“I F*** Up”- Sam Mayer Turns Apologetic Amidst Xfinity Villain Arc

Sam Mayer is easily one of the most promising up-and-coming talents in NASCAR. The #1 JR Motorsports driver is only racing in his second full-time Xfinity series. The young driver displayed a performance worth noticing and qualified for the playoffs with two race wins and nine Top 5 finishes.

However, this upward trajectory came at a terrible cost to other racers. Sam Mayer’s rookie moves were apparent in his reckless driving, which affected other racers on the track. The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 on Saturday was a prime example.

JR Motorsports driver Sam Mayer causes another crash in this year’s Xfinity Series

Sam Mayer started P5 at Darlington behind pole-positioned John Hunter Nemechek, hoping to get his third win of the season, but his Chevrolet Camaro had an entirely different plan. In a race marred by breaks and motor issues, he struggled to finish P11 while Denny Hamlin scored his sixth win on the track.

Unfortunately, that was also detrimental for the #48 Chevrolet of Big Machine Racing. Parker Kligerman was racing ahead of Mayer on Lap 141 of the race. On turn 3, however, Mayer’s #1 Chevy hit Kligerman on the back of his car and turned him around.

With only six laps to go, the impact sent Mayer down the line for a lackluster 24th finish. Moreover, it could cost Kligerman a playoff qualification with only one race to go. The disappointing finish reduced his points from 20 more than the playoff mark to one less than the required cut-off. Needless to say, Kligerman was less than happy with Mayer for derailing his race.

In the post-race interview, an NBC reporter conveyed Kligerman’s sentiments to Mayer and inquired about his response. “Parker called it a dumb move. I said you guys are going to need to talk. What do you envision that conversation will be like?”

Fortunately, Mayer was not dismissive about Kligerman’s fate. He took ownership of his actions and expressed remorse at the incident.

Yeah, we’re going to have to talk. I effed up, and it sucks. Obviously, the radio issues all day got in the way of whatever that was. And, we had break problems in and out all day and I could never relay that to the team to help fix it. The motor was hot all day, it was just, that there was nothing right about today. It sucks. And, I hate that it took our deal down and it took their deal down and ruined both days. It sucks. 

Watch this story: Joe Gibbs’ Self-Centered Grandson Faces Outrage After Dangerous Oversight in Xfinity

It is noteworthy to recall that this wasn’t the first time that he jeopardized a rival’s race this year.

Parker Kligerman is disgruntled with Sam Mayer’s repeated Xfinity follies

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Last month, Mayer took out Ty Gibbs to snatch his second victory at Watkins Glen. Gibbs’ #19 Toyota led 70 out of 86 laps and envisioned a reliable win in the race. However, Mayer had other plans for the late race restart and sent Gibbs spinning on the first corner itself, bringing him down to the 17th position. Although Mayers chalked it up as a wheel-hopping accident, he was a lot less repentant than he was at Darlington.

Coming back to Sport Clips 200, Mayer’s novice maneuvers understandably enraged Kligerman. The #48 driver felt there was ample space for Mayer to avoid his Chevy. He expressed his frustration at the post-race interview with Frontstretch’s Stephen Stumph. Stumph informed Kligerman that Mayers felt bad about the altercation. Kligerman was not in the mood to be merciful. He thought it was foolish, and Mayers needed to do better.

“I think he should! Unless it was intentional. I mean, I just came from a mile back. I don’t know I have seen the replay. There’s a whole racetrack to the right, three or four lanes! I was committed to the bottom. I think I had three car lanes on him by the time we entered the braking zone. And to just flat run us over doesn’t make any sense. He’s a good kid…but he does dumb stuff like that sometimes…he’s got to clean it up.”

Read More: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Snubs Longtime Friend Over Mayer-Gibbs Fiasco

The next Xfinity race is Kligerman’s last chance to win and secure his playoff spot. Do you think Kligerman will retaliate to get ahead of Mayers at the Kansas Speedway?