In Sunday’s rain-delayed conclusion to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, many felt an incident late in the event was controversial.
On lap 162, Noah Gragson in the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet appeared to be chasing down Myatt Snider in the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet as they came off of turn four. As the two drivers came down the frontstretch of the 1.5-mile speedway, Gragson appeared to swerve into right into Snider’s car. This sent Snider spinning into the grass.
At first glance, it looked intentional to just about everyone.
.@MyattSnider gets sent through the grass!
?: https://t.co/qkbTgQOd94 pic.twitter.com/bXt6uw5oOs
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) February 24, 2020
However, after being confronted by Snider on pit road after the race, Gragson denied the incident was anything malicious. Instead, Gragson chalked it up to the air pulling his car into Snider’s while attempting to side draft.
Noah Gragson explains what happened when he turned Myatt Snider in the Xfinity race: pic.twitter.com/qW8xvy2LN5
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 24, 2020
Are you buying what Gragson is selling? If not, you’re not alone. NASCAR veteran JJ Yeley, who was in the same race with Snider and Gragson tweeted out on Monday that the incident was certainly intentional, as he saw Snider cut Gragson off on the backstretch moments before the incident.
That’s funny , he got blocked on back straight away by Myatt and wrecked him on the front straight away???? you crash a guy own up to it ?
— JJ Yeley (@jjyeley1) February 24, 2020
After the incident, Gragson went on to finish fourth in the race, and is now second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship standings. Meanwhile, Snider who was also wiped out in Daytona by a crash not of his doing, finished 16th at Las Vegas on Sunday.
