Massive Brawl Headlines Thanksgiving Classic As Bradley McCaskill & Ryan Joyner Trade Blows After Late Race Contact

The Thanksgiving Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park was buzzing with anticipation for Josh Berry’s potential third win. But the race took a turn with some on-track drama. Josh Berry and Kaden Honeycutt were both vying for the lead against Brenden Queen, who wasn’t shy about making contact with their cars. Yet, this wasn’t the only clash that day. In the race’s climactic moments, Ryan Joyner was hot on the heels of Bradley McCaskill too, pushing him hard through turns 3 and 4. With just a few more laps to the checkered flag, Joyner bumped into the back of McCaskill’s car, igniting tensions.

The aftermath of the crash was just as fiery off track. Drivers and their crew chiefs got into a heated altercation, compelling race officials to intervene and diffuse the situation. Meanwhile, the fans, witnessing these frequent fiery exchanges, were less than impressed, craving more racing action and less of these confrontations.

Bradley McCaskill poked his head inside the passenger window of Joyner’s car

In the 75-lap Limited Late Model event, with only seven laps to go, Bradley McCaskill’s hopes for victory took a nosedive due to Ryan Joyner’s aggressive moves. Joyner relentlessly pursued McCaskill and nudged him. As they hurtled towards the finish line, Joyner’s car slammed into #7 again, this time with enough force to send McCaskill veering sharply into the wall.

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Post-crash, the drama escalated. McCaskill made his displeasure known by leaning into the passenger window of Joyner’s car, apparently to hit him. As Ryan Joyner arrived at the scene, tempers flared among the crew members. But the problems between these two had been simmering even before the main event. Earlier, Joyner had found Bradley McCaskill’s No. 41 car in the garage and sabotaged it by tampering with the ignition box wires, leaving McCaskill’s team scrambling to fix the car in time for the race. Despite the setback, McCaskill managed to pull off a ninth-place finish.

This spectacle of fights and arguments led the fans to a collective sigh. Many opined that brawls have become almost a trademark in stock car racing, diminishing their seriousness and integrity in the eyes of spectators.

A less than thrilled situation for fans after the recent shenanigans 

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The moment NASCAR Roots aired the clip of Bradley McCaskill nosing into Ryan Joyner’s car, followed by the crew chiefs’ scuffle hitting Twitter, fans were up in arms. Their reaction was: “And this ladies and gentlemen is why other forms of motorsports don’t take stock car racing seriously.🤦‍♂️😂.”

Some even quipped that it’s no longer about racing but more about brawling: “😳 asphalt late model fight club boiiii!”  Echoing this, another fan remarked, “This is the norm of pavement latemodel racing.”

One fan’s reaction was succinct but telling, expressing boredom with these antics: “Yawn.” Meanwhile, another took a humorous jab at the situation: “Not a lot of Thanksgiving but a lot of hands giving.”

When it came to the crew chiefs’ tiff, a fan pointed out the irony: “It be the people who aren’t drivers fighting for no reason.”

Read More: Josh Berry Turns Diplomatic After Thanksgiving Classic Run Leaves Kevin Harvick’s Former Crew Chief Disappointed

So, what’s your take on these deliberate dust-ups? Isn’t it high time for stricter regulations to ensure victories are earned by skill, not by how many rivals one can wreck?