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Joey Logano commented after the race in Talladega, which was notable for many reasons. The popular NASCAR driver found himself in a difficult situation and was unable to continue for the last four laps of the race. The situation seemed quite confusing, leading some to question NASCAR's policies and what changes need to be made in the near future.
Logano pointed out that it was hard to assess whether his lift system was working or not, finding the situation somewhat comical. It had been a long time since anything like this had happened, and they had to wait to see what would unfold. The uncertainty and pressure were overwhelming for many.
“I don’t know yet,” Logano said, as quoted by On3.
“I didn’t feel it go up, but I had some stuff broken too. So, it’s kind of hard to say if the lift system worked or not. But it’s kind of comical. I get out of the car, and I just see a bunch of cars that after a red flag we’ve been sitting there for 10 minutes. Everyone’s just sitting there hoping they can roll a little bit. It’s just goofy.”
Logano wasn't the only one to react; many of his colleagues were also frustrated and disappointed by what happened. One of them is Josh Berry. NASCAR drivers still struggle to understand certain rules, believing that they are no longer acceptable in today's context.
Berry expressed his concern about the cars parked in Turn 3, emphasizing that if they were towed to pit road, it would violate the Damaged Vehicle Policy. He criticized the situation by mentioning a specific car, stressing that it was causing burnouts and causing chaos among the safety workers trying to manage the scene. He pointed out the inconsistency in the rules, stating that if a car has four flat tires and is towed to pit road, it effectively means the car is finished for the race.
Logano shared his disappointment about the race, saying he didn’t enjoy it at all. He explained that while it looks impressive to race four-wide, drivers often have to maintain half throttle, which limits their ability to make moves. When it's time to push forward, they often find themselves stuck in two-wide formations, reducing their options.
Racing under such conditions isn't what Logano wants, but he understands that he needs to adapt to the situation and accept things as they are. As an experienced NASCAR driver, he's aware of the challenges he's facing, but he knows he must do quite more in the upcoming races if he truly wants to achieve his goals.
He stresses that as superspeedway racing evolves, drivers are constantly trying to adapt, but the cars have so much drag that it’s difficult to create opportunities or outmaneuver others. Essentially, drivers feel locked into their positions in the lineup.
Kyle Petty reacts
Kyle Petty, one of the legends of the sport, offered interesting comments about the recent race, stating that it was far from spectacular. He noted that 23 cars were involved in the crash, which is an astonishing number. Petty expressed confusion over why many were criticizing Todd Gilliland, considering he was running on the bottom line during the race.
“We praise these guys as the greatest race car drivers in the world. They run three-wide, they run four-wide, and when we have the big wreck, they blame it on Todd Gilliland because he’s a lap car running on the bottom. They can’t run two-wide and pass a lap car? When you’re four-wide, you’re the greatest driver in the world. When you’re two-wide racing you’re butt off, I guess you don’t know how to drive. I don’t know what happened there. Don’t blame it on a lap car at Talladega. There’s plenty of room. I don’t know what that’s all about.”- he said.
Stenhouse also shared his thoughts on the race, indicating that he wasn't indifferent to the outcome. Before the race, he had high expectations, believing that it could bring him the results he desired. He felt confident that this event had the potential to fulfill those ambitions.
After the race, Stenhouse expressed his confidence returning to a track where they had previously won, particularly a superspeedway where he felt good about their car. He highlighted that they executed their strategy well in the first stage, positioning themselves to win. Stenhouse stressed that the No. 17 car had a huge advantage at the end of the stage, and while he considered blocking him, he opted to settle for second place. He acknowledged that if the situation arose again, he would likely try to find a way to block him if it meant securing the win.
English (US)