RELATED: Frame-by-frame look at the wreck
A heavy crash brought an early end to Kyle Larson‘s Sunday at Auto Club Speedway, snaring his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with 47 of 200 laps complete.
Larson’s wreck brought out the second caution flag in the Auto Club 400, triggered by a flat, left-rear tire on the 2-mile California track’s backstretch. His car glanced off the outside retaining wall before veering sharply toward the inside wall on the backstretch.
Though Larson was able to scrub off some measure of speed on the paved backstretch apron, his car made severe, nose-first contact, lifting the tires off the ground in a full pirouette.
“I’m all right,” Larson radioed his crew after his No. 42 skidded to a halt. “That one really hurt, though.”
Larson waved as he walked away from the crash under his own power before being transported for a mandatory trip to the infield care center, where he was evaluated and released. The inside backstretch wall was protected by the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier system.
“That was definitely a hard hit there, probably one of the harder ones of my career,” said Larson, who was scored last in the 39-car field. “And even before that, we were pretty sorta average there. … Disappointed in our run today, but glad I’m all right.”