Whereas Harrison Burton crossed the end line at Daytona, creating one of many largest upsets within the sequence in a while, one other story was almost unfolded, one involving one other hopeful younger driver. Had it occurred, it could have been a good greater upset and immediately made the driving force a family title. As an alternative, he finds himself answering for his actions and defending the strikes he made on the finish of Saturday’s race.
Parker Retzlaff, 21, was making his second begin within the NASCAR Cup Sequence at Daytona that weekend with Beard Motorsports — a Chevrolet group that shaped a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing. Do not forget that, as it would turn out to be vital in a minute.
Parker Retzlaff, Beard Motorsports, Funkaway Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Danny Hansen / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
The Xfinity Sequence common had made his debut at Richmond only a few weeks earlier, in an effort to put together for racing at Daytona, operating 402 of 408 laps with out incident. On race day at Daytona, Retzlaff did a masterful job avoiding the chaos all through the race, retaining his No. 62 Chevrolet pretty clear. On the ultimate time beyond regulation restart, he lined up on the skin of the second row, instantly behind Burton. Kyle Busch led the race for RCR with the Toyota of Christopher Bell behind, hoping to win his method into the playoffs.
Workforce proprietor Richard Childress could possibly be heard on the radio simply earlier than the ultimate restart: “Discover that No. 62 [Retzlaff] spotter. Speak to him … If he can push us, push.”
Watch: Harrison Burton claims win No. 100 for Wooden Brothers Racing
Reztlaff by no means bought the possibility to push his fellow Chevrolet as a result of they remained in opposing strains on monitor. The sector was locked collectively and there was no choice apart from to push the automotive instantly forward. For Retzlaff, that was the Ford of Harrison Burton. On the ultimate lap, he gave Burton the mightiest of shoves and each automobiles almost cleared Busch getting into Flip 3. Had he executed so, he might have gone on to win the race, however solely Burton bought forward. The No. 21 moved down to dam Busch’s advance whereas Retzlaff was swallowed up by the pack, profitable the race for the Wooden Brothers and placing one other Ford into the playoffs.
Retzlaff dealing with penalties?
Retzlaff solely tried to win, and but, that has landed him in some scorching water. Whereas it is unclear if he’ll face penalties behind closed doorways, there was public criticism from sections of the fanbase. What did he achieve this mistaken? Driving a Chevrolet aligned with Childress, he pushed a Ford by a RCR driver in hopes of profitable the race himself. In the long run, each Chevrolets misplaced and Ford punched one other ticket to the playoffs. That is prone to go away each Chevy and RCR displeased, particularly since Busch wanted that win to make the playoffs. One other wrinkle on this story is that Retzlaff’s full-time Xfinity experience with Jordan Anderson Racing can be in a technical alliance with Childress.
Hopefully, he faces no reprimands for the end at Daytona. Even when he would not, the criticism from sure followers is weird sufficient. He was simply making an attempt to win and needs to be applauded for it, not condemned. In recent times, producers have established a stranglehold over superspeedway racing and it has fully modified the way in which the races are run. Every of the three producers work collectively like their very own super-team throughout these occasions, particularly when the playoffs are looming. Retzlaff and Beard Motorsports are usually not full-time and confirmed up with hopes of Daytona glory, however in that second, they’re anticipated to be a pawn in playoff battle.
Parker Retzlaff, Jordan Anderson Racing, FUNKAWAY Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
I’ve little question he would have pushed Busch if the chance introduced itself, however within the place he was in, it was both go for the win or raise. What younger driver would raise in that state of affairs? Possibilities just like the one he had on Saturday don’t occur fairly often, even for the veteran drivers of the game. Profitable a Cup race is difficult, which is why somebody on the stage of Kyle Busch is even in a must-win state of affairs.
However this like a Hendrick Motorsports driver in that place going for the win. There could be annoyance for not serving to one other Chevy in playoff peril, however nothing else. Nevertheless, this example includes a brand new driver with a small group whose very presence on the monitor relies on RCR. That comes with sure expectations, and that is all truthful, however to punish him for making an attempt to win that race within the place he was in could be severely unfair. And never simply to him and the group, however the sponsor as properly. What might he say to long-time backer FunkAway if he did not attempt his hardest to win that race?
Retzlaff responds
“Yeah, the tip of the race is certainly not what we hoped for,” Retzlaff stated on SiriusXM Radio in a Wednesday interview. “I’m not going to get into the no matter – the back-end stuff – but it surely was undoubtedly not what I needed to occur on the finish of the race, and I didn’t need to push a Ford to the win essentially, however FunkAway (sponsor) has supported me for the final two-and-a-half years of racing in NASCAR and it was their first Cup race. I needed to do all the things I might to provide them a great consequence and type of attempt to put my title on the map.”
So, in response to Retzlaff, he was making an attempt to provide his long-time sponsor a great displaying and get his title on the market. He ought to by no means have to elucidate why he tried to provide his sponsor and group the very best end potential.
“The top of the race isn’t how I needed it to work with pushing a Ford, however I additionally didn’t need to hand over all the things with how a lot FunkAway has executed for me.”
He ought to want no different excuse than that. If Retzlaff had gained, what a narrative it could have been. It could have modified your complete course of his profession and if nothing else, solidified his place within the historical past books. We have seen it occur earlier than. As an alternative, on this explicit story, Retzlaff crossed the road in seventh place, and is caught defending his actions that finally determined the race’s destiny.
Producer loyalty performs an vital and significant half within the sport, but it surely should not come at a value to the racing itself.
