When Elton Sawyer talks, the NASCAR world listens—whether they like it or not. As the Senior Vice President of Competition, Sawyer’s job is to keep things fair on the track, but off it? He’s no stranger to fan backlash. Just last year, his explanation of the calls that impacted Chase Elliott & Ryan Blaney in the Brickyard 400 left fans more confused than satisfied and sparked days of heated debate online. “Again, you give … the drivers every opportunity to get going, but also the guys that are leading… as they are racing, you can’t let them race through a situation where you’ve got a car stopped on the racetrack. So that was our decision process and how we kind of digest that very quickly,” he had said, inviting an array of reactions.
Fast-forward to Talladega, one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable battlegrounds, and Sawyer is once again the center of attention. Only this time, it’s not confusion. Instead, it’s full-on outrage. What he said post-race didn’t just raise eyebrows; it triggered a tidal wave of fan fury. And let’s just say, NASCAR nation is not mincing words about it.
A photo finish, DQs, and NASCAR’s latest firestorm
The 2025 Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway delivered the drama fans expected. But this one came with extra fireworks. The finish? A photo finish between Austin Cindric and Ryan Preece: A victory so tight it needed frame-by-frame review. Just 0.022 seconds separating the two! Cindric was declared the winner by a nose, snapping a long, winless streak and adding another wild chapter to Dega’s unpredictable history. The race wasn’t just about the finish. Several cautions, including a massive multi-car wreck near the pit lane entry on Lap 43, shuffled the pack and saw big names like Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski get swept up. It unfolded when Keselowski crashed into Kyle Busch. Alex Bowman and Ryan Blaney also got entangled, taking significant damage. But there was something more interesting.
Post-race, NASCAR officials dropped a bombshell on Ryan Preece and Joey Logano. They were both disqualified following inspection failures. Logano’s infraction centered on a missing spoiler bolt. Preece, on the other hand, was found to have three shims on its rear spoiler instead of the mandated two. Both drivers were demoted, with Cindric especially missing out on his impressive 2nd-place finish. The double disqualification caused confusion and frustration.
Some fans felt the penalties were overdue. Others called the inspection process inconsistent. Meanwhile, Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s competition executive, tried to steady the ship with a public explanation of another aspect of the race – the ‘overtaking’ action. On the Sirius XM podcast, he said, “You have 67 lead changes amongst 23 different drivers, so when we look at all of that, what are we trying to fix?” But let’s just say, it only added fuel to an already-burning fire.
Listening to Elton Sawyer on @SiriusXMNASCAR this morning say…
“You have 67 lead changes amongst 23 different drivers, so when we look at all of that, what are we trying to fix?”
I just don’t know what to say anymore. #NASCAR
— Family Man (Dave) (@TeamKFBfan8) April 29, 2025
And this is not the first time Sawyer has garnered hatred from NASCAR fans this season. “The people sitting in the stands and at home watching our product have a loud voice, as well as our broadcast partners and teams,” Sawyer said after the Food City 500. “We’ll continue looking at our short track package… working with our friends at Goodyear to improve the tire and get that fall-off we’re looking for on short tracks,” he added, emphasizing the fact that NASCAR listens to fans. Well, how far does it sound true?
Now, as fan fury builds and social media continues to melt down, Sawyer’s comments are being picked apart like race tape after a wreck. This time, the NASCAR community isn’t holding back, and their reactions say it all.
NASCAR fans roast Elton Sawyer for tone-deaf Talladega take
When Elton Sawyer claimed the Talladega race was an overtake fest, fans exploded online. One wrote, “Holy s—, he did not really say that??? Lol.” That disbelief echoed across Twitter. Many couldn’t believe NASCAR’s exec would lean on a stat when the eye test showed something very different.
Another fan broke down the issue perfectly: “When cars are 4 wide for 30 laps it could be a diff leader every single time by.” That’s Talladega’s nature. Pack racing has cars running wide, swapping inches from each other often, but it doesn’t always reflect genuine competition. Cars swap positions lap-by-lap, but there’s little strategic passing, especially when no one can break away thanks to the Next Gen car’s aero limitations.
Some fans suggested NASCAR padded the lead change numbers with irrelevant data. One comment pointed out, “Likely counting cautions and green flag pit stops.” They’re not wrong. Talladega can rack up 40+ lead changes, but as we saw in the 2025 Cup Series race, many come during pit cycles or short bursts after restarts. It doesn’t always mean the racing was actually exciting or competitive at the front.
But the most scathing response came from a fan who said: “Unfathomable levels of f— you to the fan base continues.” Many viewers were frustrated by the final 15 laps, which saw minimal movement up front. With the field strung out and no major runs forming, the race became a single-file parade. Something fans specifically hate during superspeedway finishes.
“Elton! A car’s nose out front is not a pass. Sorry, bud,” one user snapped. Finally, another chimed in: “I usually defend NASCAR, but with that comment, he really needs help.” These reactions weren’t just knee-jerk. They reflected real frustration with a sport that once prided itself on thrilling finishes, especially at Talladega, now leaning on ‘stats’ to excuse boring ones.
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