Since the controversial finish to the Round of Eight Playoff race at Martinsville, the debate over the quality of the NASCAR Playoffs has raged on. Yesterday, a comment from Denny Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental took the internet by storm. Here’s what we’ve learned since then.
Yesterday, during Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin recounted a post-race conversation he had with Mike Forde of NASCAR Communications.
“I talked to Mike Forde a little bit last night, NASCAR comms. I said, ‘Man, I mean, you got this format getting hammered on the net.’ and he’s like, ‘it’s it’s bots. It’s not real people.’ And so I said, okay, I mean, you can you can turn a blind eye if you want and you can be in denial. But numbers don’t lie, numbers never lie.” – Denny Hamlin, Actions Detrimental With Denny Hamlin, Nov. 4
Hamlin is referring to the NASCAR Playoffs. The system as a whole has seen slander online since the wild finish at Martinsville. At Martinsville, fans saw several questionable things happen on the last lap, all of which related to advancing to the final round of the playoffs at Phoenix.
To some fans, this interaction confirmed their fears that NASCAR is not listening to or completely ignoring their opinions. Essentially, this leads to a trend of fans confirming to NASCAR on social media that they are not bots.
Forde later clarified Via his X that this is not how the interaction went down.
Forde continued to clarify later yesterday that this was a reference to the broader accuracy of commentary on X rather than the quality of fan feedback about NASCAR.
So, since the rumble from this interaction, what have we learned?
Now that Forde has provided more clarity on his end, it makes sense that NASCAR cannot treat everything online as gold. On a day-to-day basis, anyone can say anything they want whenever they want, and that includes bots. Furthermore, as far as fans go, some people tend to use their voices more when they are upset. This is especially true online.
However, Forde says that this is not a direct reference to NASCAR topics, which to some fans makes no sense. Many fans are now asking if the playoffs are the basis of the conversation; why did Forde bring this point up at all? Returning to their initial questions about why someone would use bots to influence rulings, the Playoffs, or the sport as a whole.
For Forde, the hundreds of angry comments and responses from fans are not ideal. Some are sarcastic, while some are rather inconsiderate. However, it seems that NASCAR fans are using these alleged comments toward Hamlin to confirm their worries about NASCAR and, in turn, are scapegoating Forde as part of those frustrations.
The ability of such a passing or even alleged conversation to grip the NASCAR community only further shows fans’ displeasure with what happened Sunday night. The fact of the matter is that fans of any group, age, or opinion, are worried that NASCAR is not listening to them.
What do you think about all this? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is, and don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Chris Gabehart has responded to Joe Gibbs Racing’s lawsuit, strongly denying the allegations and calling the claims “false,” “frivolous,” and “retaliatory” in a public statement released this Friday.
After the lawsuit became public, on Thursday, Gabehart spoke out for the first time, stating that he did not share any confidential JGR information with Spire Motorsports or any third parties and that he intends to prove that in court. He also said a third-party forensic review of his personal devices found no evidence supporting the accusations, adding that JGR declined an offer to examine Spire’s systems before filing suit.
“Yesterday afternoon, Joe Gibbs Racing filed a lawsuit claiming — falsely — that I shared JGR confidential information with Spire Motorsports and/or other unnamed third parties… I feel compelled to speak out today and forcefully and emphatically deny these frivolous and retaliatory claims.”
Gabehart said he will address the matter further in a formal legal response in the coming days.
You can learn more about the lawsuit, why it started and all the context surrounding it in the article linked below
Weather could play a major role in the NASCAR weekend at EchoPark Speedway, with current forecasts calling for a 40% chance of rain Saturday afternoon and increasing to 55% in the evening. While conditions are expected to improve, contingency plans are already in place in case races cannot be completed as scheduled
NASCAR has not announced any official schedule changes yet, as decisions will be based on how conditions develop in real time. With rain chances increasing through Saturday afternoon and evening, teams are preparing for multiple outcomes, and Sunday is expected to serve as the primary backup window if events can’t be completed as planned.
Conditions are constantly being monitored, but fans should be prepared for possible schedule adjustments throughout the weekend. We’ll keep you updated throughout the race weekend here on The Daily Downforce
Just when things finally seemed to calm down in the NASCAR garage, a bombshell dropped. Joe Gibbs Racing is officially suing former competition director Chris Gabehart, and the allegations are serious. Power struggles, confidential data, secret photos, and a potential move to Spire Motorsports.
From competition department tension to an $8 million damages figure, this lawsuit could have major implications beyond just one team. Gabehart helped elevate Denny Hamlin back into championship form and played a key role in JGR’s recent success, which makes this split even more shocking. This preview only scratches the surface. The full breakdown dives into the timeline, the alleged evidence, and what this could mean for the Cup Series balance of power moving forward. Watch the full video to learn much more
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