Latest news with #MartinsvilleXfinity
NBC Sports
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
NASCAR to meet with Xfinity drivers after Martinsville race labeled as a "disaster"
NASCAR officials with meet with Xfinity Series drivers Saturday at Darlington to discuss their actions in a wreck-filled race last weekend at Martinsville that a senior executive called a 'disaster.' The Martinsville Xfinity race had 14 cautions. The final 100 laps of the 256-lap event had nine cautions and the race ended with Sammy Smith knocking Taylor Gray out of the lead in Turn 3 on the final lap and triggering a multi-car crash as the field raced to the finish. Dustin Long, Elton Sawyer expressed his disappointment Wednesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's 'The Morning Drive' with how the drivers raced at Martinsville. 'The Xfinity guys have an opportunity to go back there (to Martinsville) in the fall and redeem themselves on a race, obviously a lot of discussion around,' Sawyer said. 'I'm not sure who was driving the cars because most of the Xfinity guys that I know and been around and watched them race, watched them race at Homestead the week before, I think there was other drivers in the car because it was a disaster.' NASCAR penalized Smith 50 points and fined him $25,000 for his actions at the end of the race. NASCAR also fined Taylor Gray $5,000 for a confrontation in the infield care center. NASCAR fined Jeb Burton $5,000 for a separate confrontation in the infield care center. The penalty dropped Smith from sixth in the points to 13th, the first spot outside a transfer position for the Xfinity playoffs. Sawyer said officials discussed suspending Smith before deciding not to do so. 'Historically, we've tried to stay with points and money on a situation like that,' Sawyer said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. " ... Sammy is a prime example of a young man that's got a great deal of talent. Obviously made some mistakes at the end of that race that he's going to have to learn from. We have to step in and help him with that process and that's what we did. 'But there was a multitude of bad decisions that was made by a multitude of drivers throughout that event and we plan to address that with the garage this weekend at Darlington.' Sawyer also said what will be expressed to the Xfinity drivers in their meeting with series officials Saturday at Darlington. 'I think it's mostly just letting them understand, or at least give them the message of how they can process what happened (last) Saturday and how they learn from that and earn the respect of their fellow competitors,' Sawyer said. 'NASCAR racing, we've been built on, pushing and shoving is fine, tire marks are fine and that's OK. It's a contact sport. We totally get that. 'But we do have to step in from time to time when they cross the line, and we just want to let them know that this is crossing the line and we will step in. 'You guys race with respect, you don't have to like each other and totally understand that, but you do have to respect each other and go out there and race like you have the ability to do. It takes zero talent, zero talent, to do and make some of the moves that those guys made on Saturday.'
NBC Sports
30-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Competitors express displeasure in the racing at end of Martinsville Xfinity event
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Competitors and former racers criticized how drivers raced in Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Martinsville Speedway. Austin Hill went from fifth to first on the final corner when the leaders wrecked to claim the overtime win in a race that saw 40% of the laps run under caution and several cars wrecked at the finish. Dustin Long, Sammy Smith ran into the back of leader Taylor Gray's car in Turn 3 of the final lap, sending Gray up the track and triggering a multi-car crash that allowed Hill to slip by on the inside to win. Smith and Gray had to be restrained after the race outside the infield care center. 'He has no respect for me,' Smith said of Gray. 'We've raced hard and had issues in the past. He would have done the same thing. He would have moved me if I was in the lead. That's what you have to do. If you don't do that, you're going to be the one getting run over. 'I know everyone is going be mad and upset at me and say I'm a dirty driver, but I don't care because everybody does it. If I was just going to accept it and finish second that wasn't going to sit well with me.' #NASCAR … Sammy Smith on what Taylor Gray said to him after Martinsville Xfinity finish: 'He said he wants to go at it. We can go at it if he wants.' Cup driver Denny Hamlin criticized the racing and called for NASCAR to step in during the race. Hamlin wrote on social media that 'Martinsville is a track that could use a (sic) 'avoidable contact' penalty. He also wrote on social media: 'God I wish I were in the (TV) booth. Id (sic) get fired but I damn sure would call these idiots out.' Former driver Jeff Burton wrote on social media during the race: 'Some of these guys needed to have the experience of racing with Jack Ingram and Tommy Ellis.' Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray had a confrontation outside the infield care center. Those who took part were in the race also were not happy. 'I think at the end of the day when it's a green-white-checkered at a Martinsville race, the respect and stuff is out the window and I hate to say that,' Hill said. 'I really do. I'm probably not the best one to speak on it, but I wish there was a way we could settle it down a little more to where it wasn't so just beating and banging and knocking each other's doors off and running through people. I wish we could race a different way at Martinsville than what we do.' Justin Allgaier, who finished third, also was not happy with the racing at the end. 'I feel like all day using the bumper was one thing but just completely wrecking people, (Gray) tried to wreck (Smith) and he did it back to what (Gray) did to him,' Allgaier said. 'They're both going to be upset. I'm upset because we lost the Dash 4 Cash and we lost a chance at winning the race.' Others also were critical of the racing and expressed it on social media: Watch a @CARSTour race for classic short track racing, not whatever that was. How do you suggest we fix this moving forward and redeem this track in this series to what it should be? #NASCAR Really disappointed in the lack of respect on the track tonight. It's a disgrace to this great series. Not many out there raced without just running into the guy in front of them. Not sure what we do to clean it up but something must be done.
NBC Sports
30-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Austin Hill gives RCR its 100th Xfinity win; tempers flare between Sammy Smith, Taylor Gray
MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Austin Hill went from fifth to first on the final corner when the leaders wrecked to win Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race and give Richard Childress Racing it's 100th series victory. Dillon also earned the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus. Dillon wouldn't have had the chance to score his 12th career Xfinity victory and second of the season without the last-lap drama between Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray. Smith ran into the back of Gray's car entering Turn 3, turning Gray and triggering a multi-car crash. The move came after Gray moved Smith up the track and out of the lead on the overtime restart. The two drivers had to be separated from each other outside the infield care center after the race. 'I'm not very proud of what I did,' Smith said after exiting the infield care center. 'He just has no respect for me and he was flipping me off under the red flag and swerving at my door. I moved him into (Turn) 1. He still had the lead those two restarts. 'Going down the backstraightaway (on the final lap), I thought to myself what would he do in this situation? He would have done the exact same thing. He was flipping me off and that right there was the line for me to ultimately make the decision I made. 'If I just let him go, I accept I finish second today. I try to do my best for my team and myself to win a (Martinsville grandfather) clock. It just wasn't good enough.' #NASCAR … Sammy Smith on what Taylor Gray said to him after Martinsville Xfinity finish: 'He said he wants to go at it. We can go at it if he wants.' Asked if there was anything constructive said by Gray afterward, Smith said: 'No. He said he wants to go at it. We can go at it if he wants. I think at the end of the day, there's probably going to be a lot more going forward and that's OK with me.' Said Gray after the race: 'I feel like we had the best car all day. I can't thank everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing enough. We brought a really fast Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra. Just unfortunate – it's the same story I've lived here for the past two Martinsville race in a row. It sucks, but it is what it is. Long year.' Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray had a confrontation outside the infield care center. Stage 1 winner: Connor Zilisch Stage 2 winner: Connor Zilisch Next: The series races 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 5 at Darlington Raceway on the CW Network.
