During the NASCAR Cup Series race at Fontana, defending champion Kyle Larson shoved his Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott into the wall. Larson, who went on to win the race, more or less, put the blame on his spotter Tyler Monn in the post-race interviews for not doing his job right.

While Monn himself tweeted a message of apology and took the blame on himself, another spotter didn’t understand Larson’s actions.

Freddie Kraft, the spotter of Bubba Wallace, recently criticized Larson’s treatment of his spotter in a recent episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast. “Here’s what I don’t understand: Kyle Larson races whole life without a spotter. Kyle Larson races now probably 30 times a year without a spotter,” he said.

Kraft continued, “And this is now two weeks in a row that he’s thrown his spotter under the bus.”

“The thing that really bothers me is that getting out there two weeks in a row now, and essentially blaming your spotter on TV and interviews.”

What did Kyle Larson say about the incident?

After the race, Kyle Larson addressed the media about the crash with Elliott. He said, “I didn’t get through 3 and 4 very well. Joey (Logano) did a good job on the bottom, and then we were side drafting each other, and I’m not even looking in my mirror at that point because all I’m worried about is Joey and I’m looking out of my A-post window.”

He added, “I had a run, so I went to peel off, and as soon as I peeled off, my spotter is yelling, “Outside! Outside! Outside!” And I had no clue he was even coming.”

“I should have had more awareness in my mirror. My spotter could have told me he was coming with a big run, and we would have avoided that mess.” 

Also Read: Hendrick GM Dismisses Theories of Chase Elliott Deliberately Bringing Out a Caution After Contact With Teammate Kyle Larson