Tommy Joe Martins calls out 'low visibility, bad comms' for strange Justin Allgaier, Alon Day wreck at Chicago

The start of NASCAR Xfinity Series practice at Chicago started with Alon Day wrecking into Justin Allgaier while under caution. Tommy Joe Martins, owner and president of Alpha Prime Racing stood up for his driver.

Allgaier sat stuck in the tire barrier for 21 seconds. During that time, cars were zooming by. Day says that he never heard a spotter inform him of the No. 7 car on the track.

Martins chalks that up to the nature of the Chicago Street Race course.

“Street racing [equals] Low visibility, bad comms,” Martins posted on X.com, formerly known as Twitter. “Spotter can’t see cars til late entry to 4. Alon making his first laps at speed. No lights, no flags. Spotters call caution but the driver hears it [half] the time. I was spotting [Turn 11]. Hard to hear. Gutter for [Alon Day]. He deserved more.”

Street racing = Low visibility, bad comms. Spotter can’t see cars til late entry to 4. Alon making his first laps at speed. No lights, no flags. Spotters call caution but the driver hears it 1/2 the time. I was spotting T11. Hard to hear. Gutted for @Alon_Day. He deserved more. https://t.co/HYxhgt1xle

— Tommy Joe Martins (@TommyJoeMartins) July 6, 2024

It appears that spotters either weren’t communicating or were unable to successfully communicate with Day. It is a shame that his day had to end before it really began. Alpha Prime Racing does a lot to give drivers opportunities and this one is already over.

Justin Allgaier disappointed with spotters in Alon Day wreck

After Allgaier was released from the care center, he too was disappointed with the spotters. After all, he was wrecked in front of one of the spotters’ stands.

“My guys were giving me an update on how many cars were still coming. So I knew there were cars still coming that’s why I didn’t reverse out of the tire barrier. At that moment it’s kind of a really bad, vulnerable spot. I didn’t want to reverse, unfortunately, there’s people in that corner, that’s actually right in front of the spotters’ stand.

“I’m disappointed, I know that ended his weekend, the last thing he wants to do is hit me, right? That’s not what he wants to do it’s just lack of communication, unfortunately. Probably took a racecar that was maybe fixable and took it out of the race, it definitely took them out of the race. At least we have a backup car we’ll be able to work on our stuff and get better, but just hate that we put our guys behind that far starting the weekend it’s not ideal.”

A really tough day for Alon Day. Allgaier was kind enough to not give him too much grief over the ordeal. There are few better than Allgaier when it comes to understanding and not letting the emotions fly.