NASCAR: Late Bristol switch was too little, too late

The late, feel-good addition of Timmy Hill to the virtual NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway has proven to be too little, too late.

Thanks to a kind gesture by Team Penske and two of their NASCAR drivers, Austin Cindric and Brad Keselowski, Timmy Hill got the opportunity to compete in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series opener on the dirt at virtual Bristol Motor Speedway two weeks ago.

Hill and MBM Motorsports were not invited to compete in this event, despite the fact that Hill drove his #66 car to six top three finishes in seven races last year when the series replaced real-life racing during the start of the coronavirus pandemic. He won the race at virtual Texas Motor Speedway.

They were not let in even after inquiring about their lack of an invitation. Why? Because although they compete full-time in the Cup Series, they don’t do so with a charter.

At the end of the day, there was really no legitimate reason for them not to be included.

More from NASCAR Cup Series

• NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
• NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
• NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
• NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
• NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500

Let’s face it. Adding a full-time team and driver combination would have been the furthest thing from making the event a “free-for-all”.

This was a respectable goal to have, but how, exactly, did restricting them from entering help to achieve that goal? There is truly no way to spin it or cook something up suggesting otherwise. This exclusion was ludicrous. However, thanks to Cindric and Keselowski, Hill didn’t have to miss the race. Cindric, who was set to replace Keselowski behind the wheel of the #2 Ford, graciously gave up his virtual seat to Hill, who went on to finish in a solid eighth place.

But the bigger problem has come to light now in full force, simply because this switch was too little, too late.

Don’t misinterpret this. Take absolutely nothing away from Cindric, Keselowski and Team Penske here. Nothing will ever change the kindness of this gesture, and such recognition should not go by the wayside. They deserve the applause they got for making this happen for Hill given how much it meant to him.

But this was always going to be a short-term benefit: Hill getting to compete after it looked like he would be locked out of competing.

All the credit goes to the Team Penske drivers for making that happen. But there’s only so much they can control. As good as it was to see Cindric, Keselowski and the team do what they did for Hill, and as good as it was to see Hill competing, that gesture alone couldn’t and didn’t do much, if anything, to change the unfortunate long-term effects of his and his team’s lack of an initial invitation.

Long-term, this move wasn’t something that was ever going to achieve anything for Hill and MBM Motorsports, and wouldn’t you know it? They are nowhere to be found on the entry list for this Saturday evening’s real-life race at Martinsville Speedway.

The team haven’t missed a race since the race at Martinsville Speedway in October 2019, which was before they had ever competed full-time. Since then, they had been on the entry list for 46 consecutive races.

Why was this too little, too late?

Because what, exactly, does driving a Discount Tire-sponsored #2 Ford for Team Penske do for the hopes of Hill and MBM Motorsports attracting partners for not just a virtual #66 car but a real-life #66 car?

Hill mentioned before the event that he and the team try to package the real-life racing to the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series when it comes to sponsorship. So not getting that air time for the #66 car in a race where it would have actually been competing up front, unlike in real life, was absolutely devastating.

He also admitted that this would likely cost the team the ability to compete in multiple races, effectively making them no longer a full-time Cup Series team.

No, not “effectively” — they are quite literally no longer a full-time team, plain and simple, thanks to this. It’s that simple. Sure enough, here we are. And for what reason, exactly? Was it really worth it? When will they be back?

While Hill and MBM Motorsports won’t be competing this Saturday night at Martinsville Speedway, be sure to tune in to Fox Sports 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500.