NASCAR’s European Debutant Ends His American Journey for the Season in a Disappointing Fashion

Ryan Vargas, who’s gearing up to tackle the entire EuroNASCAR schedule this year, also hit the track for the Xfinity Series at Phoenix and Richmond, driving for Jordan Anderson Racing. When he shifts into the EuroNASCAR Pro Division races, he will be behind the wheel of the #30 Chevrolet, flying the colors of Critical Path Security.

While he did at least make a start at Phoenix and Richmond, Martinsville turned out to be a bit of a letdown. He didn’t manage to qualify for the race, making him the lone driver in the #74 Chevy for Mike Harmon Racing to pack up with a DNQ (Did Not Qualify) tag.

Ryan Vargas gives the reasoning behind his DNQ

Ryan Vargas, who’s already hit the track twice this season with Jordan Anderson Racing, ended up at the back of the pack at Phoenix and Richmond, finishing P37 and P38, respectively. Martinsville was supposed to be his big 70th start in the Xfinity Series, but a wrench got thrown in the works, keeping him from qualifying. Wanting to keep his fans in the loop, Vargas shared the lowdown on Twitter about what went down.

He tweeted, “Had some issues under the hood in practice which limited track time. Put what we could together for qualifying but just wasn’t enough. Head still up, can’t change things I can’t control. Thank you @MHR_racing74 for having me this weekend! Everyone worked hard!💪🏼 Onto Spain!🇪🇸”

Even though he didn’t qualify, Ryan Vargas still made a point to swing by the track during the race in Martinsville, tipping his hat to the fans and catching up with the Truck Series drivers. Sure, it’s a downer not seeing him race at Martinsville, but he’s pumped to take his racing adventures across the globe in the coming months.

Vargas hasn’t tackled a full season in NASCAR yet, but he’s been pretty active in the Xfinity Series for most of 2021 and 2022. Last year, he hopped into seven Truck races with On Point Motorsports, even snagging an impressive P8 finish at Texas. The 2024 EuroNASCAR lineup is packed with seven doubleheader weekends, spread across two divisions and seven different countries. So, while Ryan Vargas won’t be hitting the track at Martinsville this time, even his last few races weren’t exactly smooth sailing either.

#32 driver faced an unfortunate end at Richmond as well after his car got engulfed in fire

Ryan Vargas had high hopes for a solid run in the Xfinity race at Richmond’s short track. In the qualifiers, his car was firing on all cylinders, making a top 10 splash with a lap time of 23.197 among 15 contenders. But just when things were starting to heat up in the race, the #32 car threw in the towel.

Heading into Turn 4, Vargas found himself wrestling with the wheel, unable to coax his car around the corner, and suddenly, smoke was everywhere. At first glance, it seemed like engine trouble, but it turned out to be a brake lock-up that sent his car up in flames. The former JD Motorsports wheelman hit up X to share his thoughts on the unexpected end to his day at Richmond Raceway.

Read More: Heartbreak for Ryan Vargas at Richmond as Xfinity Run Goes Up in Smoke

“Blowed up, blowed up BIG. I’m thankful to have made 75+ starts in NASCAR and I’m not stopping anytime soon. I live for this sport and the opportunities I get, and I’m blessed to even be here. Bummer of a day, but we’ll regroup and move forward. On to the next,” Vargas posted on X. Now, he’s setting his sights on bouncing back in the upcoming races, all while getting ready to sharpen his skills even further with EuroNASCAR.