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Earlier there was a controversy during the NASCAR Xfinity race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. In the early stages of the race, there was the usual pandemonium. One of the effects was DGM Racing driver, Josh Williams, damaging his car in a wreck. But it was fortunately still drivable. However, the officials disagreed with that assessment, considering that the car was shedding debris. As a result, they penalized him and ordered him to park his car. Interestingly, something similar befell Rick Hendrick-backed driver, Brandon Jones, who is driving for Rick’s team JR Motorsports.

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Admittedly, this did not sit well with many NASCAR fans on Reddit.

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To them, there was a heavy bias towards drivers associated with top teams and executives. Especially considering that Jones drives for JR Motorsports.

According to one fan, “Frame by frame. I think the conclusion here is that the way the rule is written, Jones shouldn’t have been penalized and this is a dumb rule”.

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Another fan ranted, “Does it have something to do with the front office being incompetent clowns?”

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READ MORE: Despite $50,000 Debacle, Denny Hamlin Plays the Good Samaritan as Xfinity Series Driver Steals the Show at Atlanta

Fans believe Hendrick Motorsports is why Jones escaped punishment

With Hendrick Motorsports owner backing 26-year-old, there is a fan-favorite conspiracy that there is a bit of favoritism towards the top team. Although JR Motorsports is Dale Earnhardt Jr’s team, it falls under the Hendrick Motorsports umbrella. As one fan eloquently put it, “Who owns his car vs who owns Josh Williams car”.

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Other responses read, “NASCAR is not going to park a big money team like JRM, JGR, RCR, etc. But they won’t hesitate to park a small money team trying to make it”.

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“Because Nascar doesn’t give a flying fuck about underfunded teams”

“Easier to park Josh Williams than a JRM car”.

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Apparently, Jones got caught up in an incident very early on in the race. As a result, the team put bear bond tape on his car to patch it up temporarily. Evidently, some debris must have flown off his car, but the officials oddly decided to give him a pass.

WATCH THIS STORY: Dale Earnhardt Jr Set to Make His Annual Return to the Xfinity Series at Bristol

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Unfortunately, the same courtesy was not extended to poor old Josh Williams.

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Dhruv George

14,855 Articles

Dhruv George is EssentiallySports’ foremost authority on motorsport and a founding member of the outlet’s NASCAR desk. A Journalism graduate fluent in English and French, he brings over eight years of motorsports journalism experience covering everything from high-octane NASCAR battles to the finesse of Formula 1 and MotoGP. His extensive paddock access has earned him exclusive interviews with top names such as F1’s Pierre Gasly and Moto2’s Tony Arbolino, cementing his reputation as a trusted voice among racing fans. Known for his candid opinions, Dhruv isn’t afraid to tackle contentious officiating calls, most recently defending Joey Logano after the DYL penalty in Phoenix. Before focusing on NASCAR as a Senior Writer, Dhruv contributed extensively to EssentiallySports’ coverage of F1 and NASCAR, building a versatile and impactful sports portfolio.

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Ranvijay Singh

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