Steve Letarte knows a thing or two about high-stakes racing. As a former crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports, he guided Jeff Gordon to six wins in 2007 alone and later helped Dale Earnhardt Jr. secure his first Daytona 500 victory in 2014. With 15 Cup Series triumphs under his belt. His experience spotting setups that win races makes his recent take on Watkins Glen International hit hard, especially after a weekend packed with chaos on the 2.45-mile road course known for its demanding layout, featuring the sharp Turn 1 uphill right-hander, the twisting Esses from Turns 2 to 4, the Inner Loop chicane, and the sweeping carousel at Turn 5.
Think back to 1991 at Watkins Glen, when J.D. McDuffie lost his life in a brutal crash at the Outer Loop, Turn 5, after a mechanical failure sent him into the barriers, underscoring how the track’s fast, unforgiving sections have long tested safety limits. Fast-forward to this year’s Xfinity Series Mission 200. On Lap 65, Connor Zilisch ran wide entering Turn 6 while battling Shane van Gisbergen for the lead, clipping his teammate’s right rear and sending van Gisbergen spinning into the wall outside Turn 7.
Just nine laps later, on Lap 74, Austin Hill swung wide exiting Turn 5, tagging Michael McDowell’s left side and triggering an 11-car pileup that collected drivers like Zane Smith and Sam Mayer. These wrecks, born from pushes beyond the asphalt, mirror past troubles, like Geoff Bodine’s 1989 barrier slam at the Loop, highlighting how Watkins Glen’s design can amplify risks when drivers stray. But what if these moments signal a deeper issue begging for attention?
Steve Letarte’s core claim and why it matters
Steve Letarte didn’t hold back in his post-race breakdown, calling out how drivers routinely ignore the intended racing surface at Watkins Glen. “I think that the Zilisch-SVG wreck between the last two corners happened because they left the track. And the Austin Hill wreck with Michael McDowell happened off the racetrack. Now, both could have been avoided.” He said on his X post, pointing to a video where he elaborated that it’s “ridiculous to see 85% of the cars not use the racetrack as it was designed.”
Nowadays we can’t go to Watkins Glen and not talk track limits.
For me, I think it’s ridiculous to see 85% of the cars not use the racetrack as it was designed.
Agree or disagree?#InsideTheRace #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/GNH04sGvKX
— Steve Letarte (@SteveLetarte) August 11, 2025
This wake-up call comes now because the recent Xfinity and Cup races exposed the problem starkly; the Zilisch-van Gisbergen clash on Lap 65 and the Hill-McDowell melee on Lap 74 both unfolded off-track, where paved runoffs let drivers push without consequence. As Letarte noted, these areas, added for safety after incidents like McDuffie’s 1991 tragedy, now dilute the challenge of corners like Turn 1, where cars “just blow the exit” instead of respecting the 90-degree turn’s demands.
The weakness boils down to lax track limits, which Letarte argues make sections like the carousel “a much easier corner” by allowing drivers to steer left off the asphalt. “You go down into turn one; you only have to slow the car down like 10 miles an hour more, or excuse me, less than you used to, because you don’t even make the question. It’s not 90 degrees anymore. It’s like 60 because you turn down in there and you just straighten the wheel.” He explained, stressing how this straightens the wheel and shaves speed requirements by about 10 mph less braking.
The effect? Racing suffers as cars don’t need to handle as precisely, leading to awkward rejoins that spike incident risks. Take the SVG wreck, where off-track positioning forced questions like “How much room should he give a guy that’s off the chicane?” Letarte tied this directly to the crashes, saying the Zilisch-SVG and Hill-McDowell tangles “happened because they left the track,” turning predictable lines into chaos and potentially avoidable wrecks.
To fix it, Letarte wants solutions that encourage staying on track without harsh penalties or added danger. “I don’t want to do that with officiating… I don’t know if it’s a strip of gravel, a strip of grass, or some Astroturf,” he suggested, recalling last year’s failed rumble strips in Turn 1 that drivers ignored after just one practice lap. This matters because unrestricted off-track runs not only cheapen the race but also heighten collisions, as seen when paved escapes create uncertainty in battles.
With Watkins Glen hosting its 42nd Cup event this year, second only to Riverside among road courses, Letarte believes enforcing limits would demand better car setups and elevate the competition, making the track’s design shine again. Letarte’s views extend beyond one venue, shining a light on team dynamics too. Speaking of handling tough moments, he recently weighed in on how Hendrick Motorsports navigates internal conflicts.
Letarte spotlights HMS team unity
Steve Letarte praised Hendrick Motorsports‘ approach to teammate friction after Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott’s contact at Iowa Speedway earlier this season. “It’s okay to be pissed at each other,” Letarte said, noting how the incident, where Larson bumped Elliott wide in Turn 1 on Lap 186 while fighting for position, tested the team’s bonds but didn’t break them. This came during the Cup Series race at the 0.875-mile oval, where Elliott finished 14th and Larson 28th after the dust settled, highlighting HMS’s ability to rebound without lasting drama.
What stands out, per Letarte, is the leadership fostering open talks. “The fact that they can have a conversation and move on is a testament to the culture at Hendrick,” he added, drawing from his own time there guiding drivers like Gordon and Earnhardt Jr. through rivalries. Unlike some teams where grudges linger, HMS encourages venting and then focusing forward, key after Iowa, where the bump stemmed from aggressive restarts but resolved quickly, keeping both drivers in playoff contention.
Ultimately, Letarte sees this as a strength. They’re competitors first, teammates second. Such incidents build resilience. With Larson in the top 5 in points and Elliott chasing his second win, this unity pays off, proving HMS handles pressure without fracturing, much like their 14 championships show.
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