NBC’s Blatant Robbery of Tony Stewart’s Underdog’s Vegas “Mid-Off” Leaves Racing Community Gutted

Las Vegas Motor Speedway had some surprises up its sleeve. The amalgamation of a tri-oval and a short-track saw the usual suspect, Kyle Larson, win the South Point 400 and send himself into the Championship 4 race at Phoenix. JGR driver Christopher Bell failed to make more out of another pole-winning performance in qualifying as he fumbled the trophy to Hendrick Motorsports #5. However, another unexpected matchup involving a Tony Stewart-owned Stewart-Haas Racing veteran also transpired, albeit away from most people’s attention.

SHR’s #10 driver, Aric Almirola, was in the middle of controversy as he went up against JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Apparently, some ill-mannered spat erupted between the two as everyone was trying to figure out if it was Bell or Larson who claimed the win. However, a look at the recent reports suggests that the matter involved more people than it looks.

Aric Almirola and Stenhouse Jr. square up under caution

Aric Almirola has been rumored to leave the sport at the end of this season. The Smithfield Foods-sponsored driver has been forced to search for another primary sponsor in case he feels like returning to racing in NASCAR. After having to shy away from retirement due to pressure from sponsors and his team, Almirola came back for a last dance in 2023 after considering retirement for a long time.

Tony Stewart has already been tasked with finding a replacement for the veteran. The three-time Cup champion will be looking out for options with a fair deal of experience in the top flight, which will be hard to find and sign. Stenhouse, on the other hand, has had a relatively positive season. Although in terms of driving, he hasn’t been much better statistically, he bagged a win early on to find himself in the playoffs.

The duo facing off against each other in the middle of a caution was something pretty unexpected. Well, the flares of temper even spread to the crew members, not just the drivers. According to reports, Almirola and Stenhouse were dissatisfied with each driver’s actions. The incident took a new turn when news of them coming into contact with each other and even colliding their doors together came to light.

The 36-year-old Chevrolet driver even found himself entangled with Almirola’s teammate Chase Briscoe, sending him into the wall on Turn 1 in the 210th lap. This acted like fuel to the fire as the feud between the drivers began.

Although Almirola has not been known to express his anger and frustration so violently, something might have ensued between the two that instigated the battle regardless. Following the incident, NASCAR fans have taken the chance to grab their popcorn and enjoy a fight between the drivers.

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NASCAR fandom slams NBC for ignoring Almirola’s fight

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NASCAR fans have a special affinity for controversy. With the sport already being crude the way it is, a pinch of tension in the situation works wonders as it ignites a faulty fuse within the driver in question. Almirola seemed to pop off at an interaction with Stenhouse similarly. Stenhouse has had to battle some non-sporting reasons for the past few weeks. Last week, a fire engulfed his car after a mechanical failure, and in Las Vegas, the #10 driver stood in his path.

A certain fan was surprised at the attitude Stenhouse Jr. had in him despite not having much to show for 2023 apart from his win at Daytona. He commented, “Saw it on Almirola’s onboard, RSJ thinks he’s popular being a 500 champ.”

“Mid mad at mid” commented another fan voicing his disinterest at seeing the two drivers collide. Another topic that grabbed the minds of the fans was NBC’s inability to be at the right place and right time to broadcast this incident on live TV. A particular fan was visibly unhappy by this as he blamed NBC for the shortcomings. He said, “NBC won’t show us, or tell us.”

“They’re having a mid-off lol,” said another critic of the face-off, showing a lack of interest due to the two drivers not having much to fight for in the playoffs or maybe due to the shortage of good results under their belts.

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Well, this is what NASCAR is all about. Peaking tension, intense pressure to perform, stock cars blitzing past you in the middle of a high-stakes race—these factors can often tilt the balance of one’s mind, which seems to have happened in either one’s case here.