Manufacturer orders? Parker Retzlaff controversy shouldn’t be one

The Cup Series playoffs open Sunday with a drafting track at Atlanta, which could add unpredictability and even more tense moments than usual as the postseason begins.

It could also add some controversy when it comes to drivers and what they expect from teammates. And not just teammates, but those extended “teammates” who drive for the same manufacturer.

The end of the race at Daytona a couple of weeks ago certainly had some of that when Parker Retzlaff, driving a Chevrolet for part-time Beard Motorsports, opted to line up in the second row behind Ford driver Harrison Burton on the final restart instead of in the third row behind Chevrolet driver Kyle Busch and Toyota’s Christopher Bell.

Retzlaff gave Burton the push that ended up being big enough that Burton won the race. That wasn’t Retzlaff’s intent — he had hoped to push him just enough that he could duck underneath him and make the pass for the win.

Busch, on the inside, didn’t get the help from Bell he would have needed to get by Burton as their lane broke a little more apart.

Retzlaff faced his share of criticism. He certainly didn’t want to push Burton to the win but felt he had no chance to win if he gave up a row and restarted behind Busch and Bell. 

Busch didn’t have much of a problem with it because Retzlaff wasn’t in the Chevy primary driver meeting where they talked about the amount of help expected.

To me, even if Retzlaff was in that meeting, Busch shouldn’t be all that upset. Who would you want pushing you want in your lane at the end of the race — a driver in his second career start (Retzlaff) or a driver with several superspeedway races under his belt even if that car isn’t the same manufacturer? It could be argued that a driver would think Bell, in a Toyota, potentially would be more helpful to Busch rather than the unpredictability of a newcomer in Retzlaff, who potentially would make a mistake that would result in a crash.

Fans hate drivers giving up a better position for themselves to help a teammate — that’s why tandem racing no longer exists. They can stomach helping a teammate if there is a possibility that helping a teammate could also result in a better finish for the driver doing the pushing.

And the fact is some cars (and drivers) are better pushers than others. Sure, in a perfect world, helping a teammate or a driver of the same manufacturer would be the best option. But in the fast-paced high stakes of drafting races, it should be like any other move a driver makes — the driver must live with the results. 

In other words, expect to be raced the way you race. Help another manufacturer, then that driver shouldn’t expect loyalty in return the next time in that position. But beyond that, drivers shouldn’t have to worry about a team owner of another organization being mad they didn’t get a push.

Drivers are supposed to be selfish. Drafting racing requires the ultimate give-and-take. They will live with the consequences of their decisions. But let’s not get to the point where they feel obligated to give up their own success when they could have benefited just because of a logo on the hood.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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