Well … that was weird. If NASCAR has an All-Star race, but nobody knows it’s an All-Star race, and it doesn’t feel like an All-Star race, did it even happen?
I haven’t talked to Mr. Nielsen yet, but I’m gonna go ahead and file Dover under the “miss” category in terms of things that have worked over the year.
This didn’t work. NASCAR tried to play around with the All-Star race, and they got a little cutesy if you ask me. Hell, you don’t even have to ask me. You can ask the drivers! They’ll be the first to tell you that this “All-Star” weekend just didn’t work. You’ll see.
Now, that doesn’t mean we’re rudderless today. We’ve got plenty to talk about! If I needed a good NASCAR race to keep my job, I would’ve been fired a long time ago.
NASCAR TIRE CARRIER SAVES REPORTER FROM RUNAWAY PIT BOX BEFORE CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES RACE
I’ve got Bubba Wallace “seeing red” after being wrecked. That make you want to keep scrolling?! No? Well how about Kyle Busch making a sex joke after winning Friday? Come on! If you don’t wanna keep reading after that one, you need to check your pulse!
STILL no? Well, how about Natalie Decker throwing an all-time tantrum and quitting in the middle of a race? I know I wrote about it Saturday, but we’re gonna dive right back in today because it’s that good. This Natalie Decker is NUTS. I’m sorry, but I don’t know how you can listen to this and come to any other conclusion.
Some of you somehow did, and sent me some VERY angry emails about it. What a time to be alive. Society might be toast if this is the mindset we’re working with. You’ll see.
OK, four tires, enough fuel to get us to Charlotte for the longest race of the year, and maybe a vacation for Natalie after a long work week … Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the ‘That All-Star Race STUNK, Let’s Never Do It Again’ edition — is LIVE!
We’ll get to Bubba here in a minute, but we have to start with Dover and a question for everyone …
Did NASCAR do anything right this weekend? I’m serious. I’m all for trying new things. Lord knows NASCAR has done it plenty with this race over the years.
This year, though? It was just miss after miss after miss. Nothing worked.
For starters, they eliminated “The Open,” which, for years now, has been the best part of “All-Star” weekend. That was the qualifying race to see which driver(s) not eligible for the main event raced their way into it. They were, easily, the best part of the weekend. And NASCAR nixed it this year.
Dumb.
They also made the actual race a billion laps long. I lost count at one point. I’m serious. I couldn’t keep up. When I turned this automobile race on — and EXHIBITION race, mind you — and saw that it was 300(ish) laps, I was floored. I couldn’t believe it. This is supposed to be a fun, quick, non-taxing race. They turned it into one long practice for next week’s Coke 600.
And I mean that literally. They had a 90-minute practice session Saturday.
Ninety minutes!
And it meant NOTHING. Could you imagine watching a 300-lap race where the points don’t matter? Where the winner gets nothing, beyond a measly $1 million check? OK, measly is a strong word, but you know what I mean.
Just listen to the two Chases (Briscoe and Elliott) after this weekend’s marathon. Does this sound like two drivers who enjoyed themselves out there?
Yeah, they were miserable. Come on. What are we doing here? This race used to be an “event.” You had “The Open” in the early evening, and then the main race at night.
Yesterday, we had no real open, and then put the main race at 1 p.m. ET against the PGA Championship. I’m just not sure Dover is the right track for a race that doesn’t matter. Feel like it’s a bit of disservice to the fans, right?
There is some speculation that Dover could be in trouble entirely moving forward. That would be a mistake. The fans came out yesterday for a race that didn’t matter and was inexplicably long. The racing itself was decent.
Again, Chase didn’t have the best time out there, but Denny Hamlin won and there were a bunch of pile-ups in the opening few segments. I’ve certainly seen worse. I just don’t need to see it as an “All-Star” race.
It wasn’t awful. It just wasn’t what you’d expect from an “All-Star” weekend. That’s all. It was weird from the minute they unloaded the trucks, and it never got any better.
Oh well. Onwards, I reckon.
Now, let’s check in with Bubba Wallace after his pit road confrontation with Christopher Bell last weekend!
So, let me get this straight … Bubba got wrecked by someone, and then decided to “race the dogs–t” out of the rest of the field for the final 10 laps because he was “seeing red”? Do I have that right?
Okie dokie. Sounds like a plan! Had Bubba wrecked someone whilst “racing the dogsh—” out of them, this would be a bigger story. But, he didn’t. He just doored anyone who tried to get in his way. A little childish? Perhaps. I’m sure y’all will let me know about it, one way or the other!
OK, let’s get to Natalie and then end the day with Kyle and Sam Busch.
Decker parked her truck during Friday’s race at Dover after just 81 laps after NASCAR black-flagged her for being too slow. This was, by my count, the second time this year she’s been black-flagged for being too slow. Impressive.
Anyway, that’s not the story here …
NASCAR DRIVER KATHERINE LEGGE SLAMS ‘DEI HIRE’ SLIGHTS AFTER XFINITY SERIES CRASH
Decker essentially rage-quit during the race, suffering one of the most stunning in-car meltdowns I have ever heard and swearing off the series forever.
FOREVER:
“Let’s remember what’s on our truck, and just bring it to the garage, right?” said team owner Josh Reaume, referring, clearly, to the sponsors.
“I feel like a f—ing failure if I do that,” Nat responded. “There’s so many things I want to say and I’m probably going to get f—ing suspended, you have no idea.”
I’ve never heard a radio meltdown like that in my life, and I’ve heard A LOT of ’em. Nothing compares to that tantrum.
It’s embarrassing. It’s an awful look for Natalie Decker, and an even worse look for NASCAR. If I’m them, I don’t let her back in a car until further notice. That’s how bad a look it was for the sport. That’s how seriously I’d take this.
Apparently, when I said that in a separate post on Saturday, I was too mean!
From Ryan M, who is very clearly new to this site:
“Wow Zach your a terrible person! Natalie is a human being and has emotions and personal things going on like everyone else. You’ve had melt down moments in your life I already know cause everybody has. I don’t even follow you, Natalie, or NASCAR. But I know you were given given grace and forgiveness in worst moments. Maybe try doing the same. Cause right now your a piece of s–t for real.”
Thanks, Ryan M! And welcome to Fox and OutKick. Good to have you aboard.
Sure, I’ve 100% had meltdowns like that in my life. Ryan is right. He got me.
I’d love to go into further detail, but I was 5 at the time, so I don’t remember much.
Get outta here!
OK, that’s it for today. Good work everyone, despite a … weird … race. Not bad. Just weird.
At least Kyle Busch won on Friday and then made a 69 joke about his wife. At least we have that.
See y’all at Charlotte.
