Martinsville, the famed paperclip-shaped track, once again proved to be a hotbed of controversy. This time, it was Richard Childress Racing that found itself at the center of controversy, as accusations flew following the Xfinity Series race on Saturday. The intense finish had major implications for RCR’s championship hopes. What went down in the last two overtime laps caused a rift between team owner Richard Childress and his driver, Sheldon Creed. Even the racing fans couldn’t hold back and voiced their opinion.

Richard Childress was anything but pleased with Sheldon Creed’s racing in Martinsville. Creed faced off against Justin Allgaier in a nail-biting race. The drama unfolded as Creed’s RCR teammate, Austin Hill, was caught up in a massive crash while exiting the final corner.

Sheldon Creed takes heat from Richard Childress after a disappointing finish on Saturday

Sheldon Creed’s mission was clear: he needed to win the race to secure a spot in the championship race at Phoenix. However, what happened on the track left a bitter taste in the mouth of RCR’s owner.

Richard Childress did not mince words as he expressed his disappointment in his driver’s actions. “I’ve had drivers drive for me before, but nobody as stupid as Sheldon Creed. You don’t do that as a team player. What else do you want me to tell you?” Childress stated bluntly, making it clear that Creed’s actions were far from acceptable.

In response to Childress’ criticism, Creed acknowledged the end of his time with RCR and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity he’d had with the team. However, what remained unclear was the exact nature of Creed’s actions on the track that had led to such a strong reaction from his boss. Creed’s situation was far from ideal due to his struggles in the preceding rounds. To advance to the championship race, he had to win at Martinsville. Hill, on the other hand, had a chance to make it based on accumulated points. Leading before the overtime restart, Austin Hill was in a prime position to secure his spot in the championship race.

The final lap drama unfolded as Creed and Hill raced side by side, making contact on the straight. Creed took the lead into turn 3, but Hill came back for some door banging going into turn 4. And that’s what caused Hill to crash into the back of Creed’s car and subsequently into the wall.

In retrospect, one might argue that Creed could have been more lenient towards Hill. However, it’s important to remember that Creed’s own championship hopes were on the line. Sacrificing his chances for a teammate he wouldn’t be racing with the next season would have been a tough call for any NASCAR driver.

Austin Hill, too, could have approached those final two laps differently. RCR could have communicated their points’ situation more effectively. Hill admitted post-race that he was unaware of the points standing as he approached the final restart. Had he known that a Creed win and his second-place finish would ensure both their spots in the title race, he might have adopted a less aggressive strategy.

Post-race, Creed spoke gratefully about his boss. “For Richard, I just want to thank him for my time here,” said Creed. “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,” he went on to add.

Watch This Story | NASCAR PR Crisis: Richard Childress Racing vs Sheldon Creed

While the RCR camp remained divided over Sheldon Creed’s actions, the broader NASCAR community had their own opinions on who was truly at fault for the Martinsville mayhem.

Stock car racing fans stay divided over whom to blame

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Racing fans flocked to social media to voice their opinions, and consensus was far from being achieved. Some squarely placed the blame on Sheldon Creed, while others defended his actions.

One fan expressed their disappointment, saying, “I wish Creed would have won the race,” highlighting the missed opportunity for the young driver. In contrast, another fan questioned Austin Hill’s tactics and supported Sheldon Creed, stating, “Austin Hill door slammed Creed and thought nothing was gonna happen? Why is RCR so mad…”

One sarcastically commented, “If you think Creed is at fault, please stop watching racing 😂,” in a bid to brush off the accusations against him. Another fan claimed, “Creed brake checked the field, and we’re just going to ignore that? If anything else happened, he could have said so when analyzing the replay. Instead, he went silent for those two turns, not even a lie to excuse what happened. He knew he messed up.”

“Classless of Him” – NASCAR Community Trashes Richard Childress After His Unwarranted Hatred for Sheldon Creed

While the dust was still settling on this contentious race, one thing was certain: Martinsville had delivered yet another unforgettable race. Do you think Sheldon Creed was to blame for what went down in the last lap? Let us know in the comments below.