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Earlier this week, the flames of a feud were fanned when Kyle Larson claimed during a radio appearance that Christopher Bell had been ignoring his attempts to reach out and talk after the two were involved in an on-track incident last weekend at Watkins Glen. Saturday in Indianapolis, Bell was given his opportunity to respond and made it clear where he stands on the issue of both their run-in and what happened afterward.

Bell responded to Larson's claims by letting on that he was not pleased with Larson going to the media and with his version of the story. While Larson had claimed that Bell was "not willing to talk" when he reached out, Bell's side of the matter was quite different.

"I called him to discuss that part of it [the on-track contact], and he didn't answer my call. And then he called me back and I had some obligations and I didn't answer either," Bell said. "On-track incident, whatever. Him crying to the media that I didn't reply to his 'sorry' text message? Like, come on."

Bell stated that he didn't think not replying was a big deal, as he claimed he has not gotten a reply to messages he's sent apologizing to other drivers "more often than not." Bell's view of the incident, which occurred while the two were racing for second and ended with Larson spinning Bell in Turn One, also had not changed -- Bell claimed he had looked at SMT data which showed that he was a car length and a half above the normal bottom line in order to try and avoid Larson hitting him and spinning him out.

Ultimately, Bell said above all else that his overarching issue with Larson was what he had claimed to the media, rather than with last week's incident.

"He did send me a text message, albeit at midnight. But I read it and was moved on from the on-track incident. And then him running his mouth is a little uncalled for. It is what it is," Bell said. "... It's very frustrating to hear that 'Larson has called me and I'm not answering the phone' when that's so far from the truth. If he really wants to talk about it, I would be glad to talk about it. But it is what is is."

The dispute between Bell and Larson is a new development in a rivalry between the two that stems from their escapades racing each other on dirt and has now extended into NASCAR. Larson, for his part, believed the issue was settled in his own comments to the press on Saturday.

"I really don't think we need to talk," Larson said in a report by Dustin Long of NBC Sports. "I'm over it. I'm pretty sure as the week has gone by he's gotten more over it as well."

Both Larson and Bell ranked in the Top 6 during practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on Saturday in preparation for Sunday's Verizon 200 at the Brickyard. Larson was third quickest at 90.106, while Bell was sixth at 90.397. Both have won on road courses this season, with Bell earning his first career win at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course before Larson's wins at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.