The sting of missing the playoffs isn’t just a blow to a driver but to their entire team. And when the setback comes from within the team, that’s a recipe for a shake-up. Such tension was detectable within Richard Childress Racing after the Martinsville Xfinity race. To add fuel to the fire, Andy Petree also voiced his displeasure over Sheldon Creed’s last-lap maneuver, sharing his candid thoughts on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Richard Childress expressed his dissatisfaction with the racetrack antics of Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill during the crucial NASCAR Xfinity Series elimination race in the Round of 8. With both drivers from the Chevrolet-aligned squad missing out on a coveted Championship 4 berth, a storm was brewing within the team’s ranks. 

Inside the drama, Richard Childress Racing’s VP weighs in on the thrilling last-lap clash between Hill and Creed

Meanwhile, Andy Petree, the VP, shared his take on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, highlighting the missed opportunity for both drivers. “The problem I had was that they didn’t race off the last corner. I don’t know why it went viral. Nobody even knew what I told him, but probably my head was just that they didn’t race off the last corner, you know. I just, well, whatever brake check move, whatever it was, it cost both cars a chance at racing for a championship, which is what I was frustrated with. And I just feel like he could have handled that better.”

Further elaborating on the viral video of him scolding Creed, he said, “Now I said was, how can you just race him off the corner? You know, if he just raised off the corner, he wins, and I have no problem at all, the way they reach each other up to that point. You know, I knew gloves are going to be off, and it was going to be. You know, it’s going to be a slugfest, and it was. It was actually a really good finish. But that last little move is what I was frustrated with. Not both cars out of a chance to race for a championship.”

Interestingly, Creed himself expressed regret, indicating that he wasn’t proud of his on-track decisions.

The stakes were sky-high for Sheldon Creed, with a win being his ticket to the Championship 4. Austin Hill was in a similar boat; his fate was somewhat tied to Cole Custer’s finish. As the race neared its climax, Hill edged Creed on the track, only for Creed to retaliate. The two jostled for dominance, with Justin Allgaier waiting in the wings, ready to pounce.

Read More: “Nobody as Stupid as Sheldon Creed” – Richard Childress Publicly Chastises Dejected Star Moments After On-Track Fallout With RCR VP

In a heart-stopping final turn, Hill seemed to challenge his teammate, leading Creed to overcommit into the corner. A moment of hesitation, a screech of brakes, and Hill was sent spinning into a massive crash. As the dust settled, Justin Allgaier and Creed gave fans a race finish for the ages, ending in a breathtaking photo finish. Allgaier clinched the win, a mere 0.032s ahead of Creed, who subsequently got the boot from the playoffs. Hill’s race ended in calamity, and he too was ousted.

This high-octane drama didn’t sit well with the big guns at Richard Childress Racing. Richard Childress himself didn’t mince words, labeling Creed the most stupid driver he’s ever had. He said, “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?”

Sheldon Creed Reflects on His Controversial Martinsville Tactics

As per motorsport.com, in an introspective chat with NBC Sports, Sheldon Creed delved into his racing style at Martinsville, confessing a certain discomfort with his aggressive approach. “I don’t know if it’s fair. I don’t like racing that way, but it seems to be the way this race always plays out,” he remarked.

Elaborating on his strategy, Creed said, “I feel like we played pretty fair for the situation. He’s going to be mad, but it’s for a Championship 4 spot. I wanted to fight for my guys all the way to the end. […] If I wanted to guarantee myself a win, I’d do what Ty (Gibbs) did last year and spin him out into Turn 1. Then I’m not worrying about him at all, but I moved him up off the bottom enough for him to have a fighting shot. I mean, he had a fighting shot. I can’t control the No. 20 spinning him out.”

Austin Hill, on the other hand, had a rather sardonic response. Post-race visuals showed him mockingly applauding in the direction of Creed’s No. 2 crew. Social media was soon buzzing with a video clip capturing Richard Childress Racing’s VP of Competition, Andy Petree, in a heated exchange with Creed post-race.

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