Scott McLaughlin, Devlin DeFrancesco have 'cleared the air' after Thermal argument

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Devlin DeFrancesco won’t apologize for being passionate and Scott McLaughlin won’t apologize for thinking he was wronged when the two had contact prior to the start of the INDYCAR race a few weeks ago at Thermal.

Their argument after the race went viral. 

DeFrancesco wasn’t going to take the blame without voicing his opinion to the Team Penske driver.

Ironically, the two drivers are pitted next to each other this weekend for the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

"I figured we were going to be close," McLaughlin said. "I went and saw the 30 car crew [of DeFrancesco] yesterday. They're putting their pit [area] together. I said, ‘Boys, at least I know my neighbors, but at least I hope I’m not yelling and screaming here on Sunday.'"

DeFrancesco said his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team works hard and has a fight in them.

"It's the heat of the moment, right? And it was after a tough day and very disappointing after the pace that we had," DeFrancesco said. "This is my life. These guys, especially RLL, ... we fight every weekend going out.

"So I was passionate about it. Scott and I spoke, we've cleared the air, we've moved on and we're looking forward to the rest of the season, and this weekend in Long Beach."

McLaughlin also wanted to move on quickly.

"I don't need to have a beef with Dev," McLaughlin said. "I don't have beef with anyone. But I'm not going to shy away from the fact that I thought it was a bonehead move, and that's just how it is.

"But sometimes people like that [or] people hate that if you're up front about it. Dev, full credit [to him] that we've got on with it, and there's no hard feelings."

DeFrancesco’s fiery demeanor might have surprised some, but it did not surprise Graham Rahal, the