Sam Mayer crashed Ty Gibbs for the win at Watkins Glen International; Both drivers comment
On Saturday, the NASCAR Xfinity Series raced on the road course of Watkins Glen International. The closing stages of the race brought drama and reignited a feud.
Watch the Ty Gibbs vs Sam Mayer video below.
Gibbs had the dominant car, leading 70 laps. However, he came up just short in NASCAR Overtime.
With 7 laps to go, Parker Retzlaff got stuck in the sand. Bringing out a caution and a restart.
On the restart, Gibbs took them four wide for the lead into turn one. He exited turn one side-by-side with Sam Mayer. As they went up the hill, Gibbs cleared himself on Mayer, nearly shoving Mayer into the wall.
Another caution came out, sending the race into NASCAR Overtime.
Kevin Hamlin (No. 1 Spotter): “Honestly, if I’m the leader, I’m telling him to do that. So we just gotta get a good start here and give it back.”
Mayer responded, “10-4.”
On the next restart, Sam Mayer drove it deep into turn one. He wheel hopped and drove into the right rear of Ty Gibbs. He spun Gibbs and Austin Hill in the process.
No caution was thrown as Sheldon Creed took the lead with Sam Mayer in 2nd. Coming to the white flag, Creed ran wide in the final corner, handing the lead to Mayer.
Mayer drove off to take the race win.
This isn’t the first time Gibbs and Mayer have had issues on the track. Last season, Mayer shoved Gibbs into the wall at Martinsville Speedway. That led to a conversation and a fight on the pit lane.
NASCAR fight between Ty Gibbs and Sam Mayer at Martinsville (Video)
Sam Mayer comments after crashing Ty Gibbs for the win
“On that first one, I got used up. Thought I had a good one there,” Sam Mayer told NBC Sports of the second to last restart.
“I wheel hopped it,” Mayer said of the final restart. “That’s unfortunate, I feel bad for doing that. I don’t want to take out a Gibbs car like that, or any car like that.”
“Just trying to get another win in the Xfinity Series. I got a lot of catching up to do.”
“I was in there. Poked my nose in there. That’s part of it, fenders are fenders.”
Mayer concluded, “That’s an accident. But, I think everyone can agree that it’s OK for an Xfinity Series regular to win this race.”
Watkins Glen Results: August 19, 2023 (NASCAR Xfinity Series)
Ty Gibbs comments
“I think when you have to race out of desperation like that, you wheel hop and you clean the leader out,” Ty Gibbs stated after the race.
“I guess you could call it racing move. It just really sucks. Definitely wish that caution didn’t come out there.”
“Sucks to get cleaned out there. I had a good time running these things this year.”
“It’s a part of life and it’s a part of racing. You just get over it. When desperate moves happen, you just gotta keep going.”
“I don’t know how much of a conversation you can really have with him. We kinda grew up racing around each other.”
Gibbs concluded, “I think he has more starts than I do and you know, this is his 2nd win. So, congratulations to him on his 2nd win and I definitely wish I could have gotten my 13th there.”
Ty Gibbs mad at John Hunter Nemechek after Michigan (Video)
Austin Hill comments
“The No. 1 drives over his head, all the time,” Austin Hill told Dustin Albino.
“I should have known. I mean, you have No. 19 and then you have the No. 1. I’ve lost all respect for Sam Mayer. As far as I’m concerned, he can kiss my ass.”
“I’m just very mad right now that he didn’t at least try to race us. He just took both of us out knowing that we were the two to beat.”
“Don’t have no respect for him. We’ll have to see what happens down the road but I won’t be racing him clean from now on, I can tell you that.”
Unlike Gibbs, Hill and Mayer don’t have a history of racing incidents.
“I just see what he does to other people. And I’ve honestly been waiting for it to happen to me. It’s happened to me.”
“I’m not one of those people that taking getting wrecked lightly. So, we’ll see.”
Austin Hill punches Myatt Snider at Martinsville (Video)
