Kyle Larson and Shane van Gisbergen Involved in Stage Finish Crash at EchoPark Speedway

Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson’s race day at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta ended prematurely on Sunday after a collision with Shane van Gisbergen during the final lap of Stage 2 in the Autotrader 400. The incident occurred as Larson attempted a block, misjudging van Gisbergen’s position and making contact.

Incident Details

Larson, running in third place, moved across the track to impede Shane van Gisbergen. However, he appeared to miscalculate the distance, resulting in contact with van Gisbergen’s car. Van Gisbergen slid through the infield grass while Larson sustained significant damage to his No. 5 Chevrolet, ending his race. Bubba Wallace ultimately won Stage 2 amidst the chaos [Source: NASCAR.com].

Driver Reactions

Following the crash, Larson expressed immediate remorse, stating over the radio, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know we were three-wide.” His spotter, Tyler Monn, clarified that Larson was not racing three-wide, explaining, “We weren’t three-wide, he just came to the bottom. That’s fine, I was just trying to keep you up top.” [Source: On3.com]

Van Gisbergen, while frustrated, managed to secure stage points. He commented, “F*ck, that was a lot of drama for one point.” Larson, after being evaluated and released from the infield care center, took full responsibility for the incident, stating, “This is all my fault, obviously.” He explained that he was focused on clearing Tyler Reddick and didn’t realize van Gisbergen was alongside him. [Source: On3.com]

Previous Encounters

This incident isn’t the first time Larson and van Gisbergen have battled on the track. In July 2025, the two drivers engaged in intense competition for the lead at the NASCAR Chicago Street Race [Source: Facebook/NASCAR]. Van Gisbergen also previously engaged in a tough battle with Larson and Christopher Bell at the Charlotte Roval, ultimately securing a win [Source: Latino.nascar.com].