William Byron's Chevy skidded down the track and came to rest tilted against the wall with a tire jammed into Brad Keselowski's driver-side window in a late fight for position between two NASCAR playoff drivers.
Ryan Blaney never got so lucky to remain in the second playoff race long enough to gobble playoff points. The 2023 NASCAR champion was knocked out at Watkins Glen International on the opening lap Sunday, his Ford towed to the garage against his wishes.
Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Harrison Burton. The list of playoff drivers that took a beating on the track - and in the standings - dwarfed the ones that escaped the road course unscathed.
Already set to retire from full-time racing at the end of the season, Truex had seen enough of the demolition derby that sabotaged his championship push.
"I just don't understand how guys can call themselves the best in the world when they just drive through everyone on restarts at the end of the races," Truex said. "It is what it is, these days. I'm out of here."
