Kyle Larson believes Denny Hamlin 'used' up Martin Truex Jr. 'like he typically does'

Kyle Larson played a large role in the finish of the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway, even if he didn’t mean to.

With Martin Truex Jr. dominating the race and seemingly on his way to his first win of 2024, Larson was spun by the No. 23 in Bubba Wallace, which set up a green-white-checkered finish. Larson got loose, but Wallace finished him off, although the No. 5 only lost a couple spots that he re-gained on pit road.

Speaking with the media afterwards, Larson gave his thoughts on the incident, and a night that resulted in a P3 finish.

"I hope [Truex] doesn't have any hard feelings towards me because I definitely don't towards him."- Kyle Larson@JamieLittleTV | https://t.co/XUF5a2ZHos pic.twitter.com/i51EjPPST0

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 1, 2024

“Well I was a little bit loose, and then I got finished off there. So thankfully it all kind of just worked out,” Larson said, regarding his contact with Wallace. “I didn’t — I only lost whatever, a spot to Bubba [Wallace], and to [William] Byron there. I was able to keep it going. My pit crew did a really good job, getting us off pit road. Getting us two spots. Restart fourth, and then we gained one more. So I will take a third, after what could’ve been a lot worse there on the front stretch.

“Proud of the HendrickCars.com team. Proud of Chevy. Everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. So it was a good weekend for us. Getting the pole and winning a stage. Getting back to third there at the end. So, happy about that.”

No matter, the spin wasn’t the most dramatic thing to happen to the No. 5. Coming to the finish line, he was turned into by Truex Jr. after the No. 19 lost the lead to Denny Hamlin, and then was passed by Joey Logano.

By the looks of it, you would’ve thought Truex Jr. believed Larson wronged him, but the Hendrick star believes the No. 19 was simply taking out his frustration on the closest driver for the way Hamlin raced him as the No. 11 captured the win.

“I think he was just mad. He was mad that the No. 11 used him up on the restart, that’s probably where it really started from,” Larson added, regarding the No. 19. “Then the No. 22 got to his inside in one and two. I got in behind the No. 22, and he just turned left across my nose, and had me up on the apron off of two. I don’t know if he thought I just piled it in there, but then he door-slammed me down the middle of the backstretch. So you know, I just figured in three and four, I was going to use him up a little bit.

“I think he’s just more mad at Denny, but I was the closest one to take his anger out on. I’m sure, I haven’t seen a replay either, but I’m guessing the replay looks the way I saw in one and two, and he’ll realize that and probably be alright. Martin’s one of, probably the most respected guy in the garage area, so I was surprised when he turned left on me, down the back stretch and after the checkered. But it’s all good. I hope he doesn’t have any hard feelings for me, because I definitely don’t towards him. Like I said, a lot of respect for him.”

So there’s no bad blood between Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson, but the former may have to have a talk with Denny Hamlin at this week’s meeting for Joe Gibbs Racing. We’ll see what the fallout is, but Larson is happy with his podium finish after all he went through on Sunday evening.