The fallout from the dramatic incident at Talladega Superspeedway continued to reverberate through the NASCAR community, with Ryan Blaney making it clear that he had no sympathy for Michael McDowell’s actions even at the NHMS. After McDowell’s No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford made contact with Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske car, sending both drivers into a long, smoky slide, the veteran driver sought out Blaney to apologize.

Ryan Blaney was in a great position to at least compete for the win with Christopher Bell. However, on a late restart, the No. 12 car was cleaned out by McDowell. It was an absolute kick to the gut for Blaney. Instead of a top-5 finish, Blaney had to settle for P25. A long, six-hour day on the track was not rewarded with much for Blaney and his team.

And McDowell did apologize after the race, but the damage was done. However, Blaney was in no mood to accept the olive branch. “Apologies are nice, but it isn’t going to bring back what he did,” Blaney said bluntly. “It was a low percentage move. What do you think was gonna happen? You’re gonna take both of us out.”

In a Door Bumper Clear episode on June 25, TJ Majors echoed Blaney’s sentiments, noting that this was not the first time Ryan Blaney had found himself in such a predicament due to a risky maneuver by a competitor. “I’ve been there before. This is not the first time this situation’s come up,” Majors said. “You gotta make moves, I get it. But you can’t keep taking yourself out. This is two times in the last month maybe. Or a month and a half, whenever Talladega was. That was a really low percentage move as well.”

Majors went on to explain that, while he understands the need for drivers to be aggressive, there is a fine line between calculated risk-taking and reckless behavior. He cautioned that McDowell and Blaney’s playoff hopes could be jeopardized if he continues to find himself on the wrong end of such incidents.

The harsh criticism from both Blaney and Majors underscores the intensity of the NASCAR Cup Series competition and the high stakes involved, especially as the playoffs loom. Michael McDowell is still under heat from all sides regarding his decision on the tracks. Fans and other drivers have had their fair share of criticism towards the situation.

Hamlin also calls out McDowell’s Recklessness

Denny Hamlin, another NASCAR veteran, wasn’t having any of McDowell’s excuses after the miscalculated crash. Speaking out on the unfair position Ryan Blaney was put into.  Simultaneously, Hamlin also threw shade at McDowell’s actions, calling his move a risk that wasn’t even close to paying off.

Hamlin on the Actions Detrimental episode said, “I side with Ryan on this one. Very low percentage move and it wasn’t the move to win the race. It was for second place. You gotta get to second before you can make a crazy move. It’s like someone saying running seventh, ‘Ah, just had to do it because I needed a win.’ Yeah, but you’re seventh, it’s not for the win. Second place is not for the win.”

Fans piled on too, blasting McDowell on social media for his “boneheaded move.” Some fans even said it was “typical McDowell,” implying this wasn’t the first time he’d pulled a risky stunt. The whole situation highlighted the challenge NASCAR drivers face.

And they could be right. If McDowell doesn’t take precautions henceforth, this may just be his legacy! The fallout from the Talladega and New Hampshire incidents has emphasized the fine line between aggressive driving and reckless behavior. The sport thrives on close-quarters racing excitement, but drivers and teams must balance taking calculated risks with jeopardizing their own and others’ success.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if McDowell and his team can learn from this experience and make more prudent decisions on the track.