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Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the defending Daytona 500 winner, was left frustrated after an incident during the rescheduled Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum.
Earlier in the evening, Stenhouse Jr. was involved in a heated argument with John Hunter Nemechek during the mid-race break at the Clash.
The JTG Daughtery driver was also angered by Michael McDowell’s aggressive move on the restart, leading to a neck-to-neck under the caution after their battle sent Ross Chastain spinning.
Describing the incident after the race, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. expressed frustration and questioned the rationale behind such aggressive moves, when Nemechek was two laps down.
In an interview with Frontstretch, Stenhouse Jr. said:
“Yeah, just dive-bombing me three wide for no reason on a restart. So that was it just go and talk to him about that cuz you know we were both a lap down he was actually two laps down I was one lap down and uh there was just no reason for it. I mean it’s a you know smaller than a quarter mile and playing pinball out there.”
“I left a little mad” – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The #47 JTG Daugherty Chevrolet driver continued about his incident with Michael McDowell and the conversation the duo had after the race.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said that the #34 Front Row Motorsports Ford driver was trying to secure a better finishing position, emphasizing his desire for a good result in the race. However, Stenhouse Jr. believes that finishing in a particular position doesn't matter unless you win the race.
About his incident with McDowell, Stenhouse Jr. said:
“The 34 kind of did the same thing exactly the same thing. And we talked afterwards and he said that uh he just really wanted to try and finish you know 15th or 10th and I was like well it doesn’t really matter where you finish unless you win this race. I told him I went through you know the exhibition race here you make the race and you just try not to make people mad. And they saw it different than I did. So, I left a little mad but um you know it’s part of it I’m I’m over it now.”
The 2024 Cup season will officially begin with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18.
