Along the long list of NASCAR veterans who took up the mic after their times behind the wheel is Kyle Petty. The former racer who made 829 starts in the top tier of NASCAR is often lauded as one of the most influential members of the racing community. Known more for his harsh opinions and unbridled criticisms than for his achievements behind the wheel, he once again finds himself in the midst of a fiasco with his thoughts on last weekend’s race in Talladega.

Talking to reporter Nate Ryan on the “Motorsports on NBC” show, Petty discussed Ryan Blaney‘s race and disclosed his views that aren’t in alignment with many other experts. One of them is The Athletic’s journalist Jeff Gluck.

Jeff Gluck, a representative of the New York Times, is surprised by the opinion of Kyle Petty

Jeff Gluck has risen through the years to become one of the most noted motorsports journalists in the country. After writing for prime mediums such as SB Nation and USA Today, he joined The Athletic, the sports arm of the New York Times, in 2019. In a recent tweet on his “X” handle, Gluck conducted an online poll asking if the Talladega race that took place over the weekend was a good one. Unsurprisingly, more than 80% of the participants voted “Yes.” With the community happy with the racing exhibition put on at the 2.66-mile oval, one person who wasn’t quite impressed with the show was Kyle Petty.

Despite the majority taking a liking to the race, Gluck was surprised by how many did not seem to have found an affinity for the event. Responding to a tweet from one of his followers that read, “Incredible this didn’t break 90%. NASCAR fans don’t know what they want,” he replied with a mention of Petty’s opinions. He wrote, “I was surprised, too…but then if you listen to podcasts like NBC (with Kyle Petty) and Door Bumper Clear, they hated the package/race. The reason cars were three wide was because they were all saving fuel, but they couldn’t really make moves. It passed the eye test though.”

Gluck’s tweet expressed his surprise at the opinions of analysts. However, Petty had his own reasons for turning down the race as a “dull” one.

Watch Story: Kyle Petty Highlights a Figure Who Faces Greater Challenges Than Bubba Wallace

The reason for Kyle Petty’s views not aligning with that of the NASCAR community

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By the end of the 188-lap race, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney took home his 3rd win at the Talladega. Though the day did have its fair share of crashes and fire, it was nothing compared to what we have been used to seeing at the track in previous outings. Kyle Petty believes that the lack of action is a result of the drivers and manufacturers each having agendas of their own. In his conversation with Nate Ryan, the former racer talked about how the event did not live up to the hype that had been generated and called it, “One of the plainest, just-watching-paint-dry dullest Talladega races I’ve ever seen”.

Petty’s blame for the outcome was partly on the drivers because they were, according to him, focused on putting themselves in positions to maximize their stage points. He said, “I just think there were so many different agendas that the race itself detracted from the race.” 

Furthering his thoughts, Petty had also taken a shot at the manufacturers for their strategies of pit-stopping together. Expressing his displeasure on the same he culminated his thoughts saying, “So again now, you got manufacturers with agendas. So there are so many agendas rolling into this race to this one single race,  that it didn’t even come close to the hype.”

Despite Petty’s opinions, the results of Gluck’s polls prove that Talladega has once again given to the common fan what he expects from a NASCAR event. As evidenced by the collective voices of fans in the comment section of Gluck’s poll, the community will be hoping to see more of the same in future races. As we inch closer to the final race of the second stage at the Roval, let us know what you thought of the Talladega race, in the comments below!

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