While Hendrick Motorsports fans celebrate Kyle Larson’s total domination at Bristol, not everyone is in the same boat. Leading 462 laps out of 500 is a difficult task and for the people who are not supporting Larson, it felt like the race was boring. Seeing Larson lap other cars made it clear that Larson would be bagging the win at Bristol, especially considering the fact that he won at all stages of the race.
When Kyle Larson drove into the pit lane, his crew was extremely efficient, and they ensured that the No. 5 Chevy driver did not lose out on positions. Watching one driver be uncontested throughout a race might feel monotonous for some fans, but in the end, the race went the way it had to. After hearing the online comments on the Bristol race, Kenny Wallace decided to step into the side with Larson’s victory. While he was at it, he had some bold statements to make about some of NASCAR’s fan base and this is what he said.
Kenny Wallace’s rant to shush disappointed fans
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It was the elimination race for the top 16 drivers, narrowed down to 12 after Bristol. This meant watching drivers like Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Harrison Burton, and Ty Gibbs did not make it. There were some minor incidents on the track, but nothing compared to last week’s chaos, and this might have come off as boring to some fans.
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Kenny Wallace would not hear it as he posted a video on YouTube where he went on a rant against the fans who claimed not to have enjoyed the race. Wallace went on video to say, “I call you people out. I call you people out! You’re too much. You’re a case for the couch, as my mama would say, meaning that you need to be put on the couch and talked to about life. You want too much. You’re mad that NASCAR is doing well, but yet you still watch. So, respond right here—why do you watch? Why do you watch? Because you watch everything!”
If this did not set the tone, not much else will. Wallace targeted all the fans who were being negative about how the race went. Targeting the agenda that sells, Wallace said, “I’m responding to the negative people right now because that’s what makes the show good. Negativity sells—people like negativity. They watch the race hoping they can talk negatively.” The fan base started to show a divide as the older fans called themselves Legacy fans, and Wallace was clearly not a fan of the tag.
Kenny Wallace addressed the fans who had a problem, saying, “Respond right here—is that a clean version of fans that are old and angry? ‘We’re Legacy fans’ is a nice word, though; I’ll give it to you.” Saying that most of the “legacy” fans were at home instead of the tracks as he explained, “You weren’t here. I do not agree with you, and just to irritate you a little bit—I’m not going to change my mind. Ooh, that pisses you off, huh? Not going to change my mind.”
via Imago NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Nationwide Series: DRIVE4COPD 300 Feb 25, 2012 Daytona Beach, FL, USA NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Kenny Wallace during the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Florida UNITED STATES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAndrewxWeber-USAxTODAYxSportsx 6067292
It’s clear that Kenny Wallace is going on a rant against fans with a different opinion, but ultimately he revealed, “It wasn’t the best race of all time, but it was a great race. It was a good time. And how can you tell it was a good time? Wherever there’s—oh, that was a cocky look—wherever there’s 90,000 people, something must be going on!” Using the turnout of the race as a justification for the event’s success, Wallace tried to say that the race was a good one to begin with.
What made the race so interesting?
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Once the fact that Kyle Larson dominated the race has been addressed, there were other things that went down at Bristol to make the race entertaining. Denny Hamlin, who was at risk of getting eliminated, finished 4th and secured himself a safe spot in the playoffs. Now he stands sixth, and this is a much better position than his previous P13 standing.
Some unfortunate events took place on the track, like Harrison Burton’s car facing a power steering issue that had him retire from the race. This also became the reason he was eliminated from the top 12, but what he achieved by being in the playoffs is something fans will not forget soon.
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Martin Truex Jr. was also eliminated as he finished P24, which was not good enough for him to score more points to remain safe. This also came with a pit penalty for speeding, which could be held as the reason for his defeat in the top 16.
Hendrick Motorsports were the biggest winners of the race as Kyle Larson’s performance put him back to the top of the playoff grid, replacing Ryan Blaney, who was in the lead after Watkins Glen. Ryan Blaney finished sixth, but with the stage points and race win points that Larson bagged, it was not enough to remain at the top.
via Getty DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 31: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, walks the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 31, 2024 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Much more happened on the track, which only people who attended the race would know. Kenny Wallace asked the fans, “Was the race boring?” before quickly replying to the question himself, saying, “That’s in the eye of the beholder.”
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Do you agree with Wallace’s remarks about Bristol? Share your thoughts in the comments below.