James Small, crew chief for Chase Briscoe and the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team, openly criticized NASCAR’s decision to allow all teams to refuel with 35 laps remaining in Wednesday’s Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. Small expressed frustration over what he saw as unfair leniency toward competitors on the verge of running out of fuel, using sharp language on the radio during the event.
NASCAR made the refueling call after several cars depleted their fuel supply on the track. With cautions accumulating, officials aimed to avoid prolonging the opening exhibition of the season, which had already exceeded its scheduled airtime on FOX and moved to FS2 and streaming platforms.
Small Voices Disbelief Over Fuel Management by Competitors
After the race concluded, Small maintained his dissatisfaction, questioning why some teams failed to start with sufficient fuel for the 200-lap main event. He emphasized that everyone was aware of the rules and implied that those running low should have been prepared.
“I just don’t understand that. Everybody knows the rules,”
Small said, via Matt Weaver of Motorsport.
“Everybody, if you started the race full, you have more than enough to get to the end. I just, whatever.”
Complications from Weather Affect Race Strategy and Fuel Usage
Initially, fuel concerns seemed minimal given the race’s length on the quarter-mile track. However, rain arrived at the midpoint, forcing teams onto wet-weather tires and triggering consecutive caution periods. This unexpected weather disrupted strategies and caused extra caution laps, which contributed to fuel depletion for some teams.
Small criticized NASCAR’s officiating throughout the race, citing inconsistencies and rule changes that frustrated his team’s efforts.
“Yeah, for sure. It’s like why do we even have the rules? Even after the LCQ, they gave a car another set of tires that they said they were never gonna give,”
Small stated.
“It’s just constantly dropping and changing and yeah, it was frustrating because I think a lot of the guys we were racing against were gonna run out there, and we were gonna be fine. Lucky it doesn’t count for anything.”
Chase Briscoe’s Performance Despite Setbacks
Despite the controversy, Briscoe showed strong speed at Bowman Gray, leading 35 laps in the race. Nonetheless, he fell short of claiming Victory Lane, ultimately finishing in fourth place amid a chaotic competition landscape.
This race highlighted the challenges teams face in adapting to dynamic conditions and evolving NASCAR rules, setting the stage for closer scrutiny on race management and fuel regulations in future events.
James Small on how this race got away from the 19 team and a messy officiating race pic.twitter.com/yVkHcJ3Wb5
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) February 5, 2026
