Darlington Drama Unfolds: Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, and a Race-Changing Controversy
The Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway was poised to be a triumphant moment for Ryan Blaney, who had just taken the lead with only a few laps remaining. But a late-race caution involving Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace turned the race on its head, handing the victory to Denny Hamlin and sparking a firestorm of controversy, frustration, and conspiracy theories. What seemed like a straightforward racing incident has left fans and drivers questioning the rules, the decisions, and the fairness of NASCAR’s high-stakes drama.
The incident unfolded in the final moments of the race. Blaney had muscled past Tyler Reddick to claim the lead, positioning himself for his first Darlington win. Behind him, however, chaos erupted. Kyle Larson, who was over 160 laps down after an early crash on lap four, had returned to the track under NASCAR’s updated 2025 damaged vehicle policy, which allows for extensive garage repairs without dropping out of the race. Larson, driving a repaired car, had just passed Bubba Wallace, who was one lap down, when Reddick hit the wall exiting turn two. Seeing Reddick’s crash, Larson slowed dramatically—by nearly 20 mph—out of caution. Wallace, tucked closely behind Larson’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, couldn’t react in time and collided with him, sending Larson spinning into the inside wall. The resulting caution set up an overtime finish, and after a lightning-fast pit stop, Denny Hamlin surged from third to first, ultimately securing his second consecutive victory. Blaney, meanwhile, slipped to fifth, his hopes of victory dashed.
The aftermath was a mix of frustration and finger-pointing. Wallace expressed his dismay over the radio, saying, “Brother, it was not that big of a checkup. I didn’t want that.” His spotter, Freddie Kraft, chimed in, noting that Larson “just panicked” and could have run the bottom line to avoid the incident. Larson, for his part, admitted his mistake, radioing, “I was checking up, so that’s embarrassing.” In-car camera footage and data from Auto Racing Analytics further supported this narrative, showing Larson’s abrupt braking as the catalyst for the collision. NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck, speaking on The Teardown podcast, dismissed conspiracy theories that Wallace intentionally wrecked Larson to help his 23XI Racing co-owner, Hamlin. “It was a completely honest mistake, a coincidence,” Gluck said, pointing to the data that clearly showed Larson’s unexpected slowdown.
Despite the evidence, the incident has reignited debates about NASCAR’s rules and the role of lapped cars in high-stakes races. Larson’s decision to return to the track after being so far behind raised eyebrows—last year, he wouldn’t have been allowed to continue under the previous damaged vehicle policy. While his repaired car could keep pace, his presence on the track at that critical moment altered the race’s outcome. Should drivers who are significantly behind be allowed to compete alongside those battling for the win? It’s a question that has divided fans, with some arguing it’s an inherent part of racing, while others see it as a preventable disaster that cost Blaney a well-earned victory.
For Blaney, the loss stung deeply. “I thought we had the race won,” he said, reflecting on the moment the caution flag waved. Hamlin, meanwhile, capitalized on the opportunity, praising his pit crew and even Larson in his post-race interview, saying, “There’s two people I really love right now: my pit crew and Kyle Larson.” As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500 on April 13, 2025, the Darlington drama leaves lingering questions. Was Larson overly cautious, or should Wallace have anticipated the slowdown? Did Hamlin simply benefit from impeccable timing, or does this incident expose deeper flaws in NASCAR’s rules? One thing is certain: the fallout from Darlington is far from over, and the answers will play out on the track in the races to come. What do you think—should NASCAR rethink its policies on lapped cars, or is this just the unpredictable nature of racing?
