Kyle Larson’s intense radio outburst during the Iowa Corn 350 on Iowa Speedway followed multiple on-track clashes with Chase Elliott. Kevin Harvick suggested that Larson’s frustration might stem from deeper issues within Hendrick Motorsports, highlighting underlying tensions beyond the immediate incident. The ongoing struggles and rising pressure notably influenced Larson’s performance and mindset during the race.
Details of Larson and Elliott’s Aggressive Encounters at Iowa
The incidents unfolded shortly after the race surpassed its halfway point in the second stage, during a caution-heavy contest. On a restart, Larson and Elliott, both Hendrick teammates, raced three-wide, an unexpectedly aggressive move since no stage points or playoff implications were at play. Over the next 20 laps, contact occurred twice between the drivers, escalating the tension on the track.
With 114 laps remaining, Elliott squeezed his No. 9 Chevrolet into the middle lane, forcing Larson’s No. 5 car hard against the door. Larson nearly lost control but managed to hold the car steady, prompting a furious response over the radio. Larson’s words made clear how deeply frustrated he was:
“How much fu***** room do I have to leave people?… Been quiet for 45 minutes. Fu**, man… I know I’ve been trying to be a good teammate, I’ve been trying a good competitor, and it hasn’t gotten me anywhere in the last fu***** hour.”
—Kyle Larson, NASCAR driver
Kevin Harvick Reflects on the Radio Outburst and Team Dynamics
On his Happy Hour podcast, Kevin Harvick addressed Larson’s radio rant, linking it to a larger conversation about Larson’s role as both teammate and competitor within Hendrick Motorsports. Harvick suggested the outburst reflected ongoing mental and emotional struggles rather than just frustration from on-track contact.
“It was with Chase Elliott this weekend. And that’s what led to the blowup on the radio. But there’s obviously been a conversation that’s happened either within the organization or Kyle with himself or Kyle and Cliff (Daniels) or however this whole conversation about being a good competitor and being a good teammate and all those things that came to that rant on the radio. And I don’t like that for Kyle Larson.”
—Kevin Harvick, 2014 Cup Series Champion
Harvick emphasized that Larson’s preoccupation with his identity as a competitor was negatively affecting his racing. After running in the top five, Larson fell back in the field following the contacts, compounded by later collisions with Christopher Bell and Ty Dillon. By the race’s conclusion, Larson had fallen to 28th place, marking his second finish of 28th or worse in just four races.
Harvick added insight into what he believes Larson should focus on during competition:
“I want Kyle Larson to be doing slide jobs and not worrying about what kind of competitor he is. I think you always have to worry about what kind of teammate you are, but I think it’s better to worry about it after it’s already done… that is not productive in my mind for Kyle Larson to be thinking about stuff like that.”
—Kevin Harvick, 2014 Cup Series Champion
Impact on Hendrick Motorsports and Regular-Season Standings
Larson’s struggles contrasted with teammates’ varied performances at Iowa. Hendrick Motorsports had all four cars strong midway through the race, with William Byron ultimately taking the win. Chase Elliott recovered to finish 14th, and Alex Bowman secured seventh place. Despite mixed results at Iowa, Hendrick continues to dominate the regular-season standings, holding the top three positions. Byron leads with an 18-point margin over Elliott, while Larson sits third, 45 points behind his teammate.
Larson’s Recent Performance Slide and Watkins Glen Opportunity
Kyle Larson began the season with impressive speed, claiming three victories before May’s challenging Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 doubleheader weekend, where he failed to finish both races. Since then, his performance has been inconsistent, with the runner-up result at the Brickyard 400 the only near-win in over three months. At that race, Larson showed strong pace and strategy but ultimately fell short to Bubba Wallace.
With the regular season winding down and only three races left, Watkins Glen presents a key chance for Larson to shift momentum. He boasts two wins (2021, 2022) and five top-10 finishes in 10 starts at the track. His current playoff seeding is projected second due to his earlier wins, even while third in points behind Byron and Elliott. To solidify his position and regain confidence, Larson needs a clean, trouble-free weekend.