It is not uncommon for two drivers, representing the same manufacturer, to push each other to victory. However, it is rare for rival cars to push aid a foe in a similar event. But it does happen on the track, as you are predominantly racing for yourself. If you remember, this is what denied Kyle Busch a playoff spot in the current Cup Series at the Daytona race where Chevy driver Parker Retzlaff pushed Harrison Burton in the Ford to victory against a leading Busch in the Chevy. And, now Chandler Smith stands at the same spot.

During the Xfinity race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill took the chequered, Chandler Smith had to settle for a P4 as his Toyota teammate, Corey Heim chose not to push him. A win for Smith could have furthered his campaign, bagging his third win of the season. However, the part-time driver for Sam Hunt Racing chose to win the race over comradery.

Corey Heim picked Hill over Chandler Smith

Here’s how things unfolded on the track: As the race was headed towards the finish line, Hill had two Toyota drivers right on his tail. Smith got alongside him to overtake, but instead of helping Smith out, his teammate Corey Heim decided to push Hill and make way. That move put Heim in second place and gave him a shot at his first-ever Xfinity win. However, as Heim attempted to go on the outside of Hill, he ended up crashing into the wall, ending both his and Smith’s chances for a win. While coming from behind, Parker Kligerman and A.J. Allmendinger surged ahead, taking P2 and P3.

A Toyota pushing a Chevy left Chandler Smith frustrated. And it is understandable. In the post-race interview, Chandler Smith said, “That last restart I got cleared and stayed up top to help my Toyota teammate pull him along and that ultimately lost me the lead doing that, and then at the very end there I shoved the 21 into three and got me got a good run was able to point underneath them and Toyota stayed up top with a Chevy so what it is and let’s move.” Although he doesn’t name Heim, his disappointment is evident as the playoffs are near, and crucial playoff points could have been earned.

The #81 wished he’d done things differently. “I’m kind of speechless, honestly. There’s a lot of different things I could have done. I could have been more selfish and when I got clear, went to the bottom to cover that and just control the race for sure, but I was trying to be a good teammate, and it didn’t pay off for me today, as usual,” Smith added.

He was talking about the restart with 14 laps to go when he was in charge of the race. Instead of defending, he stayed in line, allowing Hill to pass him on the inside. That maneuver turned out to be the winning move.

On the other hand, for Corey, a Truck Series driver, to get a win in the Xfinity Series would have been an achievement. This could have aided Heim’s future plans to get promoted to a higher series. Hence, Corey Heim probably did what he did. Post the race, he said, “He [Hill] just kind of ran me out of room, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t have done the exact same thing if I was in his spot. Just part of this superspeedway racing. You have to be aggressive and take advantage of your opportunities. Put ourselves in a really good spot there, just wasn’t meant to be.” 

Even Austin Hill was surprised to have been pushed by the Toyota driver. “The No. 81 [Smith] got into (Turn) 3 and had me jacked up. He’s doing what he has to do to try and win. Very surprised that the No. 26 [Heim] pushed me there and didn’t go with a Toyota,” he said in the post-race interview. Although after getting the win, Hill didn’t complain. But Toyota would definitely not be pleased with Chevy winning.

Are there any repercussions for Corey Heim?

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Earlier, when Parker Retzlaff pushed a Ford, he declined to face any consequences of choosing to push Burton instead of Busch. The 21-year-old said he did not want to push a Ford, but it was in his interest and his team’s interest to do so. Post the race, he had said, “I didn’t wanna push a Ford to win necessarily, but FunkAway has supported me for the last two and a half years of racing in NASCAR and it was their first Cup race. I wanted to do everything in my power to give them a good result and kind of try to put my name on the map.” 

And there is nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day, it is an individual sport, and on the track, it’s every man for themselves. Similarly, it is unlikely that there would be any more severe actions than just a word of advice, perhaps. After all, his actions were intended to win for Toyota.

Heim, when asked about the repercussions, openly said, “I’ll have a discussion on when to make the move maybe, but that’s about it.” 

However, Chandler Smith’s frustration is understandable, but he would also have probably done the same. Everyone on the track is trying to win and then is ready to do anything and everything they can to get the results.

Similar to Retzlaff, Heim too wanted to get a win for his team, which allowed him to represent them.

• What do you think about Chandler Smith’s strategy?
• Is it justified according to you? Let us know in the comments below.