When Ryan Ellis signed on with DGM Racing back in late 2024, his words captured the buzz around the small Florida-based team. “I’ve seen just how high the potential is at DGM, and I can’t wait to be a part of it,” he said, eyeing a fresh start in the No. 71 Chevrolet for the 2025 Xfinity season. Fans latched onto that energy, picturing quick climbs up the standings after his solid 23rd-place run with Alpha Prime the year before. It felt like the start of something steady in a series full of quick turns.

But as the championship chase wound down at Martinsville on October 25, 2025, that promise hit a sudden wall. As the drivers turned their engines on, DGM dropped news of Ellis’s exit right before the green flag dropped, leaving supporters stunned and scrolling for answers.

Whispers of poor timing flooded social feeds, turning excitement into frustration overnight. The split felt raw and rushed. DGM Racing’s initial post laid it bare: “Our time together was much too young, but we wish you the best in what’s yet to come.” The announcement landed just minutes before the IAA Ritchie Bros. 250 at Martinsville, Ellis’ second-last of his rookie year with the team.

Our time together was much too young, but we wish you the best in what’s yet to come. pic.twitter.com/LR69HWUGvs

— DGM Racing (@DGMRacingFL) October 25, 2025

Ellis had a mediocre run in the midpack in the No. 71 Chevy, battling through a 24.5 average finish while adapting to crew chief Mike Hillman Sr.’s setup. But more than the exit, it was the timing of it that didn’t go down well with the fans. They questioned whether DGM Racing let Ellis go at a critical moment, potentially disrupting his momentum in the playoffs.

But DGM soon clarified the twist: “To clarify, @ryanellisracing is fully aware, as this was HIS decision. We were already putting 2026 plans into motion… until we weren’t. It’s still a shock to us as well.”

Team owner Mario Gosselin had sung a different tune a year earlier, thrilled by Ellis’s arrival. “We are thrilled to welcome Ryan to our family and looking forward to advancing our Xfinity program together,” Gosselin shared in October 2024, crediting Ellis’s 15 sponsors for early upgrades that promised peak performance. Those resources fueled hopes for 2026 retention until this abrupt parting news.

As the dust settled on the track, the real roar came from social media, which saw the timing of the newsbreak as unprofessional.

Fans fire back at the timing

One supporter couldn’t hold back on the logistics, tweeting, “Y’all tell him on the radio or something? 😂 what on earth.” It hit at the heart of the chaos: Ellis belted into his seat for Martinsville, unaware of the chatter. DGM fired right back with a wry, “No sir, he told us,” underscoring the driver’s lead in the decision.

“Pretty awful to announce it now…. Couldnt wait like 3 more hours???” one fan vented, pointing to the green flag waving soon after. Martinsville’s short-track intensity demands full focus, yet DGM chose transparency over patience.

That sentiment sharpened in another reply: “The timing of the announcement couldn’t be any worse.” True enough, as the post hit, engines were firing up for the 250-lap grind. Ellis, a California native racing since age four through Virginia’s junior circuits, deserved a cleaner close to his 156th Xfinity start.

DGM’s follow-up clarification aimed to soothe things up, but for the fans, it magnified the pain as they saw potential in Ellis, especially after his P8 finish at Charlotte this year.

“wtf ? Is this supposed to be a professional organization? It’s reading like an HOA fb page,” blasted a commenter, slamming the casual vibe of DGM’s graphic-heavy reveal. Fans are clearly not taking this well. Gosselin’s team has always thrived on the family feel, but doesn’t meet the standard of a team like JR Motorsports.

Finally, a simple gut punch landed: “During the race?! Come on guys.” It captured the disbelief as Ellis chased stage points under the lights, his Charlotte top-10 still fresh from May’s Roval run. DGM’s shocking time of breaking the news crumbled those 2026 blueprints overnight.

As Phoenix approaches, this flare-up reminds us how timing in NASCAR can quickly make or break one’s respect and reputation in the sport.