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Tempers Run High at Bristol as Truck Star Triggers Nick Sanchez’s ‘Talladega Brawl’ Memories

Published 03/16/2024, 10:55 PM EDT

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“I’m gonna f***in kill you in Homestead. You f***d with the wrong guy, motherf***” are the words that Nick Sanchez uttered to Matt Crafton after the pair had gotten into a fight at Talladega. Fast-forward to this year’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Bristol, and it seems like Sanchez may be undergoing Deja Vu after getting into another altercation, but this time with the driver of the #52 Toyota Tundra.

Nick Sanchez gets into a heated moment with Stewart Friesen at Bristol

With only 32 laps remaining of the Weather Guard Truck Race, a caution was called after Nick Sanchez and Stewart Friesen got into a wreck. The #2 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Sanchez, was steaming down the outside lane when Stewart Friesen’s #52 Tundra threw an aggressive block. As the room ahead of him disappeared, Sanchez had nowhere to go and ploughed into the left rear of the #52, sending Friesen spinning around.

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While it was evident to those witnessing from the booths that Stewart Friesen had prematurely closed the door on Sanchez, the #52 driver wasted no time in confronting Sanchez in the pit lane at Bristol Motor Speedway.

As Friesen and his crew approached the #2 Silverado, words were exchanged between the two drivers before Friesen got physical and grabbed Sanchez by the collar. This didn’t go down well with either pit crew, as the two sides tried their best to pull away the pair. Last time around, an altercation of this nature had ended with a bloodied nose for Sanchez. However, the 24-year-old seemed unscathed by the aggression exhibited by Friesen.

After the race was over, Stewart Friesen’s X account tweeted, Up and down day at @ItsBristolBaby. We searched for speed early and rebounded tonight with Stewart running in the top ten for most of the night. A late-race incident in Stage 3 put us too far behind to finish with the speed we were showing.”

Whilst Nick Sanchez didn’t comment on the incident, it’s no secret that Rev Racing’s rising star is no stranger to brawls. His only issue? “I’m all for fighting, but no cheap shots,” as he stated five months ago after his run-in with veteran Matt Crafton. Although his altercation with Stewart Frisen didn’t involve any punches, the #52 was still the first one to show aggression.

Despite Sanchez being no stranger to such incidents anymore, the NASCAR community couldn’t help but point out how the Truck Series veterans had treated the rising talent

The NASCAR community commends Nick Sanchez and Rev Racing for their attitudes

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Although fans were rather excited at the prospect of another fight, those who analyzed the incident sided with Sanchez through and through. After all, the #52 of Friesen had closed the door right as Sanchez was closing in, making it a racing incident at most. “Why the hell is Friesen pissed? A user shared. “He came up the track with a truck on the outside… Dude is so washed up.”

Other fans also sided with Sanchez, “I mean he was there, idk what Stewart is mad about.”  At the same time, fans couldn’t shake off the feeling of Déjà vu. One fan stated, “truck vets vs Nick Sanchez part 2 lmaooo” whilst another added, “If I had a nickel for every time Nick Sanchez got into a fight with an older guy in the truck series, I would have 2 nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice”

At the end of the day, the community commended Sanchez for handling the situation respectfully. A user shared, “Wow, I like both of these guys but I’m so glad that Nick knows how to stand up for himself. These “older” guys are really coming after him lately🥹” while others also commended the Rev Racing pit crew for splitting up the pair and not instigating things further.

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The fan shared, “Serious respect to, what appears is, Sanchez’s team for merely splitting them up after confrontation instead of something potentially embarrassing. That certainly couldn’t have been easy, but apparently, @RevRacin are a bunch of genuine professionals. Bravo.”

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With that said, do you think the Truck Series veterans should perhaps go easier on the rising talent?

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Written by:

Kabir Bajaj Ahmed

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Kabir Bajaj Ahmed is an F1 & NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. Known for his storytelling and extensive research skills, he has covered multiple stories on Dale Earnhardt Jr and his legendary dad, allowing readers to relive the thunderous days of 'The Intimidator'. Being a racer himself, Kabir can resonate with the motorsport world better than most.
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Edited by:

Shivali Nathta