Dale Jr., fans rip NASCAR All-Star Race format, late caution, Texas Motor Speedway track
Ryan Blaney held on to win NASCAR’s All-Star Race Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway but racing fans are not happy.
At least many of them voicing their opinions on social media aren’t.
If it wasn’t the track at TMS, it was NASCAR’s All-Star Race format, or it was a late caution flag that many were convinced was going to cost Blaney his rightful $1 million winnings.
It wasn’t just fans complaining either. Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed his displeasure early during the race on Twitter.
“Stage 1 was about as fun as a rice cake,” Earnhardt Jr. posted of the four-stage race. When someone defended the honor of a certain flavored rice cake, Earnhardt Jr. amended his previous message. “OK, plain rice cake.”
Ok, plain rice cake
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 23, 2022
Although Blaney held on to win, the gripes about TMS’s quad oval track persisted throughout the race and beyond.
“The track is junk, the format was complicated, and they throw a yellow for nothing,” posted one fan, echoing the sentiments of many.
“And once again, if a racetrack needs a bunch of cautions to make it more entertaining it’s probably not a good racetrack,” Darian Gilliam posted.
“This is how you lose fans,” Twitter user William Richard said. “What an absolute fraud of a finish.”
Tyler Reddick told the team he couldn’t run that line after spinning. The 8 radio, “They choose the worst f**king place to bring these things.” #NASCAR
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) May 22, 2022
Said Twitter user Millad Radman: “Just an awful night for NASCAR. A terrible track, terrible race control, just awful all around. A night to forget.”
Earnhardt was back with another eye-opening comment as the race came to an end.
“NASCAR is gonna gladly let you debate the window net so as you don’t reflect on how ridiculous that yellow flag situation was as Blaney was crossing the finish line to win,” he posted.
This is a disgrace.
Just an awful night for NASCAR. a terrible track, terrible race control, just awful all around. A night to forget.— Millad Radman (@RealRadman) May 23, 2022
Turned on to watch a NASCAR race but it turned out to be a WWE event.....
— Chris Blind (@Bl1inders) May 23, 2022
That has to be one of the worst caution flags to ever be thrown
— Aaron (@Ruben393939) May 23, 2022
The track is junk, the format was complicated, and they throw a yellow for nothing.
— thaddeus voitek (@thaddeus_voitek) May 23, 2022
I want my money back and I’m watching at home…
— Devon Armstrong (@Longrod1529) May 23, 2022
Double-triple down on this. Absolute madness. NASCAR is officially taking the piss. I guarantee you thousands of people turned off the race thinking it was over. #NASCAR https://t.co/5jKSPEm1PA
— Matthew Burroughs (@MJBurroughs) May 23, 2022
I'm sorry. We're one of the most positive accounts on @NASCAR Twitter. But there's just so many things I want to say right now. #AllStarRace #NASCAR
— Team Blaney (@teamblaney) May 23, 2022
The issue isn’t whether or not he made it to the line it’s why the damn caution was even called in the first place. #NASCAR desperately needed a closer finish. It’s patently clear why they threw the yellow and it’s the most WWE shit I’ve ever seen. https://t.co/eDEufwKB1d
— Jeremiah Davis (@jeremiahdavis10) May 23, 2022
This is how you lose fans.
What an absolute fraud of a finish.#NASCAR— Opinions on NASCAR (William Richard) (@nascar_opinion) May 23, 2022
What hurts the most is that Texas really was a very decent if not good track at one point in its life.
It was never going to be a Bristol or Talladega, but a solid Charlotte style track in a big market wasn’t worth losing for all this mess. #NASCAR— Matthew Burroughs (@MJBurroughs) May 23, 2022
What a mess. Great job, #NASCAR. A boring race turned into an embarrassment. #AllStarRace
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 23, 2022
MAN OH MAN
(SMH that I couldn't switch the shutter in time) pic.twitter.com/Yb5C797uzO— Luis Torres (@TheLTFiles) May 23, 2022
Clint Bowyer: “I don’t know what to say”
Mike Joy: “I do, but I won’t”
This is a joke. #NASCAR— Matthew Bishop (@BishopMatthew) May 23, 2022
10 beers in and Texas still sucks.#NASCAR
— Jaret Lundberg (@IceTitan80) May 23, 2022
North Wilkesboro got replaced by Texas in 1997 how ironic would it be if in a couple years Texas gets replaced by North Wilkesboro #NASCAR
— Dustin Ryan Black (@Dustola_1985) May 22, 2022
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway
Blow Up Texas Speedway #NASCAR— Darian Gilliam (@BlackFlagMatter) May 23, 2022