NASCAR Cup Series veteran Kyle Larson took a shot at the current NASCAR fan base following a dominating performance at the Bristol night race on Saturday.
Kyle Larson via NASCAR YouTube
Jeff Gluck, a writer for The Athletic who covers NASCAR, conducted his routine fan poll that questions his followers on whether the most recent race is a good one or not.
The results from the Bristol night race revealed that 72.8% of the 31,203 voters believed the race was not good.
Was Bristol a good race?
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) September 22, 2024
In a subsequent post, Gluck compared this poll to previous ones. He wrote, “Ranks last out of 19 Bristol races in the poll (dirt races included). Previous low: 2020 All-Star race, 51.9%. Previous low points race: 2022 night race, 60.7%.”
He continued, “Ranks No. 55 out of 56 short track races in the poll (2022 Martinsville spring was lower at 18.7%). The five lowest short track races in the poll are all Next Gen races.”
Finally, he concluded, “– Ranks last out of Kyle Larson’s 31 career wins (28 points, three All-Star). Previous low: 2019 Dover fall, 33%.”
Was the Bristol night race a good race? 27.2% of you said Yes.
— Ranks last out of 19 Bristol races in the poll (dirt races included). Previous low: 2020 All-Star race, 51.9%. Previous low points race: 2022 night race, 60.7%.
— Ranks No. 55 out of 56 short track races in the…
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) September 23, 2024
Larson responded to this post writing on X, “Lead 450 laps but have 2 overtime restarts and lose and I guarantee the percentage is flip flopped. That’s our fan base.”
Kyle Larson on X
Larson dominated the race leading 462 of the 500 laps to claim his fifth win of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. Larson set a record for the most laps led by a Hendrick Motorsports driver in a single race including Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. The dominating performance also secured him a transfer spot into the next round of the playoffs.
Following the race, Larson told NBC, “Pretty cool to add my name to another record at Hendrick Motorsports. Especially race in front of you fans here under the lights at Bristol. This is my favorite track and I hope you guys enjoyed that race there. And enjoyed the methodical lap traffic run.”
“We’ve all grown up watching Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson dominate.”
Kyle Larson takes pride in holding the Hendrick Motorsports record for laps led in a single race. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/GT82NMArJj
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 22, 2024
After the win, Larson not only secured himself a transfer spot, but he is the current points leader with a 15 point advantage over Christopher Bell and a 39 point cushion on Austin Cindric, who sits in 9th and is the first driver on the outside looking in.
After the points reset, Bristol winner Kyle Larson leads the #NASCARPlayoffs standings heading into the Round of 12. pic.twitter.com/sHLdekKz1d
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 22, 2024
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Kansas this weekend. From there it moves to Talladega and Charlotte before the championship chase is whittled down to eight drivers.
What do you make of Larson’s comments?
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