NASCAR drivers react to wild finish of Truck Series playoff opener
By Nick Tylwalk
NASCAR drivers and personalities had plenty to say on Twitter following the wild finish of the Truck Series playoff opener on Sunday.
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park might not be the first track that comes to mind when thinking of crazy NASCAR finishes, but it probably should be. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races there have often ended in wild fashion there over the past few years, but perhaps none as jaw-dropping as what just transpired between Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson.
Gragson had the fastest truck for a big chunk of the race, winning the first two stages. However, he found himself mired a little further back in the field in the final stage due to varying pit strategies by other teams and was forced to race his way back to the front. A caution that forced overtime meant he’d finally get his shot at the win, starting outside Gilliland for the final restart.
Though Gilliland held the lead for nearly the full two overtime laps at the CTMP road course, Gragson got himself into position to challenge for the victory. On the final turn, though, this happened:
Wooooow. Teammates CRASH at the finish. 😳
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) August 26, 2018
Retweet to congratulate Justin Haley on his @NASCAR_Trucks WIN in Canada!
Full results: https://t.co/PotJFnjYrd pic.twitter.com/PRKTzbKkYC
Justin Haley, also a Truck Series playoff driver, happily collected a win he probably had no business getting. As you can imagine, tempers were high on pit road after the race, with Gilliland saying, “I’d go fight him right now, but I can’t,” and Gragson doing his best to apologize to everyone from Gilliland’s crew chief to his dad while also sneaking in a little jab by saying he thought he’d be allowed more room on the bottom to try to make his move.
NASCAR Cup Series drivers and other people around the sport were also quick to weigh in on Twitter with their views.
Well that was dumb
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) August 26, 2018
😒 hate that for Gilliland.
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) August 26, 2018
I might be the only one who sees it this way, but the door was open and @NoahGragson went for it. Teammate or not he’s racing for a championship and made the move he needed too. Door never should have been opened in the first place.
— Regan Smith (@ReganSmith) August 26, 2018
I understand that as a racer. But at that angle he was never going to make the corner.
— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) August 26, 2018
4 ran him pretty tight too. Could see em both doing that corner a bit differently.
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) August 26, 2018
Replay looked like Gragson was never going to get through that corner without using up Gilliland. He misjudged the contact, but there was always going to be contact with that move. Debate the merits of that decision, but don’t pretend like Gilliland left door open for clean pass.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 26, 2018
Stupid move yes, but I’d watch a race full of Noah Gragson’s before I’d watch a race full of other young drivers. Guy tries everything to win it. Wears his heart on his sleeve.
— Ryan Ellis (@ryanellisracing) May 4, 2018
Alas, at the time of this article, there was no Twitter reaction from one man everyone would like to hear from, Kyle Busch himself. There figure to be some pretty interesting team meetings this week around the KBM garage …