Kyle Larson claims he has often 'gotten the middle finger' from Bubba Wallace Jr.

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has been the talk of the town since his last outing in the highest echelon of the sport, and not entirely for the right reasons. The Hendrick Motorsports driver, who is regarded as one of the best drivers on the field in the 2022 season, was seen on the receiving end of an on-track tussle between himself and 23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace Jr.

South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was Wallace Jr.'s run in contention for a possible victory after making strides in the race and winning stage one. During stage two of the 400-mile-long race, the #45 McDonald's Toyota Camry TRD driver was seen battling with Kevin Harvick and Larson on the track when the latter performed one of his 'do or die' moves on the duo in front.

Going three wide into a corner, Larson slid up the racetrack with Wallace Jr. on his outside and ran the Mobile, Alabama native wide, which resulted in him hitting the outside wall. All this happened as Harvick decided to bail out. Unhappy with the #5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver's on-track etiquette, Wallace Jr. went on to spin Larson and confront him on the infield as the two climbed out of their wrecked racecars.

Speaking about the physical altercation and history between the duo on the track, Kyle Larson spoke on how he has been on the receiving end of a more traditional gesture of disapproval from Wallace Jr. in the past and said:

“We’ve had a couple (incidents), nothing really here lately. I’ve gotten the middle finger from him a couple of times. He had a fast car and felt like me getting him into the wall was ending his day. He ended both of ours. I would have been frustrated as well I just don’t think that I would have hooked him down the straightaway, especially with everything that’s been going on here lately with injuries.”

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Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace Jr.'s history in the sport

Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace Jr. have grown through the ranks of the sport through the Drive for Diversity Development Program. Both drivers, who know each other well and are friends off-track, seem to have grown apart after reaching the Cup Series. Larson's public use of a racial slur that resulted in him sitting out half of the 2020 season also did not help matters between the two.

Despite having apologized publicly and Wallace Jr. speaking in his favor, Kyle Larson has not had the smoothest relationship with the former. With last weekend's dramatic incident, that relationship is bound to be under even more stress.

Watch Larson try and bring the owners' championship trophy to his team after being knocked out of the playoffs this season at Miami-Homestead Speedway next weekend.