Scott McLaughlin, stinging from 500 wreck, gets apology from Kyle Larson for gesture

DETROIT — There's one part of Scott McLaughlin's Indy 500 that he'll probably never get over. But there's another part that he's already moved past. 

Scott McLaughlin after wrecking right before Indy 500 start

Kyle Larson gave McLaughlin a thumbs up when driving by his wrecked car on the Indy 500 pace laps. But Scott said he's harboring no ill will toward Larson after the fact.

Larson was on a time crunch trying to compete in and complete both the Indy 500 and Coke 600 races on Sunday. He apparently delivered the gesture as part sarcasm and part frustration over seeing his chances to complete both slip away, thanks to drizzle delaying the Indy 500 start.

The video went viral. 

McLaughlin said Larson texted him. And McLaughlin also took a little dig at Larson in the debate about whether Larson is better than Formula 1 standout Max Verstappen.

"He texted me. We're all good," McLaughlin said Thursday, prior to a luncheon to kick off the Detroit Grand Prix weekend. "I've got a tremendous amount of respect for Kyle.

"I just love poking s--- at everyone, too. So my tweet was a bit of making fun of that whole conversation because that's been such a big piece. But also, I wasn't going to let him off the hook with that [gesture] either. That's the type of person I am."

McLaughlin said he never felt that Larson’s gesture was vindictive. 

Larson, the NASCAR Cup Series points leader and 2021 champion, had about a 40-minute buffer from when the race typically would end and when he felt he needed to leave for Charlotte. The rain delay lasted about 45 minutes, and McLaughlin's wreck delayed the start even longer.

"He texted me and apologized and didn't mean it. And I know he didn't," McLaughlin said. "He’s really a respectful racer.