NASCAR Monday Mash-Up: Cup Series overtime causes controversy after Richmond
What a weekend in Richmond. NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series action took place and we had a bit of a controversy in the end. Toyota, specifically Joe Gibbs Racing, were the big winners when all was said and done.
No Truck Series race this weekend for Richmond. Instead, things started with Xfinity Series action. It is wild how different the racing is between that series and the Cup Series on the same exact track.
The setup in the Xfinity Series is strong right now. NASCAR has it figured out with those cars. That isn’t to say Saturday’s race was amazing, but it had a little bit of action throughout the field that Sunday lacked. Let’s get into what went down this weekend.
Engines blow during Xfinity Series race
The ToyotaCare 250 didn’t have a ton of wild moments, but it had a few. One peculiar issue that popped up a few times was engines blowing up.
Ryan Vargas, Brandon Jones, and Sheldon Creed all had engine issues that put a stop to their race on Saturday. Not sure if those were at all connected, but for two Chevys and a Toyota to have engine failures on the same day is interesting at least.
Joey Gase throws his bumper in all-time great NASCAR moment
During the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, there was one moment that was shocking. Dawson Cram sent Joey Gase spinning and into the wall. The No. 35 car took heavy damage and Gase’s day was over.
Before he left the track, Gase made sure to send a message to Cram. He ripped off the bumper of his car and threw it at Cram’s windshield. Direct hit. It remains to be seen if there will be a penalty from NASCAR as a result.
Chandler Smith wins again at Richmond
Young Chandler Smith is one of the promising talents in the Xfinity Series. Last year he won this Richmond race with Kaulig Racing. This year he did it again, but with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Smith had to wait for his car to come to him throughout the race. Aric Almirola was dominant in the first two stages. However, Smith controlled the final stage and drove it to a fairly comfortable win. His second victory of the season.
NASCAR starts Cup Series race on wet weather tires
One interesting note about this race, it was the first Cup Series points-paying race to use these wet weather tires. Goodyear has worked hard to get these tires made and it was an interesting experiment.
30 laps on these tires, a non-competition caution (boo!) to switch back to slicks – everyone seemed to like the tires and the racing. Drivers were coming and going and it allowed the race to start much earlier than it would with just slicks.
Austin Dillon loses his mind on the radio
Richard Childress had to hop on the radio on Sunday and calm his grandson down. Austin Dillon lost his mind about “dumbass strategy” and was letting his team know about it. Dillon struggled all night in this race.
Childress had to get on the radio and tell his driver “Ain’t doing no good talking.” In other words, quit complaining and drive the car, we’ll figure it out. Dillon would manage to finish P24 at the end of the race. He is averaging a 25.7 place finish in races this season.
Bubba Wallace spins Kyle Larson with two laps to go
Just before Martin Truex Jr. took the white flag in regulation, Bubba Wallace triggered a caution. Kyle Larson got loose, lost speed, Wallace got loose, went into the rear of Larson.
Despite the history between these two, there were no hard feelings. Wallace apologized in person on pit road. Besides, Larson finished P3 in the end thanks to a series of unfortunate events. Bubba went from top-5 to a P13 finish. Tough break.
Denny Hamlin uses late caution to beat Martin Truex Jr.
The caution from Larson and Wallace sent this race into overtime. That’s when Denny Hamlin’s pit crew went to work and got him back onto the track in first place for the restart.
Things got intense on the restart with Hamlin and Truex going door-to-door. Tempers flared after the race, and there was a ton of talk online about the restart and if Hamlin jumped it. In the end, Denny is walking away with the trophy and his second win of the season.
NASCAR deems restart acceptable despite controversy
Now, as far as the restart goes, NASCAR did make a call at the end of the race. Elton Sawyer spoke with the media outside of the hauler. They felt it was “awful close,” but Hamlin did not violate the restart zone.
Fans are going to be upset. Truex was upset for sure last night. But there wasn’t anything egregious about that restart compared to any other restart that NASCAR has. Maybe I’m wrong, but altering the finish because of something like that would be inappropriate.