JR Motorsports driver Sam Mayer can’t seem to find himself away from DNFs in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. After back-to-back crushing results at Brickyard and Michigan, Mayer suffered a similar fate at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The driver of the No. 1 Chevy was feeling good about his chances to add a third win to his name for the year. “This is the best car you’ve ever built for me.”

However, in the final few laps of the Stage 2 run, Sam Mayer tried to make a pass over the No. 19 car and completely missed his markers. As a result, the rear end of his car made contact with the #19 and rammed into the safer barrier.

That wasn’t it; a hard hit in the wall completely tore the back bumper of the No. 1 Chevy. And, next thing you know, a ball of flames engulfed it. Sam Mayer quickly parked his car after sliding down the racetrack and quickly rushed out of his cockpit.

In theory, the driver was given a green signal by his spotter to clear the #19, but in reality, it led to a DNF finish for the JRM driver. Kevin Hamlin came clean on his mistake and radioed the message to his team that it was his error that cost them dearly.

Mayer isn’t looking to point fingers for his actions on the racetrack

Door, bumper, and clear are the words the drivers rely on while trying to make a close pass on a rival on the track. While these callouts are essential for the racecar drivers, the final decision rests in their ability to execute and pull off a clean pass. In Mayer’s case, Kevin Hamlin did cause the muck-up, but Mayer wasn’t looking to blame anyone but himself after the crash.

“I mean, it’s so tight. Like you’re always trying to push it to the limits to make moves like that 10 to go, 15 to go in the stage. I gotta tell you this was some of the most fun I’ve had at this racetrack. This style of racing, especially, it was a blast. I was having a lot of fun, making the he moves there, rolling the bottom.” Sam Mayer said this in an interview with Bob Pockrass.

During his time at JRM, Mayer has parked his No. 1 Chevy in the victory lane six times. But, the driver is yet to repeat this feat in Atlanta. Had it not been for the unfortunate incident, the #1 team could’ve added their third win of the season, helping them gain momentum before the start of playoffs.

Evidently, sharing the frustration, Sam Mayer said, “Sucks that it got kind of cut short, but I’m super proud of my guys, and the race cars they’re bringing to the race tracks right now are really, really good. Lots to look forward to going into the playoffs but I would’ve liked to run a couple of laps more fun today.”

His race car catching fire was indeed a concerning visual for the fans. But fortunately, he was able to make it out of his car unscathed. Bob Pockrass asked him about the fire and if he felt the heat inside the cockpit. “I mean, it was warm; I was toasting like a marshmallow a little bit, but it was on fire for a second and a half or two that I could see, so it wasn’t that bad,” he replied.

Sam Mayer will look to end his run at JRM on a good note as he will be joining the Haas Factory Team in 2025. Last year he had a roller coaster of a ride in the playoffs. Starting off with DNF finishes and advancing further with a win at Roval. He will be hoping for a better run this time around; who knows, he might leave his team as an Xfinity Series champion.