What is the nicest thing about teamwork? Perhaps that, everyone on the team always has each other’s backs. And every sport out there is an anecdote about teamwork. Together they rise, together they fall. However, when a team throws its players under the bus, it indeed shocks the entire community.
Sadly, NASCAR fans were dumbfounded to see an Xfinity Series team rant about its own drivers just moments after the Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And it all happened on Twitter. It seemed like a bad-mouthed, old, and grumpy guy, unhappy about whatever he sees, sat behind the official RSS Racing Twitter page and dissed two of the team’s drivers. The other two didn’t escape the heat either.
RSS Racing might need to hire a better social media manager
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Kudos to Riley Herbst for winning his first-ever career victory since he joined Stewart-Haas Racing as an Xfinity full-timer in 2020. But this victory didn’t come easy. It took him 5 years and 139 starts to grab the checkered flag for the first time in his hometown track of Las Vegas. It was definitely not easy.
But his team always stood by his side through thick and thin. During a post-race interview, he thanked his crew chief Davin Restivo, and SHR’s Xfinity director Richard Boswell for believing in him despite the misery of the number 98 team not making it to the playoffs this year. And that seemed to have paid off on the quad-oval-shaped racetrack in Nevada.
Unfortunately, the day ended with a wreck for RSS Racing driver Joe Graff. Joe Graf Jr. rammed into Patrick Emerling’s #53 Space Beans Chevy on turn 4. As a result, both cars bounced off the wall, catching Layne Riggs in the mess.
To make things worse, Graff’s day ended when Brett Moffitt ran into the outside wall ahead of Graff and the RSS driver had nowhere to go. This ended the day early for the #38 Ford Mustang pilot. But the misery heightened for Gradd as he did not receive the backing of his team following his already sorry venture.
Brett Moffitt caught the outside wall ahead of @Joegrafjr, and Graf had nowhere to go. The end result was an early end to the day for the driver of the No. 38 @RSS283839 Ford Mustang. #NASCAR
📸Craig White, @RacingAmerica pic.twitter.com/S2QeytaZ11
— TobyChristie.com (@TobyChristieCom) October 14, 2023
After he lined his car up in P37, with a DNF, the number 38 team tweeted, “Joe Graf with a DNF and another poor finish for the 38 car.” It might not have been the ideal way to motivate a driver to do better in the days to come. Or at least, that’s what the fans thought.
Watch this story: NASCAR’s Future: A Power Struggle Brewing?
Fans were left gobsmacked with the way RSS Racing dealt with its own drivers
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It was not just Joe Graff who faced the unusual treatment from the team. RSS Racing wrote, ” Ryan Sieg finishes 16th after a tire penalty cost him a better finish.
Kyle Sieg 18th with a solid finish and clean car like always.
CJ McLaughlin continues to do what we ask and finishes the race.
Joe Graf with a DNF and another poor finish for the 38 car.”
The comments for the first three were okay but the “another poor finish” part might not have resonated well with the fans on Reddit.
RSS Racing’s X Admin Seems Frustrated With Their Pay Drivers
byu/busman25 inNASCAR
Someone said, “Why does it read more like the “Admin” just doesn’t like Joe Graf jr...
Like the first 3 seem like deserve a better finish or glad they kept the car clean and the last one was another day another DNF and horrible finish.”
“”Kyle Sieg 18th with a solid finish and clean car like always.”
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Is definitely throwing shade towards another one of their drivers.” typed another.
A fan wrote, “Doubt a team like RSS even has an “admin”, their Twitter is probably just run by a (currently disgruntled) crew guy”
Meanwhile, one dissed Graff saying, “After watching Joe Graf Jr race at the Roval in person last week, it made me realize that he’s genuinely horrific.”
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To some, it occurred that perhaps RSS Racing has signed ARCA Series sensation Frankie Muniz, and that perhaps explained this behavior towards Joe Graff Jr. “Apparently they might’ve signed Frankie Muniz,” said someone.
Read more: Should NASCAR Continue Running on Road Courses or Limit Itself to Oval Layouts?