Kyle Larson on his overtime wreck with Ross Chastain: 'I hate that for Ross'

Kyle Larson was not happy with wrecking Ross Chastain during overtime of the Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. After the race, Larson explained what happened during the wreck that caused Chastain a chance at possibly winning or being in the top five.

“I got in hot, got myself hot,” Larson told NBC Sports. “Hate that.” Larson then added that he was happy to finish in the top 10 but was “disappointed” with the outcome.

Before wrecking Chastain, Larson was riding Denny Hamlin, but he made it clear that he wasn’t sending a message to him. “Just trying to race for the win,” Larson explained. “Was hoping to kind of get him out of shape and get me some clean air to the bottom. …Ended up getting myself tight and into Ross. Like I said I hate that for Ross. Just doing what I thought I needed to do to try to get myself a decent opportunity to get some clean air and get myself a shot to win.”

Larson earned a P8 finish at Nashville on Sunday. He has finished in the top 10 four times in the last five races but clinched a playoff spot earlier in the year when he won the Las Vegas race. Larson has won three races this year and is on track to make a push to win his second Cup Series Championship.

Kyle Larson prevented Ross Chastain from having a big Sunday

Chastain was looking to win his first race of the year before the wreck. He earned a P33 finish on Sunday, his worst finish of the year. His last victory came during the Phoenix race in November, which was also the championship race. But with him eliminated from playoff contention at the time, the main focus was Ryan Blaney winning the Cup Series title.

“I don’t believe it’s ever happened,” Chastain said in victory lane. “We did something else that’s never been done before. For everyone on this team, this vision for Trackhouse and what this was was goals like this. They were lofty. It started with AdventHealth and the Moose Lodge believing in me, coming over to Trackhouse. Then Kubota, Jockey coming on board.

“Obviously next year with Busch Light, I couldn’t think of anything I would want to do more, is to try to be like Kevin Harvick. Racing him early in the race was bucket list little kid in me, racing that 2005 game, I drove as the 29 GM Goodwrench car. Now I’m driving a Chevy for GM to Victory Lane, a Camaro.”