NASCAR CUP SERIES: BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE

September 18, 2021

Kyle Larson

Press Conference

An Interview with:

THE MODERATOR: Kyle, congratulations on an especially nailbiting finish there at the end. Take us through it from your perspective.

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, it was a good race from start to finish for us. Our car was really fast. Really loose for five laps, then it would get good, then loose again, then good again, then would be pretty good at the end of the run.

The next-to-last run we had there, the long one, I was really good. Thought I was going to be good there again in the last run but I didn't have the front turn that I needed. Just tried staying patient with everything, tried not to overheat my tires, abuse them, just give myself a shot.

We were able to stay close enough to Kevin. Chase was obviously upset with the contact, was just making things kind of tough on him. It kept me in the game. Able to make some moves on him there late.

Yeah, fun race. Have always wanted to win here, so cool to finally do it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I know you never get mad or anything. Did you see Chase and Kevin were confronting each other? How do you feel as a driver when you have that kind of confrontation?

KYLE LARSON: Are you talking about post race?

Q. Yes. I'm sorry.

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I don't know. I don't have an opinion on that. Yeah, I'm not sure. I mean, we all get upset at moments. Obviously Kevin felt like it cost him the win, which it very well may have. He's going to be upset. Rightfully so. Chase was upset.

Yeah, I don't know. I wasn't part of it.

Q. How do you control your emotions when you're in that situation? Just trying to get your perspective.

KYLE LARSON: I'm 5'6", 135 pounds. I'm not going to get too wound up about anything.

Q. It's been a while since we've seen these types of battles for the lead at Bristol. What was it like for you behind the wheel and were you concerned it might turn into something even more chaotic and result in all the leaders wrecking out?

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I don't know. I mean, we're all professionals. I didn't think we were all going to wreck out or anything.

But the racing here at Bristol is always intense, very good. Honestly, for whatever reason, I felt like we didn't run into, like, thick lap traffic as much as I remembered being here. But I haven't been here on this track since 2019.

Yeah, I felt like we didn't really get into heavy stuff. That's what I always look forward to, feel like I'm good at. We kind of did there on that second-to-last long run we had. Then there, yeah, when Chase and Kevin got together, I got into a lapper, there was a bunch of cars all together at that one spot on the racetrack.

It was wild. It always is here.

Q. You mentioned it's been 2019 since you've raced here. The Bristol night race moved from late August to September. What were some things that you noticed were different?

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I don't remember. I don't think there was much difference. The PJ1, the sticky stuff on the bottom, is always different kind of each time we're here.

I thought one and two was a little bit slicker than normal, like harder to hit your marks. Three and four I felt like was pretty normal around the bottom. Then, yeah, the top probably didn't build up as much rubber as I remembered either.

Either way the characteristics are similar to how it always is. There's always a little bit of differences any time you go to any racetrack year to year. It was for the most part pretty normal.

THE MODERATOR: Kyle, congratulations. Thanks for joining us.

KYLE LARSON: Thank you.