Kyle Larson clears the air surrounding controversial Bristol comments

Kyle Larson shut down fan outrage for the lack of excitement during last Sunday’s Round of 16 race at Bristol in a lengthy X post on Tuesday.

Larson led 462-of-500 laps at Bristol, a race which featured just eight lead changes and saw almost non-existent tire fall-off. The 2021 Cup Series champion asked fans to “temper your expectations” when it comes to short track racing in the Next Gen car. Larson further explained his post while speaking with the media at Kansas on Saturday. Larson said he was trying to give perspective from a driver’s point of view, again asking fans to “stop being so negative.”

Kyle Larson participated in some of the discussion over whether Bristol was a good race. He said he wasn't trying to defend his win, just give some perspective. pic.twitter.com/J2tXunclpe

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 29, 2024

“To me, it wasn’t really a debate,” Larson told Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “I think trying to give a perspective from a drivers point of view from someone who’s been around now for over 10 years and been through different packages and results on the racetrack. Not every race is gonna be super exciting. I think that’s more of where I was coming from. Just stop being so negative.”

Kyle Larson calls out NASCAR fans for negativity following Bristol Night Race

Larson recorded a 7.1-second margin of victory and put together the third most dominant Bristol win of all-time. With only four leaders, the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Night Race joined the 2023 Bristol Dirt and 2022 spring Martinsville as races with the fewest number of cars pacing the field in the Next Gen car era. There were just eight lead changes throughout the race. Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag by just one second in March in a race featuring 54 lead changes. 

With tires not wearing as much as they did in the spring, drivers were posting similar lap times making it hard to pass. Everybody but Larson, that is, who clearly had the car to beat all night. But Larson wiping the field with ease wasn’t what the fans wanted to see. Just 27.2%. of fans said they enjoyed Saturday’s race in Jeff Gluck of The Athletic‘s good race poll.

Larson thinks the NASCAR fan base is the problem.

“Lead 450 laps but have 2 overtime restarts and lose and I guarantee the percentage is flip flopped,” Larson wrote Monday. “That’s our fan base.”