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Kyle Larson calls for NASCAR to get rid of rear-view cameras to reduce air blocking after Wurth 400 at Dover

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Jonathan Howard | Last updated 4/28/24

In the immediate wake of his loss to Denny Hamlin at Dover, Kyle Larson offered a potential solution to the air blocking issues in NASCAR. The Gen 7 car is just a dud in dirty air, and it’s almost impossible to pass.

Now, to be fair to Kyle Larson, he isn’t griping about Dover specifically. This is the culmination of a season-long issue. Arguably, going back to the 550HP package on intermediate tracks a few years back.

The Next Gen car makes it too “easy” to block the air and keep a driver from passing. Larson even cited his win at Las Vegas as an example of the extreme air blocking.

Larson would like to see NASCAR remove the rear-view cameras from the cars. It is something that was added in the last couple of seasons. Drivers have a rear-view mirror like the old cars but also a rear-view camera.

This was the gist of what Larson said from Jeff Gluck of The Athletic.

Air blocking was, once again, a topic after the race on pit road. Kyle Larson suggests NASCAR should get rid of the rear view cameras to at least make it a little harder to air-block people. He used the word "easy" several times in describing the air-blocking technique.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 28, 2024

This is an interesting take. Drivers and NASCAR have called for aero changes, horsepower changes, tire changes – but what about tools like the rearview camera? Or will that not really matter much when drivers have spotters and a mirror as well?

The race at Dover came down to the same things almost every race this year has come down to – pit stops and track position.

Kyle Larson falls short at Dover Motor Speedway

As far as storylines go, this one was pretty good by the end of the race. It was another battle between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson. This one did not get to the level of drama that Kansas and Pocono were last year, but it was a reminder of the feud between them on the track.

Yes, they are golf buddies and friends off the track. But I don’t think there is a duo out there in the Cup Series who frequently race each other as hard as Hamlin and Larson. Larson won the second stage but Hamlin won the race. Even when they weren’t fighting for the lead, they were side-by-side racing in the top-5.

These rivalries are good for NASCAR. Even if they aren’t the most heated or a weekly occurrence. What it does is make the viewer pay attention at home. If you see the 11 and 5 racing each other, you know you are watching two of the best in the sport not giving each other an inch of leeway.

With his third win of the season, four if you include the Busch Light Clash, Hamlin has taken an early lead in the Larson-Hamlin battle of 2024. Will Yung Money be able to hit back and pick up wins soon or will he continue to fall behind the 11?

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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