Drawing from the age-old British colonial strategy of “divide and rule,” it’s evident that a fragmented team is vulnerable to outside victories. This phenomenon played out vividly during the Dead On Tools 250 Xfinity race on Saturday. As teammates became competitors (Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill) and got engrossed in outmaneuvering each other, Justin Allgaier seized the moment, clinching a win and progressing to the championship 4.
Denny Hamlin delved into these happenings on his recent podcast. He expressed concerns about the increasing trend of aggressive tactics in races, particularly pointing out how Xfinity races, like the one at Martinsville, are evolving into notorious wreckfests.
Denny Hamlin voices his concerns about the aggressive tactics employed by Xfinity drivers
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The NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 event witnessed an electrifying turn of events at the tumultuous Dead on Tools 250 held at Martinsville Speedway. Justin Allgaier, against all odds, clinched a thrilling victory, finishing a mere 0.032 seconds ahead of Sheldon Creed. Creed, who was in dire need of a win to move forward to the title race, witnessed the race culminate in pandemonium. The intense rivalry between Creed and his teammate, Austin Hill, led to a domino effect of crashes, ending Hill’s playoff journey.
Many drivers seemed to have a penchant for causing deliberate wrecks. Allgaier’s path to the title race seemed bleak initially, as both Hill and Cole Custer held the coveted final two Championship 4 spots. But the race’s climax saw Custer caught in the final lap’s wreckage. Despite this, he managed a P19 finish, edging out Hill by a mere seven points.
The overtime restart was nothing short of explosive, leading Austin Hill’s decision to opt for the bottom lane, with Creed on his flank, set the stage for an intense showdown. After a fierce tussle, John Hunter Nemechek made a move that triggered the game-changing crash, determining the Championship 4 lineup.
Denny Hamlin’s take on the unfolding drama was clear: “It’s a dog-eat-dog. And so, until the penalties get handed down or someone gets black-flagged for intentional wrecking, you know, it’s gonna continue next year as well, but some people might like it, right?” He further commented on the increasing intensity of clashes, questioning the future actions of NASCAR.
In his words, “Just when you watch it, it’s painful to watch, and it’s like people keep raising the stakes on how hard they want to hit each other, what’s acceptable, and what’s not. […] And it’s just, it’s bad now, and I don’t know, it’s tough because what does NASCAR do to fix it? I mean, some of these wrecks were just absolutely egregious, and people were just wiping each other out. It depends, I guess, on who you are and what you like, but that certainly is not a good look, in my opinion. You know, if you want to be considered an adult, you gotta act like an adult to sit at the adults’ table at dinner behind the wheel.”
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Talking about himself Denny Hamlin asserted, “I’m not a great look, but I’m more of a purist when it comes to how you want these things settled in the right way. And man! It was crazy.”
However, Denny Hamlin isn’t alone in his sentiments. A driver from Joe Gibbs Racing, who was amidst the chaos at Martinsville candidly admitted that the race’s intensity had crossed boundaries, with drivers seemingly in a relentless wrecking mode.
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Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity driver reveals the intentional wrecking antics behind the scenes
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In the thrilling lead-up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4, Cole Custer raced his way into the limelight during the season’s second-last Xfinity Series showdown at the iconic Martinsville Speedway. Maneuvering his No. 00 Ford Mustang with finesse, Custer clinched a spot among the final four through points. The 25-year-old racer’s poise, especially during the frenzied final lap, was nothing short of impressive.
Speaking candidly to NASCAR’s seasoned journalist, Bob Pockrass, Custer delved into the nail-biting moments of the race’s climax. He mused, “That last restart—you don’t know what’s going to happen. I mean, the 18’s are desperate, and the 2’s are desperate. It’s just a lot of people trying to wreck each other, and it just turned out good.”
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As the curtain prepares to fall on this electrifying season, racing aficionados are gearing up for an explosive grand finale in Phoenix. With Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier, John Hunter Nemechek, and Sam Mayer in the fray, the upcoming weekend promises an edge-of-the-seat battle for the coveted NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship title.