Motorsports Monday - Over Overtimes? Hamlin's Hopes Take Another Hit
OVER OVERTIMES?
It’s understandable if it feels like nearly every NASCAR top tier race has gone into overtime. Both the Xfinity Series and Cup races at Watkins Glen went into extra laps over the weekend bringing the total to 27 across NASCAR’s top three divisions. Sunday’s Cup race was a record 12th OT, and the sport is on track to break the all-time National Touring Series mark of 29 set in 2023.
Overtime finishes are a double-edged sword. The latest trend was on display at The Glen over the weekend when both races featured multiple crashes, overly aggressive driving and carnage. But without OT, the incredible finishes between Chris Buescher and Shane Van Gisbergen doesn’t happen.
NASCAR doesn’t seem too concerned at least yet to change anything; however, it doesn’t mean the drivers like what’s happening in the added laps.
"Just crazy that all these races always come down to this," said Martin Truex Jr. after Sunday’s race. "I just don't really understand how guys can call themselves the best in the world when they just drive through everyone on restarts at the end of these races. It's very frustrating, but it is what it is these days. I'm out of here."
It’s interesting to point out when the Truck Series was going through a period of over the line aggressive racing, NASCAR stepped in to send a message that does seem to have resonated with that division for the most part. Many drivers, including Cup regulars, were also outspoken about what they were seeing in NASCAR’s third tier division.
But now at least in overtime, it’s very much a free for all and not just at the front of the field. Drivers mid-pack were making wildly aggressive moves that just led to more crashing and additional cautions.
It appears the hard racing that included contact but was respectful between Buescher and Van Gisbergen battling for the win is an anomaly. Sportsmanship and respect on the racetrack are for the most part remnants of a bygone era whose extinction has been fueled by the introduction of overtime finishes.
BLANEY BOWS OUT EARLY
Defending Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney has been the victim of early race disaster in two of the last three races. Blaney was an innocent bystander when Martin Truex Jr. lost control on lap two of the Southern 500 at Darlington Labor Day weekend.
He didn’t even make it that far at Watkins Glen when Blaney was swept up in a multi-car accident on the opening lap. He was credited with a last place finish and now sits eighth in the standing 29-points ahead of the cutline heading to Bristol Saturday night, the final race of the Playoffs opening round.
But Blaney wasn’t happy with NASCAR’s decision to tow his car straight to the garage area rather than allowing his team to assess the damage and possibly make repairs.
"At least let us look at it?" Blaney said after getting back to the garage area. "They're going to make the judgment on how it is and tow you back to the garage and don't even give you a chance to look at it on pit road and fix it? Like, it's not right.
“They said because I couldn't drive it back, they take you to the garage. Well, you can't drive back on four flat tires then they take you to the pit box so where is the rule? Why don't you just let us go look at it?”
It turned out Blaney’s car had a broken steering column, which is why he couldn’t get back to pit road under his own power. NASCAR actually did follow the rulebook to the letter of the law.
However, given the magnitude of the situation as a Playoff driver, the incident might spark the sanctioning body to revisit the wording of the rule and perhaps allow teams an opportunity to make the call on their own of either trying to fix the damage under the guise of the Damaged Vehicle Clock and be forced to throw in the towel. The end result could have been the same but allowing teams to evaluate their cars on their own rather than making a decision for them might be a better was to move forward.
HAMLIN’S PLAYOFF PICTURE TAKES ANOTHER HIT
All eyes were on Denny Hamlin at Watkins Glen after the No. 11 team saw their strategy plan come up short in the opening round of the Playoffs in Atlanta. Hamlin accumulated just 13 points in the ATL and was eager to make up some ground at The Glen.
It didn’t happen.
Hamlin’s weekend started with a spin in Saturday’s practice session and a lack of speed buried him back in the field with a 30th place qualifying effort. Then more challenges were thrown Hamlin’s way when he was involved in a lap one accident as well as another later in the race.
It all added up to a 23rd place finish and Hamlin falling below the Playoff cutline.
But with Bristol on the horizon, where Hamlin has been victorious the last two times out, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver still brings an air of confidence into Saturday night’s final race of the opening round.
“I feel like we can go there and win,” Hamlin said after Sunday’s race. “… We feel like we control our destiny there.”
Unless Hamlin’s right, it will be another chapter in the story of how he has still not won a Cup Series championship.
SIZZLING ZILISCH
The term “generational talent” has been thrown around a lot lately. It’s a reasonable description for Kyle Larson given his ability to win races and compete in everything from NASCAR stock cars to Indy Cars to sprint cars and dirt late models.
But there’s another name coming closer to earning the term and it’s Connor Zilisch.
The 18-year-old phenom won in his first Xfinity Series start at Watkins Glen on Saturday coming less than 24-hours after obliterating the field in Friday’s ARCA Menards Series race.
Zilisch has a resume that includes winning both the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring to go with success in the CARS Tour, Truck Series and IMSA. Zilisch became the seventh driver in Xfinity history to win his first race in NASCAR’s number two division.
Now he’ll run full-time for JR Motorsports in the 2025 Xfinity Series while continuing to look for other opportunities to compete across the spectrum of motorsports disciplines, he’s already shown prowess in competing.
Not bad for a kid who wasn’t born until after the movie “Cars” was released in 2006.
“Ka-Chow” indeed.
SHORT TRACK HERITAGE LIVES ON
Dells Raceway Park held the 59th edition of the National Short Track Championship” over the weekend, the Wisconsin track taking over the prestigious Midwest event after Rockford Speedway closed its doors at the end of last season. Three days of racing took place at the 1/3-mile track with a variety of divisions headlined by the UMA Super Late Models. Ryan Farrell of Big Bend, Wisconsin topped the 24-car field in the High Deery 150, named for the legendary Rockford owner/promoter who started the end of season special trend with the first NSTC. It was great to see the tradition alive and look for the event to continue growth at its new home.
PETE PISTONE
Pete Pistone is a veteran motorsports and general sports reporter/journalist with nearly 30 years experience. During his career he has worked for media outlets such as WGN Radio, The Chicago Sun-Times, Chicagoland Television (CLTV), CBS Sports, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM. Pistone has been with SiriusXM since 2008 and co-hosts “The Morning Drive” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) with Mike Bagley, which airs Monday through Friday at 7 am ET. He is also the host of “Fantasy Racing Preview,” a weekend show focusing on NASCAR gambling and fantasy racing, which is part of the channel’s NASCAR Cup Series pre-race programming. Additionally, Pistone is a member of the SiriusXM College Sports team as an on-air personality and contributor on Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372). He is one of the hosts of “Big Ten Today” and can also be heard on “Big Ten Whip Around,” a weekly hour-long program spotlighting a variety of sports around the conference. Pistone is also the host of several specials as well as providing a range of digital content for both the NASCAR and Big Ten channels. A Chicago native, Pistone resides in the northern suburbs of the city with his wife and daughter.