NASCAR Community Gangs Up on Pundit as They Shame “Boring” Talladega Outing

In NASCAR, it’s pretty much impossible to please everyone. Take it from veteran Denny Hamlin. He said, “You love getting, you know, excitement out of the people. You like making them feel a sort of way, whatever way that might be, positive or negative. It’s good to know you have that effect on fans. Love the fans, they don’t really love me that much.” In the same breath, for every fan who cheers for Joey Logano’s aggressive style, there’s another who can’t stand him. Some are all about NASCAR’s push for global expansion, while others believe the sport should stay true to its roots in the U.S. And don’t even get started on the superspeedway races. What one fan calls an ‘exciting finish’, another might call a ‘snooze fest’.

It’s all part of the wild and wonderful world of NASCAR, where opinions can clash as quickly as cars on the track. Case in point? Danny Baldwin’s take on the recent Talladega race sparked some strong reactions from fans, proving that what’s considered a “good race” by one person can be viewed entirely differently by another.

Baldwin is satisfied with how the Talladega race turned out

Veteran NASCAR pundit Danny Baldwin has always been candid about his views on the sport, frequently sharing his takes on race performances and outcomes. Known for his no-nonsense approach, Baldwin’s insights are often a mix of praise and constructive criticism. This time, after the exciting finish at Talladega, he took to Twitter to share his thoughts, and, true to form, his words ignited a conversation.

In his tweet, Baldwin described the Talladega finish as good and clean, highlighting how the close racing was unaffected by lapped traffic. He remarked on the lack of caution flags or wrecks during the race, which allowed the drivers to showcase their skills on a superspeedway without the usual interference. Cindric’s 0.022-second victory over Ryan Preece certainly added to the drama, which Baldwin appreciated, stating, “We needed a Superspeedway race to end like that.”

He also reflected on the race’s significance for both Cindric and Preece. Baldwin noted, “Would have been cool to see Preece win,” especially given the challenging history he’s had at superspeedways. Preece had been in strong positions before, but never quite managed to secure a win. His average finish at Superspeedways is 21.0, with him finishing majorly in the 30s – 9 times in 22 appearances. This made his near-victory at Talladega even more compelling.

Good, clean finish. And despite them being close, the lapped traffic didn’t impact the finish.

We needed a Superspeedway race to end like that.

Would have been cool to see Preece win, especially considering how superspeedways have gone for him.

But…Cindric getting his…

— DannyBTalks (Daniel Baldwin) (@DannyBTalks) April 27, 2025

As for Cindric, Baldwin pointed out that his third career win was a significant achievement. He’s had an impressive season thus far, showing serious speed. He had one top-5 and three top-10 finishes this season, and the win further cements his playoff chances. Baldwin was quick to acknowledge how important the victory was for Cindric, who has been steadily improving as a driver.

However, despite Baldwin’s praise for the clean finish and competitive nature of the race, not all fans shared his opinion. The contrasting views would soon become evident as fans took to social media to voice their reactions. Let’s dive into the varied fan responses to Baldwin’s assessment.

NASCAR fans hit back – Strong opinions on Baldwin’s take

Many fans were quick to disagree with Baldwin, expressing their frustrations with the race. One fan bluntly posted, “The finish was horrible, wtf are you on about?” This reaction speaks to the fact that while the race was close in terms of lap times, the lack of overtaking in the final laps made it feel more anticlimactic than thrilling. As another user pointed out, “No passes the last 15 laps,” this left the fans yearning for more final laps excitement, which actually defines NASCAR races.

Another fan said, “Boring finish, this car has ruined NASCAR,” a sentiment echoed by many. Denny Hamlin, one of NASCAR’s most vocal critics of the current car, has repeatedly expressed frustration with the “Next Gen” car’s limitations. According to Hamlin, the new design favors drivers in clean air. This makes overtaking much harder, which leaves races like Talladega feeling like parades. The inability to pass, particularly on superspeedways, has been a significant concern for both drivers and fans alike, who crave more on-track action.

Then Baldwin’s claim that “the lapped traffic didn’t impact the finish” was quickly refuted. One fan put it bluntly, “Lapped traffic 100% played a factor in that finish.” Lapped cars, while not directly impacting the top two finishers, were indeed present in the final laps and contributed to the race’s dynamics. Some fans pointed out that Cindric’s drafting advantage came from those slower cars, even though Baldwin had claimed their impact was minimal or non-existent.

Expressing frustration with the current superspeedway format, one user expressed, “Reconfigure the superspeedways to 1.5-mile tracks.” These types of races often lead to pack racing, where it’s hard to make moves without help from drafting partners. Some fans argue that the racing would be more exciting on smaller tracks or racing circuits like COTA, where drivers can use their skills to create more passing opportunities.

One final comment, “Damn, the bar has fallen to new levels of low in this sport,” captured the overall sentiment of frustration. For many fans, the lack of excitement at Talladega felt like a sign of a larger issue in NASCAR, where the competition has become more predictable and less dramatic. Despite the race’s close finish, the sense that something is missing in the sport this season seemed to resonate with fans from all corners of the NASCAR community.

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