Chase Elliot had an outstanding performance in Sunday’s race, while Stenhouse Jr. experienced yet another disappointing journey.
The NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway witnessed the victory of a Hendrick Motorsport driver, who dominated the race in overtime. Although most of the race was run smoothly, there were a few unusual incidents, including a pit-lane collision involving the 2023 Daytona 500 winner.
During the first stage of the race, on lap 86, Chase Elliot made a pit stop, coincidentally just as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was trying to enter his own pit box. The No:9 Chevy Camero ZL1 collided with the No:47 Chevy, causing Stenhouse to spin. As a result, Stenhouse had to enter his pit box in a drifting motion, facing the opposite direction of the exit. Fortunately, no harm came to the JTDGR crew due to the spin, but had Stenhouse entered the box a bit faster, there could have been a risk of hitting a crew member.
This incident caused by Elliot had a significant impact on the No:47’s race, as the driver’s Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 had to be serviced in reverse in the pit stall. Additionally, Ricky Stenhouse was penalized for speeding in the pit road, further hindering his race and resulting in a 29th place finish.
Another pit-lane collision occurred during the race at Martinsville Speedway, specifically on lap 186. This time, it involved a driver from Joe Gibbs Racing and a driver from Richard Childress Racing. The collision took place when the Joe Gibbs Racing driver made a sharp left turn within the pit road.
Both drivers’ races were severely affected by this contact, with Busch finishing in 16th place and Gibbs faring even worse in 19th place. What adds irony to the incident is the fact that Gibbs was the driver who replaced Busch at JGR when he moved to Rihard Childress’ team.
Although Gibbs had a poor final finish, it won’t impact him as much as it will his seasoned rival. The No:54 driver has been performing well lately, and with the fast cars JGR is fielding, it shouldn’t be difficult for him to make a comeback. On the other hand, Busch has been struggling to achieve a good finish in the short tracks with the No:8 team, and the Martinsville result only adds to his list of disappointments.