During the qualifying race at Martinsville Speedway, Clint Bowyer joked about how Dale Earnhardt Jr. was responsible for creating a ‘disaster’ habit among the younger set of drivers. After the FS1 broadcast showed Chris Buescher’s in-car camera, Mike Joy stated, “Now look at his hand position on the wheel,” and in response, Buescher opined, “The Dale Earnhardt Jr. The Dale Junior look, right?” After a bit more back and forth, Bowyer quipped, “Dale Jr. — you run him. Look at what you’ve done. You’ve created a disaster here with these young guys. That’s funny. I hope he’s listening.” Could this have been true, after all?

While these comments were in jest, Sammy Smith’s driving during the Xfinity race at Martinsville warranted a more serious rendition of the unique steering style of Earnhardt Jr., which perhaps trickled down to the JR Motorsports (JRM) driver. The Xfinity Series finish at Martinsville wasn’t just sloppy, it was a gut punch to fans who love Martinsville’s gritty charm.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series race had everything—chaos, crashes, and tempers flaring hotter than a summer tire fire. It was supposed to be a thrilling showdown at the historic short track, but it turned into a mess that left fans, drivers, and even legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr. shaking their heads. The last 50 laps were absolute mayhem. Austin Hill somehow snatched the win for Richard Childress Racing, which was special as it is their 100th in Xfinity. But the real story was the ugliness that unfolded as Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray tangled, taking out any hope of a clean ending.

Let’s set the scene. Martinsville’s tight, half-mile oval is known for beating and banging, but this was next-level reckless. With a $100,000 Dash 4 cash bonus on the line, some drivers were desperate for the win. Taylor Gray had made a slick, clean pass for the lead and led the field in the overtime restart, too. Gray led the field into Turn 4, only to get wiped out by Sammy Smith and finish 29th (Smith finished in 10th). Gray was fuming and walked to the medical center to confront Smith after the race. Meanwhile, Hill slipped through the carnage to celebrate, but the spotlight quickly shifted to the bad blood boiling over.

Then came Dale Earnhardt Jr’s take, dropping like a thunderclap on X: “This racetrack is historic in the grand scheme of all things NASCAR and deserves better.” Here’s a guy who’s poured his heart into JRM, watching one of his drivers, Sammy Smith, drag their name through the mud with a move that trashed not one but two cars—the No. 7 of Justin Allgaier and Smith’s ride. Dale Jr. wasn’t just mad; he was calling for accountability. It’s personal when your team’s reputation takes a hit like that, and fans picked up on it fast.

Smith said after the race, “I mean, absolutely it was egregious. I’m not proud of that, but roles reversed, he would have done the same thing. He’s got no respect for me. I didn’t move him on the first few restarts, but he was flipping me off under the red flag, swerving at me. It’s definitely uncalled for and I’m not proud of it, but he would have done the exact same thing, and that’s what I told him. We’ll see what happens … It’s unfortunate. If you’re not the one doing it, someone is going to do it to you. Everyone is going to dog on me and I’m not proud of that, but at the end of the day, it’s what you got to do.”

When the driver was further asked if Gray deserved it, Smith stated: “Yeah. I would say we have a little bit of a past. He has no respect for me. And then with flipping me off under the red flag, that right there was the line for me. Maybe he’ll find some more respect and I’m sure we will go at it a couple more times, but you know I’m not afraid to.”

Smith and Gray’s last-lap crash handed Hill a shock victory. Gray and Smith were exchanging heated words on pit road with Gray shoving Smith as the crowd roared. JRM’s crew chiefs were probably already dreading the repair bills, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s post on X lit the fuse for fans to vent their own frustrations. This wasn’t just a race gone wrong; it was a breaking point for a community tired of seeing talent overshadowed by recklessness.

Justin Allgaier (No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet), crossing the finish line in third, was visibly fuming after the chaotic conclusion to the race. He stated: “I feel like all day using the bumper was one thing but just completely wrecking people, (Gray) tried to wreck (Smith) and he did it back to what (Gray) did to him. They’re both going to be upset. I’m upset because we lost the Dash 4 Cash and we lost a chance at winning the race.” His words painted a vivid picture of a race where tempers flared as fiercely as the engines roared and fans too shared their thoughts on social media.

Fans are fuming over the wreck fest!

“Make them pay $ for the damage they cause. They are spoiled brats with no skin $ in the game. Doesn’t happen if owner/driver,” one fan raged online. Fans are watching drivers like Sammy Smith trash JR Motorsports’ cars—two of them, the No. 7 and his own No. 1. Back in the day, owner-drivers like Dale Sr. or even Dale Jr himself had to foot the bill, so they raced with respect. Now, teams like JRM eat the cost.

“Doing whatever it takes to win, NASCAR created this by having ‘win and you’re in,’” another fan snapped. The playoff format—win, and you’re guaranteed a spot in the playoffs—turned Martinsville into a war zone. Sammy Smith’s last-lap slam on Taylor Gray wasn’t just desperation; it was a symptom of a system that rewards chaos over clean racing. It left a sour taste. NASCAR’s rules are pushing drivers to the edge, and they’re pinning Smith’s move on a format that’s more about survival than skill. It’s a brutal truth that’s got fans questioning the sport’s direction.

“Just wait this will be the cup series in 4-5 years… if that happens im out. I have been a faithful fan for 32 years. But that would be it for me,” a long-time supporter warned. This fan’s seen it all, from the days of Earnhardt Sr.’s grit to Dale Jr’s rise, but Martinsville’s mess felt like a tipping point. The unpleasantness of Smith and Gray crashing, tempers flaring on pit road, has them terrified the Cup Series will follow suit. If the top-level short tracks become a wreck-fest like Xfinity’s, they’re done. It’s a plea to keep NASCAR’s soul intact, and Dale Jr’s vocal stand gives them hope that someone’s listening.

“The last 50 laps were so disappointing to watch. Taylor Grey made a clean passed then gets cleaned out and Sammy Smith says he deserves it. Sammy deserves a one-race suspension,” another fan fumed. Taylor Gray pulled off a textbook move of clean, hard racing, only for Smith to plow through him on the final lap. Fans are livid that a JRM driver would tank a race like that. A suspension isn’t just punishment, it’s justice, a way to tell NASCAR to draw a line. “Hey Justin, I hope you take time to walk Sammy through it. You gotta help grow this team and show them what leadership looks like,” wrote another fan.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s voice, leading the charge, has fans rallying behind him. They’re tired of the mess, and they’re looking to him and the sport’s veterans to demand better. This isn’t just about one race—it’s about the soul of NASCAR hanging in the balance. What do you think?