"It depends on who it is" - 12M-worth Kyle Larson's provocative take on Clean Racing vs. Bump & Run

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson recently talked about clean racing and bump-and-run driving. He stated that he would follow either, depending on who he was engaging in a battle with.

Larson, the #5 Chevrolet driver, is known for his aggressive racing style, which is rewarding for him a lot of times. However, this aggressive style also carries a high risk of causing a major crash. But most of the time, he makes his way through the grid as he pushes his car to the extreme limit.

Bumping and riding essentially provide drivers with better drafting, which helps them gain the maximum speed on a speedway. Furthermore, the bumping also helps the car in front gain speed, but sometimes drivers can retaliate. When the drivers of HMS were asked if they would rather race cleanly or bump the other driver, Kyle Larson had an interesting reply. He stated that it depends on the driver ahead.

"It depends on who it is, I guess."

Larson's teammate, William Byron also expressed similar views. Chase Elliott, on the other hand, prefers bump-and-run tactics after getting "close enough" to the lead car.

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"I know what my style is": Kyle Larson on his aggressive pushing during races

Larson, the 2021 Cup Series champion, talked in a recent video about his aggressive racing style. He stated that he remains aware of his style and pushes his car to the limit on every corner.

"I know what my style is. It's that way in everything that I raised. It's just very aggressive. You know, charge the corner. You know, I'm always kind of pushing. A lot of times push too hard. I would say typically my steering is really smooth," he said.

His fellow drivers also agreed with him, calling him a "good judge for where the racetrack is" and also "fast."

Kyle Larson has been frequently seen driving at the limit of his car. It has helped him gain victory a number of times. Earlier this season, during the race at Dover Motor Speedway, he started down in P21 but was able to get to second place. He shared an excellent battle with the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin, but failed to overtake.

During the battle, the sheer limit on the grip of his car could be seen. Despite pushing his car to the limit, minor steering adjustments, a hallmark of drivers fighting for grip, were evident with Kyle Larson. Even though this aggressive style has occasionally resulted in near-misses with the wall or other cars, Larson currently leads the Cup Series standings.