"That's not a good look for our sport" - Kyle Larson calls out 'embarrassing' Ross Chastain move at Martinsville

Last weekend's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway was bound to give reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson flashbacks to the 2021 season. The final Round of 8 race of the 2022 season saw drivers put everything on the line to qualify for Championship 4, with the day's highlight coming in the form of Ross Chastain's do-or-die move on the final lap of the race.

Larson was seen pulling off a similar move last year at Darlington Raceway during the Southern 500 to a somewhat less spectacular result. The Hendrick Motorsports driver spoke on what Chastain's move meant for NASCAR as a top-tier motorsport genre after becoming a crucial team player in the 500-lap-long race.

As the #5 hendrickcars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver ran in P2 on the last lap, the crowd at Martinsville Speedway went berserk after Ross Chastain rode the outside wall into a berth in the final four drivers slated to challenge for the title next weekend. When asked whether he inspired the Trackhouse Racing driver's move in a post-race interview, Kyle Larson said:

“Yeah, and I’m a bit, uh, I don’t know, embarrassed that I did because that was pretty embarrassing, honestly, that’s not a good look for our sport, at all. I don’t know what you guys think. You probably think it’s cool. But I think it’s pretty embarrassing.”

Kyle Larson spoke of a valid point in his reaction to Ross Chastain's move as the 'Hail Melon' maneuver did not seem to involve driver skills as much as it did dedication and commitment. While the move was spectacular as a one-time-only affair, future misuse of the outside wall might not portray a positive image of the sport.

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Kyle Larson 'embarrassed' about riding on the wall at Darlington Raceway last year

In light of the events that ultimately finalized the Championship 4 drivers in last weekend's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Kyle Larson spoke freely about his take on Ross Chastain's move on the 1-mile-long track. Larson, who himself was in the Trackhouse Racing driver's shoes at Darlington Raceway last year while chasing Denny Hamlin for the lead, seems to have moved on from videogame-style wall riding attempts in real life.

The Elk Grove, California native spoke about how NASCAR's portrayal as a sport is not in the best light with such moves on the track. Larson also regretted making the move himself last year and said:

“I’m embarrassed that I did it at Darlington. Probably if I didn’t do it last year people even think to do that. I’m embarrassed in myself and glad I didn’t win that way.”

NASCAR goes live from Phoenix Raceway this upcoming Sunday for the 2022 Cup Series championship race.