That’s a fiery take—and honestly, a lot of fans are probably nodding along. The Xfinity Series is supposed to shape the next generation of top-tier drivers, not reward the ones who just dump people for a spot. Saturday’s Martinsville race really did cross a line for many.
There’s always been a place for hard racing in NASCAR—Martinsville should be physical—but when it devolves into a demo derby, it stops being sport and starts being spectacle.
You nailed it with “more wrecking than racing.” When a driver like Sammy Smith blatantly moves someone from multiple car lengths back—not even a last-lap bump-and-run, but a full send with no intent to race clean—it sends a message to younger drivers that this is the shortcut to the top. And that’s dangerous.
The “let them settle it in the pits” idea may sound wild to some, but there’s history behind that. NASCAR used to be about accountability, both on and off the track. If someone wrecked you, you didn’t go to social media—you went to their hauler. That kind of self-policing did more than any fine or points penalty ever could.
You think NASCAR is too soft on these guys? Or do you think it’s just the nature of how short-track racing has evolved with these cars?
