DARLINGTON, S.C. — Kyle Larson won Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway after bumping challenger John Hunter Nemechek during a fierce battle on the final lap.
Larson recovered from a pit road speeding penalty that dropped him from the lead pack to 31st and moved into position to challenge for the win in the closing miles.
He and Nemechek raced hard on the final lap, running side by side and touching. Nemechek almost lost control but managed to challenge Larson in the final turn before Larson bounced off the wall and hit Nemechek. Larson raced under the checkered flag as Nemechek lost control of his car.
“I thought it was good, hard racing, for sure,” Larson said. “I was nervous about what would happen in (Turn) 3. I’m trying to stay right to him so I could arc and drive in as hard as I could. That got us both out of shape. It was a lot of fun. Turns 3 and 4 — it was crazy.
“I hit the wall so hard in the center of (Turns) 3 and 4. I was hoping I wasn’t broke. I was plowing tight and watching my mirror and trying to get away from him. I hit the wall, and he got to my door at the same exact time, and it kind of shot him and wrecked him.”
Nemechek also called the final lap “good, hard racing. I’m smiling ear-to-ear internally let’s put it, for the hard racing we had today, how him and I raced each other. I’m disappointed with a fifth-place finish with the car we had today and not being in Victory Lane. I’ll let that disappointment drive me and, hopefully, go win some more races.”
A debris caution with 22 laps to go in the race eliminated Nemechek’s three-second lead over Justin Allgaier and bunched the field.
The restart found Nemechek, Allgaier, Cole Custer, Austin Hill and Kyle Larson at the front.
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