Martin Truex Jr. was not happy with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during NASCAR’s race Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway — to say the least.
The No. 19 Toyota driver had one of the faster cars on the 1.54-mile track, but he felt he couldn’t take advantage of that because he got stuck in traffic behind cars that were down a lap. Truex was trying to chase down eventual winner Brad Keselowski late in the race, but he couldn’t get around Stenhouse in the No. 17 Ford as the first car one lap behind.
Truex didn’t hide his anger after the race and complained that cars a lap down don’t have enough respect for those racing for the win. He told NBC Sports “it’s completely uncalled for (and) ridiculous.”
Curious NASCAR fans can now get a broader glimpse of Truex’s frustration by listening to highlights from the in-race audio compiled by FOX Sports.
Truex was heard saying on his team radio during the race:
“These (expletive) lappers racing the (expletive) out of us. Ah! Sucks! The 17 is going to hold me up thought — I can guarantee it.”
“(Expletive) the 17, man! He’s such a (expletive) (expletive)! Get him off the (expletive) bottom!”
The debate over whether or not lapped cars should move out of the way for drivers on the lead lap has the NASCAR community seeing both sides. While it’s certainly understandable that Truex was racing to win, Stenhouse was under no obligation to just let an opponent pass him.
