Exclusive: After Kyle Busch & Denny Hamlin’s Criticism of $5 Million NASCAR Decision, Crew Chief Admits to Feeling “Lost” at Talladega

The last few races saw NASCAR face some big controversies. Be it the horsepower debate after the Bristol race, the fuel-saving tactics, or the pylon that displays the leaderboard during the race being removed at Texas and Talladega. Leading the opposition squad is Denny Hamlin, who’s furiously opined to think about the bigger picture at play—that it was a big part of the experience of being on a racetrack!

Since the pylon’s removal, many, including Bubba Wallace, Noah Gragson, and Kyle Busch, have opposed NASCAR’s take and joined Denny Hamlin. The ones running the show certainly think that the pylon is a crucial feature of most racetracks on the NASCAR calendar. Hamlin even brought an insider’s scoop of what NASCAR’s POV is, “I did talk to Chip [Ganassi] and he says they did think it through but they figured that the scoring pylons only serviced those on the infield.” But why just Texas and Talladega?

As per reports, the scoring pylon at Talladega needed repairs over the years, and some parts weren’t even able to be purchased anymore, as it comes with a high cost (over $5 million). It looks like the sanctioning body has decided to replace traditional electronic scoring pylons with bigger digital video boards.

Interestingly, the pylon only showcases top-10 drivers; but that’s where every driver wants their name placed, more so to know where the rest of the field finished. Dust was yet to settle for Hamlin as he had to resort to DNF after Michael McDowell clean sweeped the bulk of the field in the final laps of the race. Denny was visibly upset but the first thing he did after the race ended was to search for the pylon, but Denny “couldn’t find the damn thing.” In the words of Denny, what NASCAR took away was the very fabric of being at a racetrack: “It’s just, that’s what a racetrack is.”

At Talladega, SS Green Light Racing’s collaboration with Fan-Controlled Sports was a first-of-a-kind initiative that helped fans control the reins of the race car in the form of EssentiallySports’ subbrand Lucky Dog on Track and Fan Controlled car run by Mason Massey, and his crew chief, Jason Miller. Miller joined Hamlin and Kyle Busch and broached NASCAR’s pylon controversy. Although NASCAR had placed the new LED screen at the venue, the veteran chief underscored the importance of the traditional scoreboard in an Exclusive Interview with EssentiallySports.

“I was a little lost because I had been going there since 99, and I’m used to that being there, and I was a little lost. Kept looking around, like okay where we at?” Miller said.

“Well, it’s easy to see your running position. On the one side of the left-hand column, it’s got one through, say 25 or 30, and then it scrolls all the remaining ones down at the bottom. It’s easier to see that from a distance away from where you’re running at the time and what position,” he further added.

However, NASCAR did present valid reasons. They stated that the right parts were unavailable to update the obsolete pylons. And a $5 million new installation is an investment NASCAR is not willing to make. Yet, the debate rages on in favor of those glowing towers. It is, however, worth noting that this isn’t the first time NASCAR has removed pylons from racetracks. Previously, Texas, Bristol, and Watkins Glen too have met the same fate.

But, giving a slight nod to NASCAR, he acknowledged the pecuniary concerns. “Yeah, I think a lot of them were getting dated. And it was gonna cost the race tracks a lot to update those things, and to maybe put up some new ones.” Further, diverting from Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch’s views on one aspect. The Xfinity crew chief thinks the pylon removal does not hamper the fan experience.

Jason Miller comes in support of NASCAR and says the digital age is good for fans

When Denny Hamlin put up his argument in NASCAR’s pylon debate, he stressed heavily on the fans’ plight and highlighted what created a titillating race for the motorheads, saying, “I think what created so many exciting times during qualifying was when the number would pop up on the scoring pylon.” Many fans also voiced their displeasure, noting their lifelong habit of looking at the pylons.

However, Jason Miller doubted if it was a tough situation for NASCAR fans, as he exclaimed during his Exclusive with EssentiallySports, “Well, I don’t know if it would be or not, because of the digital age, with everybody having it on their phone, everybody having the apps…I mean, 90% I would say, maybe more, of the people’s stands are listening on their apps, their headsets, and tuning in. So I think it’s easier to follow the racing now with the modern age of apps and digital devices.”

Yet given that NASCAR uprooted an age-old tradition, everybody would take time to adjust to the pylon removal.