4x IMSA Champ Demands a Truce Between NASCAR and F1 as Atlanta’s Photo Finish Continues to Divide Motorsports

The frenzy of the Ambetter Health 400 race at Atlanta is getting really hard to shake off. Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Busch delivered a photo finish at the end which is all the community is talking about. The spectacular ending amazed the racers themselves, NASCAR fans, and even the entire motorsports world. And the impact was so wide-ranging that even NASCAR’s European counterpart got involved.

The excitement surrounding the Atlanta race led to comparisons between NASCAR and F1. Motorheads took to Twitter to haul up the supremacy of the American racing series and display it as a flag flowing high in the sky. But some drivers tried to separate the two racing series as unique on their own turf, including IMSA champion Jordan Taylor.

Jordan Taylor receives mixed responses for his neutral opinion

The full-time driver in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has multiple victories under his belt, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE Pro class in 2015, and the most recent 24 Hours of Daytona in 2021. Driving for his father’s team Wayne Taylor Racing, he secured two championship wins in 2013 and 2017. But his foray into NASCAR was very recent when he filled in the shoes of Chase Elliott in 2023. Hendrick Motorsport picked him to drive the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at the Circuit of The Americas race in March 2023. Despite Taylor’s time in Cup racing being relatively fresh, he had a unique take to offer on the Atlanta race.

Taylor tweeted on X: “What an unbelievable NASCAR race last night….and all I see on Twitter today is people arguing about F1 vs NASCAR. Can’t we all just be fans of Motorsport….….even though that race was way better than any F1 race will be this year.”

Well, Taylor’s opinion stirred up quite the boiling pot of fan reactions.

Some people agreed with his stance. 

“Truth.”

“I like both. And sports cars and every other damn thing with wheels and a motor. One car tries to beat the other that’s a race LET’S GO!!!”

“Can’t compare F1 to NASCAR, or Indycar, but I will watch NASCAR when you have right turns on the track.”         

Whereas others offered some brutal retorts to his neutral take.

“If you ever get involved in NASCAR, it’s like, tasting a fine wine. Once you taste a fine wine, you don’t want the three dollar stuff.”

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

“That race was probably better than any F1 race in the last 30 years. Hell, wasn’t the closest finish ever in the series for its 50+ years something like 4.5 seconds?”

Read More: Jordan Taylor Faces Heartbreak at Rolex 24 Daytona as Mechanical Issues Strike First GTP

Taylor’s point was not enough to convince the entire rough and tough NASCAR community of fans. Speaking of Taylor and NASCAR, his debut was filled with difficulties as he ventured into new turf.

Jordan Taylor’s first Cup race rattled him

Used to the forceful yet respectful racing standards of IMSA, Taylor was taken by surprise at the COTA race in 2023. He was pitted against experienced Cup drivers whose knock-around driving style felt like a barroom brawl to him. Although he took the help of IMSA veteran Andy Lally, Taylor finished a dismal 24th place after starting the race in 4th place.

Taylor was also not used to maneuvering NASCAR’s robust cars. He said, “It is honestly insane how strong the cars are. That’s probably why the guys beat each other up so much just because there’s no they don’t lose anything just from slamming people.”

Jordan Taylor may be trying to bridge the gap between NASCAR and F1, but the two racing series are admittedly way different on the racetrack.