Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
The 2015 NASCAR season was filled with plenty of wild moments, the staff at Beyond The Flag took time discuss which they feel are the wildest.
With the 2015 season at an end, race fans have been discussing some of the biggest moments during the NASCAR season. Be it the wildest, the baddest, or the best, each and every fan out there worth their salt has a select moment from the past year that stands out to them and resonates with them.
Some of us here at Beyond The Flag have weighed in on certain moments from the past NASCAR season, and here is our take on what would have been the wildest moments of the 2015 season. Be sure to let us know which moments you felt were the most wild. Also, if we didn’t put your wildest moment on the list, be sure to let us know by commenting below or reaching out to us via social media.
Next: Kenseth vs. Logano
Mike Hutton – Matt Kenseth dumping Joey Logano
This move had many impacts.
It almost certainly altered the outcome of the race (probable that Logano wins and not Gordon), it had a Chase impact (Logano, if indeed it cost him a win, it also cost him a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead), and it had an impact on Kenseth in that he was parked for two races. It also forced NASCAR to defend what on-track actions it will and will not penalize (Kansas versus Martinsville).
Lastly, it was enough of an emotionally charged maneuver that it provided some drama and excitement near the end of the year. Although both Kenseth and Logano met to discuss their differences, the death glares from Kenseth to Logano at the awards ceremony show that the emotions are still a bit raw.
Next: Crazy Pocono Finish
Cole Mentzel – Matt Kenseth wins at Pocono
One of the wildest moments for me was the August race at Pocono where Kyle Busch and a number of other drivers ran out of gas in the final few laps.
Matt Kenseth got a win there that he apparently never though he would get. Also, a few other drivers like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who had not had great days, were able to log top-five finishes. Though it did not really mean much in the grand scheme of things, it was fun to watch a race where you didn’t exactly know who was going to run out of gas next.
Many NASCAR fans are not fans of these kinds of races but I think throwing in a few each season is a positive for NASCAR.
Next: Austin Dillon Survives Daytona
Matthew Sullivan – Austin Dillon’s flight at Daytona
I would have to say Austin Dillon’s wreck in the July race at Daytona was by far the wildest moment of the 2015 NASCAR season. I was listening to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s in-car radio at the finish and his reaction to the wreck in the mirror was memorable. I’ve never heard a fearful reaction to an incident in any driver’s radio before.
Additionally, the emotion in the moments after the wreck was at an all-time high. Seeing the pit crew members run to his car and then give the thumbs up. It was a moment that took all of 20 seconds but it felt like forever. It was also a cool moment when he finally got out of the car and the crowd erupted.
Man what a ride that must have been for Dillon.
Next: Jeff Gordon Wins One Last Time
Christopher Olmstead – Jeff Gordon Wins Martinsville
It was a moment that Jeff Gordon fans were waiting and hoping for all of 2015. In his final season in NASCAR Gordon had to win right? I mean after all, he found his way into the Chase and was on the verge of possibly making to the final-four.
Gordon’s last win in NASCAR took a perfect storm of events. Those events included three of the best cars in the race being involved in a wreck and then Matt Kenseth wrecking the most dominant car in the race. However, none of that mattered because this moment was the stuff that movies are made of.
Gordon battled hard in the end to hold off Jamie McMurray and then he celebrated like it was his first win ever. The emotion, joy and excitement that Gordon showed NASCAR was special and fans should have felt privileged to have been able to see it all happen one more time before the season came to a close.
Next: Busch Starts The Comeback
Joseph Shelton – Kyle Busch’s Sonoma win
This was wild in that it was just so unexpected.
There’s no doubt that Kyle Busch is one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers, having won on all forms of race tracks. But considering how badly his legs were mangled in his February Xfinity accident at Daytona and the ensuing rehab he had to go through, the fact that he actually won at Sonoma, a track where drivers have to do a lot of heel-toe work, is amazing. Road courses are undoubtedly tough on the legs, but it was the middle of summer, California heat, a long day, and yet in the end Busch persevered and took his first of five wins in 2015. It was this win that paved the way to his 2015 championship.
Next: Top-10 Moments From 2015 NASCAR Awards Ceremony
Which moment did you like the most? Weigh in below on what the wildest NASCAR moment of 2015 was for you!