“I don’t know how it went viral, nobody even knew what I told him.”
On Saturday, Martinsville Speedway hosted the playoff elimination finale for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. It ended in a mangled mess of drama.
Tensions were already high between RCR teammates Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill before the green flag. Several weeks ago, Creed crash Hill by accident at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Sheldon Creed crashes teammate Austin Hill at Bristol (Video)
In more recent weeks, Creed announced that he would not be returning to Richard Childress Racing. A deal for 2024 hasn’t been announced. However, Hill has since leaked that Creed would be going to Gibbs.
Sheldon Creed exits Richard Childress Racing
Jesse Love signs with Richard Childress Racing
Creed and Hill were in a battle for a transfer spot into this week’s championship race. They banged doors and bumpers for several laps on a late race restart.
In the final corner, Creed slid Hill. He cleared him but he still needed to make the corner so he slammed on the brakes. Hill drove into the back of Creed hard enough to bust open the radiator.
Hill spun and Justin Allgaier worked under both of them. Allgaier narrowly beat Creed to the finish line.
Both RCR cars were eliminated from the championship battle. Hill was noticeably frustrated and gave slow claps to the pit box of his teammate after climbing from the car.
Moments later, RCR VP of Competition Andy Petree walked over to Creed’s machine. Petree began screaming as he soon to be former co-worker.
The moment went viral…
Richard Childress Racing executive yells at Sheldon Creed (Video)
Andy Petree explains the confrontation
“I don’t know how it went viral, nobody even knew what I told him,” Andy Petree stated via Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
“The problem I had was just that they didn’t race off the last corner. Whatever brake check move, whatever it was, it cost both cars a chance at racing for a championship.”
“That’s what I was frustrated with. I just feel like he could have handled that better.”
“All I said was, ‘Why could he just race him off the corner?’ ”
“If he just raced off the corner, he wins. I have no problem at all with the way they race each other, up to that point. I knew gloves were going to be off and it was going to be a slugfest.”
“It was. And it was actually a really good finish. But, that last little move is what I was frustrated with.”
Martinsville Results: October 28, 2023 (NASCAR Xfinity Series)
Team owner Richard Childress calls Sheldon Creed stupid
“I’ve had drivers drive for me before but nobody as stupid as Sheldon Creed,” Childress told NBC Sports.
“You don’t do that as a team player. What else do you want me to tell you?”
Childress was also asked if Creed would be driving the No. 2 car this week at Phoenix following the incident. Childress didn’t respond.
Creed also had a message for his current team owner:
“For Richard, I just want to thank him for my time here,” Creed said. “I’ve had a really good two years and I’ve learned a ton. My time has come to move on. I’ll forever be thankful for Richard. He was my first Xfinity opportunity out of Trucks.”
In 2024, Jesse Love will drive the No. 2 car for RCR.
Watch the video of the Martinsville race between Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill
Links
Sheldon Creed | Austin Hill | Martinsville Speedway | NASCAR
