Kyle Larson's 'cocky' take on NASCAR after Bristol win: "I want to embarrass them"

Days after winning the Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Cup Series ace Kyle Larson appeared in Kevin Harvick’s “Happy Hour Podcast”. During his interview with the retired NASCAR champion, Larson revealed what motivates him to run races in the Xfinity Series.

Larson loves overpowering the Xfinity drivers. Being a Cup guy, his skills are unparalleled. So he uses them to hold off younger contenders, thus making them realize the difference in their respective racing prowess.

“This is gonna come across like very cocky, but I want to embarrass them honestly, like, I just want to embarrass NASCAR a little bit,” Larson laughed. “Because they just don't let Cup guys run anymore. The kids...they probably think they're in a good spot, they don't know where the bar is really at.”

Further Larson shared how competing with the Cup guys only lets the Xfinity Series regulars realize they have much room to improve and benefits the sport as a whole.

“I think that's only better for our sport,” the Elk Grove native added.

On Sunday, April 13, Kyle Larson lead a race-high 411 of 500 laps and sweeping both stages in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. It marked his 31st career victory and his second this season.

Besides winning the event, Larson took home 60 points that day. Today, he sits fourth in the championship standings with 304 points to his credit, 42 points behind points leader and Larson’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, William Byron.

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Denny Hamlin responds to Kyle Larson’s post-race comments at Bristol

Denny Hamlin, who finished second at last Sunday’s race said on his Actions Detrimental podcast that he had been rooting for Kyle Larson. But on hearing what Larson told about him during the former’s post-race interview with Fox’s Jamie Little, the JGR icon took a playful jibe at the 2021 Cup Series champion.

Hamlin entered Bristol flaunting a two-race winning streak. So he had the chance to bag another and deliver a respectable three-peat. But Kyle Larson didn’t let that happen.

During his post-race interview, Larson said of Hamlin,

“Glad to stop his three peat. We hate to see him win as I'm sure you guys do too!”

Hamlin later reacted to the comment. Noting how Chandler Smith defeated Kyle Larson in the Truck Series race last Friday and kept him from logging a weekend sweep, the four-time winner at Bristol joked,

“His post-race comments about keeping me from three in a row… now I’m like, piss on your triple; your sweep. I’m glad Chandler Smith beat you in the Truck race.”

The drivers are now ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The 188-lap race has been scheduled for April 27 and will be televised on FOX. Radio updates will be available on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.