While Larson won the opening stage, Preece was also a contender up inside the top-five.
However, not long after the start of the second stage, Larson tried to clear up in front of Preece but the Stewart-Haas Racing driver still had his nose in there. Preece hit the wall as a result, and later spun after more contact with other cars broke a toe-link on his Ford Mustang.
He was obviously upset, especially with how difficult passing proved to be on Sunday. He got on the radio with an ominous warning: "You know what I'm sick of? Excuses ... from now on, it's game over."
He fell two laps down, but fought his way back on the lead lap. As fate would have it, Larson spun at the beginning of the third stage and ended up in the back of the pack near Preece.
As they battled, Preece slid up into the Hendrick Motorsports driver, who then slammed the outside wall. They continued to bang doors down the backstretch with Larson eventually spinning into the outside wall.
Preece ⚔️ Larson 😬 #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/G0NATCgzYU
— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) April 10, 2023
Larson's race was over, and he finished 35th. Preece only managed to finish 24th in a disappointing result for both drivers. After the checkered flag, Preece claimed that there was no intent behind the contact.
“No, I was just trying to run the top," he said post-race. "You guys saw it. He was running the top and making ground and I tried to move up and it’s really slick if you’re not in the right spot, not racing dirt, I guess you figure that out.”
Larson seems to think otherwise, saying: "I’m guessing he was paying me back for whatever I did earlier. He ran me straight into the fence and my car was broke and we crashed. It sucks, but I should just be mad at myself for spinning out earlier and putting myself back there. Just sucks.”
It's worth noting that Denny Hamlin was fined $50,000 and docked 25 driver points after admitting to intentionally walling Ross Chastain as Phoenix earlier this year. The penalty remained unaltered after a failed appeal by Hamlin.
Preece was also questioned about his 'game over' radio message, but he said there was no hidden meaning behind the words.
“I think you just get mad getting run in the fence," he explained. "There was no meaning, it’s just from inside that race car you’re like, ‘I’m not gonna lift.’ When it comes to being run into the fence, every time you lift, if guys see you lifting when you’re at the right-rear corner, they’re just gonna keep running you up in the fence. I think when I meant game over, I meant just not gonna keep lifting and giving that respect of, ‘hey, I’ll give you this room.’ It comes down to that.”
