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“Lucky Dog” Scripts Unbelievable Underdog Story at Talladega as NASCAR Fans Go Wild

Published 04/20/2024, 9:28 PM EDT

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Mason Massey had an incredible outing at Talladega as he took “Fan Controlled” #14 Camaro to a best-ever P11 finish at Talladega. SS-Green Light Racing threw their support behind Massey’s part-time Xfinity Series plunge. But also, for the first time this season, all decisions surrounding a car in one of the top three National Series historically were in the hands of the very fans bearing witness.

Fan Controlled Sports+Entertainment joined forces with EssentiallySports’ sub-brand ‘Lucky Dog on Track’ to bring diehards closer to the race with a revolutionary initiative that allowed the grandstands to make every strategic decision for SSGLR’s #14 Camaro at the Ag-Pro 300 on Saturday. 

Fan Controlled Racing and the Lucky Dog on Track make history at Talladega

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Massey’s top-15 finish after over a year of inactivity in the Xfinity Series is even more impressive considering that the 27-year-old full-time Truck Series aspirant almost did not qualify on Friday. The #14 car was allowed to compete only after post-qualifying inspections revealed an “unsealed roof hatch” on Garrett Smithley’s #6 car for JD Motorsports. Regardless, starting from the back of the pack, Massey, who can be considered the ‘Lucky Dog’, thanks to the collaboration between EssentiallySports and Fan Controlled, defied all expectations, and the fans made their voices heard for the #14 car’s efforts on an unbelievable campaign.

The impact of these cumulative spectator decisions on FCSE’s “Control” app was on display for fans to see on social media. The official handles of both FCSE and its loyal partners, Lucky Dog on Track, put out updates concerning Mason Massey’s efforts at the racetrack. A deeper look at any of these posts will reveal the immersive experience of this incredible collaboration.

 

Furthermore, after capping off a true underdog story at Talladega, the fans were loud supporters of the part-time #14 driver. Even Stephen Taranto of CBS Sports expressed his admiration in a separate post captioned, He went from not making the field to driving the @fancontrolled car to the doorstep of a Top 10… Massey says the fans made great decisions and that it was fun to run a race that way.” 

 

However, Twitter user @DeltawingOuppy admirably inquired with some resounding rhetoric, declaring, “P11 Mason Massey? how about that for not qualifying yesterday!” Understandably, fans were thrilled by the Georgia native’s resilient pursuit of a top-11 placement, with one tagging the man himself in a post that reads, “Hell yeah!! Great finish!! @Mason_Massey.” 

But as one diehard fan also informed his peers about the various unexpected “underdog” outings at the 2024 Ag-Pro 300, Massey’s name rightfully made the list alongside drivers like Joey Gase, Josh Bilicki, and Matt DiBenedetto.

Mason Massey’s P11 success ushers in optimism

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Nevertheless, the youngest pole winner in the Southern All-Star Racing Series wasn’t unaware of the collective influence of the fans and their voting for the #14 car and its real-time outcomes at the end of the day in Talladega.

He would even state exclusively to FCSE and their partners at EssentialySports, Honestly, I agreed with them (the fans) all day. Everything I heard, I was good with it…. The fans did a great job….” 

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With FCSE’s NASCAR efforts taking flight steadily, following up on their first Fan Controlled outing last year at the NXS championship race in Phoenix, more such opportunities will surely arise due to Mason Massey’s iconic run at the longest oval on the NASCAR calendar.

The Lucky Dog on Track will look forward to supporting their revolutionary mission on even bigger stages as the future of sports and entertainment enters a new era of immersive fan interactions in NASCAR.

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Written by:

Amman Augustin

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Amman Augustin is a NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. With his coverage majorly focusing on the lavish off-track lives of drivers, Amman often brings the lesser-known side of Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick to their fans. Another aspect of NASCAR where he flourishes is covering rivalries between competitors.
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Edited by:

Shivali Nathta