Scott McLaughlin, the New Zealand IndyCar driver for Team Penske, recently opened up about the much-discussed incident involving NASCAR star Kyle Larson during the 2024 Indianapolis 500. The incident began when McLaughlin crashed out during the pace lap, leading to a sarcastic gesture and comments from Larson and a subsequent exchange between the two drivers.
The Incident: Crash and Sarcasm
During the pace lap of the Indy 500, McLaughlin lost control while trying to warm up his tires, sliding off the track and into the barriers. This early crash brought out a yellow flag, delaying the race start and frustrating several competitors—most notably Kyle Larson.
Larson, who was attempting the challenging “Indy 500/Coca-Cola 600 double” (racing both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day), was heard venting his anger over the team radio, using several expletives. As he passed McLaughlin’s crashed car, Larson also gave a sarcastic thumbs-up gesture.
Social Media Reaction
After the race, McLaughlin addressed the incident on social media, quoting a video of Larson’s gesture and joking:
“Guess I’m out of the best driver in the world talks.”
This comment hinted at possible tension between the two drivers.
Clearing the Air: Larson’s Apology
Ahead of the IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix, McLaughlin clarified that there was no bad blood between him and Larson. Speaking in a post shared by IndyCar on FOX, McLaughlin revealed that Larson had reached out to him via text message to apologize for his actions.
“He texted me and we’re all good. I mean, I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for Kyle. I just love poking fun at everyone too. So my tweet was about making fun of that whole conversation because that’s been such a big piece, but also I wasn’t going to let him off the hook with that either. That’s the type of person I am,” McLaughlin explained.
He continued:
“To his credit, Kyle texted me and apologized. He didn’t mean it. I don’t know — he’s a really respectful racer and kudos to him for even reaching out. He didn’t need to. He doesn’t care about my IndyCar award, so yeah.”
The Challenge of the Double
McLaughlin also expressed understanding for Larson’s frustration, noting the logistical challenges of attempting both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in one day.
“Yeah, I understand it. I mean, they know it’s logistically tough regardless, and when you have a delay like that — I heard it was only 40 minutes. I mean, 40 minutes is pretty close. So maybe the two series can come together and talk about different times or whatever. But at the same time, you know, Indy is Indy and 600 is 600. If you want to run the risk of doing that, that’s up to you.”
While McLaughlin’s crash did narrow the time window for Larson to complete the double, Larson himself faced trouble later in the race. On lap 91, after a downshift going into turn two following a restart, Larson encountered issues and was forced to leave for North Carolina to compete in the Coca-Cola 600.
McLaughlin’s Reflections Post-Crash
Following his crash, McLaughlin took to social media to share his disappointment:
“I truly don’t know what happened. Just touched the throttle and around we went. I’m absolutely gutted for my crew, @Team_Penske @Pennzoil and all of our fans. We’ll be back stronger next year. I’m sorry. See ya in Detroit.”
He was the first of two Team Penske drivers to retire from the race, as teammate Josef Newgarden also exited early due to a fuel pressure issue. McLaughlin is now focusing on the Detroit Grand Prix, a race where his best result so far is seventh place, achieved in 2023.
