"Embarrassing, we want cars that can pass" - NASCAR fans erupt as Martin Truex Jr. struggles to compete in Larson-dominated Bristol race

Kyle Larson had an outstanding performance at Bristol, leading 462 out of 500 laps to win the NASCAR Cup Series race. With factors like little to no tire wear, drivers such as Martin Truex Jr. struggled to compete for the lead, leaving fans feeling disappointed about the race quality.

Larson is a 32-year-old California native who drives the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports. He has secured 28 wins in his NASCAR Cup Series career, with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol the latest addition to the list.

When NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck asked whether Bristol was a good race on X (formerly Twitter) through a poll, fans voiced their criticism.

One fan pointed out that Martin Truex Jr. struggled to climb his way back to the front after getting penalized for speeding in the pit.

“No. We want [a] car that can actually pass. This is embarrassing. Truex was a great example. Ran top 4-5 all race then got penalized and [couldn’t] do anything to get back inside the top 20 afterwards. It would be more fun watching [Truex] pass his way through the field in the gen 6 like they were able to compared to this glorified parade lap we get at short tracks with this car. The real race every short track is off pit road since it’s the only place they can pass,” a fan said.

“The race was poop”, one fan commented.

"One of the few races I will vote no for. What a disappointing experience," one fan expressed.

Some fans argued that a lack of tire fall-off and horsepower resulted in an uneventful race, with one X user saying:

"'The world's greatest driver' dominated, with no tire fall-off, no passing, and a snooze fest minus the scheduled Corey Lajoie caution."

"Man, if THAT race doesn’t tell Nascar that their precious Next Gen needs more horsepower and a softer tire, nothing will," another fan said.

"I’m sick of hearing people in the industry blaming Goodyear for the racing. Everything comes back to this awful race car. Just put more HP at short tracks," one fan pointed out.

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Denny Hamlin’s NASCAR crew chief had nuances on the race quality at Bristol

Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, decided to weigh in on the race quality issue at Bristol Motor Speedway. During a post-race interview with Matt Weaver, Gabehart argued fans shouldn’t expect “much better racing” given the drivability of NASCAR's Next Gen cars.

“It’s too easy to drive, they [the cars] are too close, and you’re not gonna ask for much better racing. I’m sorry, you’re not,” Gabehart said.

He had strong words for future races at Bristol, saying:

“The days of the old Bristol are over, with this car” [0:39]

His driver Denny Hamlin finished in P4 and secured enough points to advance to the Round of 12. Martin Truex Jr., meanwhile, was eliminated from the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs along with Ty Gibbs, Brad Keselowski, and Harrison Burton.

The next stop is Kansas Speedway for the first race of the Round of 12 happening on September 29.