Kyle Larson scrapes a third-place finish after nearly scraping the wall

Kyle Larson started the Toyota Owners 400 from pole position but could only manage a third place at the end of the race.

But a third place is much better than what he was expecting after being hit by Bubba Wallace towards the end of the race and going off the track.

The 31-year-old saved his car from ending up in the wall and only lost a couple of places before pitting and regaining ground for the restart:

“Well, I was a little bit lose and I got finished off there,” stated Larson after the race finished at Richmond Raceway.

“Thankfully it all just kind of worked out, I only lost a spot to Bubba and Byron.

“My pit crew did a really good job to get us off pit road and gain us those spots to restart fourth and gain one more.

“I will take a third after what could have been a lot worse there on the front stretch.”

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champions dramatic end to the race did not finish there. On the final lap, Larson ended up in a scrap which got heated between himself and Truex Jr.

“I think he was just mad. He was mad that the #11 used him up on the restart, that is where it probably started from.

“He door slammed me down the backstretch, so I got back in there in three and four.

“I think he is more mad at Denny [Hamlin] but I was the closest one to take his anger out on.

“I hope he does not have any hard feelings towards me because I do not have any towards him.”

The third-place finish has also seen Larson catapult himself into second place in the standings after the seventh race of the season.