definitely weeks and stretches where it compiles.”
Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Despite Larson’s ambivalence, his desire to turn the page on recent tensions was clear, with him admitting his want to “move on from it soon, and I can get a little bit of respect from him.”
On the other hand, Hamlin offered a lighter interpretation of their exchanges, suggesting a more playful spirit. “I thought it was fine. We were messing around with each other, like we were last week,” Hamlin commented. “We were battling for third right there on the stage and he ran me up, which was all good. I ran him up last week a little bit.
“On the restart with the 22 (Joey Logano), the 22 was mad at me, but the 5 tried to clean us out there, and I think he tried to clean us out at the end there but got the 1, so it all worked out.”
As both drivers remain top contenders for this year’s championship, their strong rivalry is expected to influence not only their racing strategies going forward but also their results as the season progresses.
The season will continue at Grant Park on July 7 with the Chicago Street Race, the first-ever street race to sit on the Cup Series roster. With it only being used once before in 2023, this is a track that the racers have very little experience on, making it an exciting 165-mile, 12-turn race for viewers to enjoy.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.