Tensions flared at Michigan International Speedway as Kyle Busch didn’t hold back in criticizing fellow driver Kyle Larson for what he called “air blocking” during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race. The controversial moment unfolded in the final stages when Busch, attempting to make a run toward the front, felt Larson unfairly used turbulent air to disrupt his momentum rather than racing him cleanly.
“That wasn’t racing. That was blocking with dirty air—plain and simple,” Busch said in a post-race interview. “It’s one thing to battle door-to-door, but another to manipulate the air to screw someone over. Larson’s better than that.”
Air blocking is a tactic in which a driver positions their car to manipulate airflow, deliberately stalling the trailing car’s aerodynamics and reducing its speed. While technically within the rules, many drivers consider it unsportsmanlike, especially in high-stakes late-race situations.
Larson, on the other hand, defended his actions, saying, “That’s just how we race in this package. I wasn’t doing anything different than anyone else out there.”
The clash adds another layer to the growing tension between two of NASCAR’s fiercest competitors. With both drivers in the playoff hunt, the incident could spark more fireworks as the season intensifies.
Fans and analysts remain divided—some argue Larson was simply playing smart, while others side with Busch’s frustration over an increasingly aerodynamic-driven racing style that limits pure competition.
As NASCAR continues to evolve, so too do the rivalries, with Busch and Larson at the heart of the latest storm.
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