The fans made history at Talladega by powering underdog Mason Massey to a ‘Fan Controlled’ P11 finish from almost not even qualifying at the Ag-Pro 300 Xfinity Series race last Saturday.

EssentiallySports recently partnered with Massey’s primary sponsors for the #14 Chevy, Fan Controlled Sports+Entertainment (FCSE), to give the most valuable stakeholders of NASCAR–the people cheering on for the sport–a chance to be the virtual pit boss. Moreover, FCSE, alongside our sub-brand Lucky Dog on Track, even allowed one fan to earn the exclusive opportunity to witness the festivities firsthand at the 2.66-mile racetrack of unpredictability at Talladega, Alabama.

Besting many others in an exciting fan vote on ‘The Control’ app, @mograppler, better known by his online moniker, Woodytheduck, was the winner or rather the ‘Lucky Dog’ of this initiative. Earning a trip from Atlanta, GA to the infields of Talladega, this fan did not just experience, but also impact, Mason Massey’s inspiring advance. And in an Exclusive Interview with EssentiallySports, the charismatic @mograppler laid out all the emotions, straight from the tracks and even discussed Massey’s run and surprise qualification.

‘Lucky Dog’ dissects Mason Massey’s lucky day

In a rollercoaster of a weekend, excitement for the Fan Controlled team kicked off with uncertainty, as engine issues resulted in SSGLR’s #14 car DNQ’ing. But after Garrett Smithley’s #6 Camaro for JD Motorsports could not compete due to an “unsealed roof hatch” violating NASCAR safety regulations during qualifying, Massey filled out the open spot in 38th at the extreme tail end of the pack.

The ‘Lucky Dog’ spectator Woodytheduck, who got to call the shots for the #14 car of SS Green Light Racing, expressed his point of view over the lucky driver’s initial qualifying disappointments in an Exclusive Interview with EssentiallySports. He started off by clarifying, “Something was wrong with I believe, the engine. Nothing the fans did, we’re told.”

“So we weren’t running very fast out there. We qualified 39th out of a possible 38. Only one person wasn’t gonna qualify. It ended up being us. So we’re scrambling, turns out, one of the other people who qualified had a latch loose on his roof or on the hood. Gets disqualified. Now we’re in! We were all bummed. Not sure what we were doing and then we were just elated…”

However, after maneuvering his way through multiple Stage 3 cautions and persistent fuel management problems at Talladega, Massey blazed through the pack after a fan-made call with just three laps to go. The #14 car hence refueled and ended the race in overtime, almost knocking at the doors of a top-10 spot. Regardless, Massey also appreciated the fans who helped him earn his career-best Talladega finish in a NASCAR National Series race.

Mason Massey loves the ‘Fan Controlled’ experience

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From making calls on the #14 team’s real-time race day strategies, alongside crew chief Jason Miller, to selecting the music for the FCSExLDOT’s RV en route to an incredible journey at Talladega, many fans just like Woodytheduck were instrumental in making a resounding mark, for the very first time in NASCAR’s history.

The talented driver talked about how he “agreed with them (the fans) all day,” exclusively with EssentiallySports. Furthermore, in an interview with Steven Taranto of CBS Sports, Massey also explained his experiences with having the fans chime in on so many “major decisions” that would impact his run from the green at the Ag-Pro 300.

“It was awesome,” stated Mason, before adding, “The fans did a really good job. Everything they said, I was on board with. It was really cool to have them on. The fans are the ones to keep this whole thing going… If it wasn’t for the fans we wouldn’t be here.”

Fair to say, as Jesse Love battled the unpredictable air surrounding this moment to pick up his first Xfinity Series victory, it was a milestone moment for all involved in helping the fans come even closer to the excitement of the world’s premier stock car racing experience of NASCAR. And the future looks only brighter with potentially more of such Fan Controlled campaigns.