When Kyle Larson took on the grueling challenge of double duty in NASCAR, fans were on board, hoping he would score a win in at least one race, or at least surpass Tony Stewart’s record finishes of P6 and P3 in the Indy 500 and Coke . -Cola 600 back in 2001. However, things did not go as expected. And that apparently led to some fans feeling so discouraged that they couldn’t even celebrate Christopher Bell’s well-deserved victory. But Kyle Petty isn’t one to follow the crowd. In a recent video, he decided to take a hard look at reality, despite the mixed results.
NASCAR insider aware of Kyle Larson’s prowess among NASCAR elites
Dubbed the biggest day in motorsport, it’s no small feat. Between Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix, IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, it’s a day full of top-notch racing. NASCAR even adds a couple of warm-up acts to kick off the festivities. It is a complete dish for any racing fan.
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But while Kyle Larson aimed to conquer two major races in one day, crisscrossing from city to city, Mother Nature had other ideas, leaving fans hanging. But that doesn’t make him a less talented driver than he is. He is as versatile as Tony Stewart, capable of driving any race car. That’s why the double feature wasn’t a loss for him unless NASCAR decided not to grant him a waiver. And Kyle Petty sees that potential in him. Just because he didn’t work out this year doesn’t mean he won’t work out next year. After all, it took Tony Stewart a couple of tries to seal his reputation as the ultimate double-feature driver.
Sharing similar sentiments, Kyle Petty, in his latest video, praised Kyle Larson despite the setbacks, stating: “Mother Nature steps in, Indy starts late, stays there, runs in the top 10 all day, has a penalty for speeding and is relegated to finishing in 18th place, he arrives in Charlotte just in time to get in the car when the rain comes. So what a disappointment from all the commotion we saw. Still, Kyle Larson is the right man.”
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February 3, 2024; Los Angeles, California, United States; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) during practice at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Keynote USA Sports
But Petty didn’t just focus on Larson. He also took a moment to recognize Christopher Bell’s performance, noting that it was great to see Bell pick up his second win of the season. He highlighted the ups and downs of racing and showed respect for the efforts of both drivers in difficult circumstances.
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Kyle Petty has thrown his full support behind Christopher Bell’s victory, even though it was met with boos from fans.
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Bell had dominated 90 of the 249 laps that were completed before the race was stopped due to lightning. When it was declared that the race would not be resumed and Bell was announced as the winner, the crowd reacted negatively. Bell himself was taken aback by the reception, admitting in his post-race interview: “They booed me and chased me out of the place. (…) I don’t know, I just feel like every time I win these things have asterisks.”
However, Kyle Petty sees it differently. He insists that Bell’s victory was as legitimate as any other, even if it was shortened by rain. “Christopher Bell wins the rain-shortened race, there’s nothing wrong with that. Earnhart won rain-shortened races, KY Petty even won a shortened race, Richard Petty, Cale Yarboro, all the greats won races.”
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He continued: “All the greats have won races that were shortened by rain, there’s nothing wrong with that. You have as much chance of winning that race as the other 36 guys in there. You have to get into position. “Christopher Bell got into position, it was a great race, there was a lot of racing going on.”
Do you agree with Kyle Petty’s thoughts?
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