“Verstappen must be working his voodoo magic”: Fans react following Kyle Larson’s unexpected wreck at Atlanta

Kyle Larson's unexpected crash during Lap 56 left analysts and fans in disbelief, sparking various reactions. While some humorously suggested Larson might be jinxed by Max Verstappen due to his previous comparison with the F1 star, others were simply concerned for his well-being.

Entering the race as the postseason's top contender, Larson's #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet suddenly lost control between Turns 1 and 2. His Chevy collided with the outside Safer barrier and was rear-ended by Chase Briscoe's #14. Fortunately, both Larson and Briscoe emerged from the incident without injury.

But the damage to their respective cars was way too severe for either to continue. Kyle Larson was credited with a 37th-place finish and Briscoe was 38th, last in the field.

The suddenness of the wreck prompted a flurry of comments from fans. One user wrote:

"Max Verstappen must be working his voodoo magic."

Here are a few more reactions from fans to the unexpected incident:

"Every nascar fan told me that he’s better than verstappen 🤣," an F1 fan mentioned.

"Crazy. That happened out of nowhere. Didn’t seem like tire wear was much of an issue for him," said another enthusiast.

"Greatest driver in the world wrecks completely on his own," wrote one fan in a mocking tone.

"Without safter barriers Kyle was gonna be hurt real bad," a concerned fan said.

"That’s was a scary wreck," mentioned one NASCAR fan.

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Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe shared their perspectives on the early incident in Atlanta

Emerging unscathed from an abrupt race exit, Kyle Larson assured the fans that he was okay during a post-race interview, praising the Next Gen car's safety features. However, he voiced confusion over the cause of his #5 Chevy's malfunction, saying (via NBC Sports):

"That was a huge hit. I’m not really sure, like, what caused it. I was actually sort of like tight loaded in the corner. That was pretty far out the corner and stepped out. I don’t know. It just all happened really fast."

Chase Briscoe, entangled in the unexpected wreck, described his car as slightly loose. He explained that his #14 was close to optimal performance, just one adjustment shy of being quite effective.

Briscoe noted that balance-wise, they weren't in great shape, but he didn't anticipate a crash since no one was racing side by side. Yet, when he saw the smoke from Kyle Larson's car, he attempted to decelerate. Unfortunately, it was too late.

"I knew he was coming down the racetrack and just kept trying to feed the thing left and slow it down. And I couldn’t get left quick enough and then he kind of started sliding back down the track at the very last minute. So, I tried to turn back right to avoid him and just KO’d him. It was a big hit. One of the biggest hits I’ve had in a long time," Briscoe said [via NBC Sports].

The crash ended Briscoe’s race at the rear of the field, placing him 38th after he had entered the playoffs with momentum from a win at the season’s final regular race in Darlington.