I’m not sure what’s more insane about the end of today’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Not only was the race decided by a nose—specifically the nose of a truck that was pinning another truck into Mosport’s outer wall—but it was capped off by a crazy fight along the pit straight.
You have to feel for Cole Custer here. Had he won this weekend’s race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, he’d have secured a spot in the series’ championship-deciding Chase. John Hunter Nemechek was already in and looking for a second win, so he didn’t really need to be all that cut-throat here.
On the last lap, Nemechek started bumping Custer’s rear to push him out of the way but eventually just ended that by slamming into him. Nemechek pinned Custer against the wall of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s front straight, preventing him from nosing ahead as they approached the flag.
When Nemechek asked for the victory flag to celebrate this smash-’em-up victory, officials wouldn’t give it to him because the ending was under review. Since they were all waiting around outside of their trucks, though, Custer gave Nemechek a tackle instead. (Can you really blame him?)
Nemechek was eventually declared the winner, per NASCAR, but that decision happened minutes after the fight was broken up.
Custer was still fuming mad over the incident when he spoke with Motorsport.com, explaining that he felt cheated out of both a win and a Chase berth accordingly:
He hit me coming to the second to the last corner — then hit me again and that sent me into the grass and he just drove me up into the fence. I was expecting it — kind of — because he’s raced a lot of people like that but it’s a shame. It was a great opportunity for us to get into the Chase — and he took it away from us.
It’s going to be a rough year for him.
Looks like it’s already gotten rough, judging by that grassy brawl!
Meanwhile, Nemechek feigned innocence when he explained himself to Motorsport.com:
I caught [Custer’s No.] 00 there. We didn’t wreck him for the win, rubbing is racing.
Come on, dude. At least own it when you wreck someone out. Rubbing is one thing. This was more like redecorating an entire stretch of wall. However, Nemechek continued with a very valid point:
If I had been in the same spot, he would have done the same thing to get a win. You have to do everything you can here to get a win.
In NASCAR trucks? I’m going to go with “myth plausible” on that theory.
