"It was very violent" - Kyle Larson draws attention to car safety after NASCAR Busch Light Clash

The Busch Light Clash was a bumpy ride for many drivers, including Kyle Larson, who dropped down the field at one point in the race but managed to recover and finish fifth.

The pre-season exhibition event at the LA Memorial Coliseum saw many drivers bump into each other.

Kyle Larson expressed concerns about the fact that the cars didn't react well to small hits, often injuring the driver. He also talked about how the previous year's cars handled small bumps better.

Bubba Wallace was reported to have head and back pain after taking a small hit with eight laps to go. Many other drivers were also reported to be suffering from back pain.

Speaking to the media after the race, Larson said:

“I only had like one moment last year that I remember where it was like, wow, like that was a hard hit. I think we stacked up on a restart at like Sonoma or something.”

He went on to speak about the caution periods and race restarts:

“I don’t have a headache, but I could see how if others do, it’s no surprise because it was very violent for the majority of the race. We had so many restarts, and like I said, every restart you’re getting just clobbered and then you’re clobbering the guy in front of you. You feel it a lot.”

Larson wasn't sure whether the pain was due to the track, the car, or a combination of both.

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Kyle Larson worried about car safety

Kyle Larson was content with his performance as he made an impressive comeback to finish fifth behind Alex Bowman, having spent most of the time in the middle of the pack.

The 2021 Cup Series champion didn't have an answer for the car's behavior and bruises felt by other drivers due to the bumps and hits. The #5 driver said:

"I don’t think you would see that style of racing with the previous generation car just because they wouldn’t be as strong. You’d knock the radiators out racing like that."

“I think the cars are just so stiff that that’s just kind of how it goes. Not saying it’s right, but the cars are built that way. Yeah, I don’t really know how to answer it other than that.”

Kyle Larson and other drivers are worried about the stiffness of the car as small bumps can lead to severe consequences when racing on super speedways.

With NASCAR returning to Daytona International Speedway in a fortnight, safety concerns regarding the cars need to be addressed quickly.