Noah Gragson and Chris Buescher lock horns during NASCAR race at Martinsville

Modified Mar 31, 2025 01:43 GMT

NASCAR: EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix - Source: Imagn — NASCAR Cup Series driver Noah Gragson (4) walks out onto the stage for driver introductions before the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas- Source: Imagn

Noah Gragson and Chris Buescher got into a heated on-track exchange during the NASCAR race at Martinsville. FOX NASCAR shared a video of the incident on X.

The short clip captured the moment when the two drivers clashed on the short track. The post was captioned,

“Short tracks and tempers. Tale as old as time. 👀 #NASCARonFS1.”

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During the race, Buescher’s No. 17 Ford made contact with Gragson’s No. 4 Ford, hitting it from the side near the rear end. Later, in what seemed like retaliation, the No. 4 car tapped the front of Buescher’s car. There was, however, no major damage.

As for Noah Gragson, he finished in 30th place, while Chris Buescher took the 25th position. Noah Gragson has a great track record at Martinsville Speedway outside of the NASCAR Cup Series. In the Xfinity Series, he has five career starts at the track and has only finished outside the top four once.

That one poor finish, which was in 20th place, happened in April 2022 after he qualified third, led 23 laps, and got caught in a 15-car crash just 10 laps from the end.

From 2020 to 2022, Gragson had strong Xfinity results at Martinsville, finishing third in October 2020, second in April 2021, and winning in October 2021. He followed that with a fourth-place finish in October 2022.

Gragson also performed well in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Martinsville. In four starts between 2017 and 2018, he never finished worse than seventh. He finished fourth in his Truck Series debut in April 2017 and won at the track in October of that year. In his last two Truck races at Martinsville, he placed fifth and seventh. Gragson, in his team’s official press release, talked about his success on the track ahead of his cup series race,

"Martinsville has been good to me—I’ve won here in both Trucks and Xfinity. Now, the goal is to add a Cup win to that list. I’m confident in our guys to get the car where it needs to be to make it happen." (vis Speedway digest)

Gragson’s cup series season in totality so far has been challenging. After seven races, he ranks 32nd in driver standings with 89 points. He has yet to win a race or get a top-five or pole position this season. His average finish is 24.714, and he has failed to finish twice. With only one top-10 finish, it has been a rough start to 2025 for the No. 4 Ford driver.

Before the race, Noah Gragson commented on FRM’s post featuring a pre-race update

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) posted an Instagram update before the Martinsville race, featuring its drivers Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, and Zane Smith. Gilliland drives the No. 34 Ford, while Smith pilots the No. 38 Ford. Gragson, representing the No. 4 Ford, commented on the post captioned,

"Almost race day Volume 7. 🤝🌭"

In his comment pre-race, he gave a simple 3-word reaction. He wrote,

"Done did dirty."

In the race, Noah Gragson's teammates performed significantly better than him. Zane Smith finished 16th in the No. 38 Ford, while Todd Gilliland secured 10th place with the No. 34 Ford. Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing won the 2024 Cook Out 400 at Martinsville.

About the author

Dipti Sood is a Motorsport journalist at Sportskeeda with over three years of experience. A Political Science graduate and aspiring law professional, her love for motorsports ignited when she began following the careers of her favorite F1 drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.

Dipti has previously worked with Sportskeeda in the US Olympics static department, which sparked her interest in sports writing. Her professional journey also includes work with a sports startup, where she honed her copywriting skills. These experiences, combined with her meticulous approach to research and fact-checking, enable her to deliver accurate, ethical, and engaging content.

To stay updated with the latest in motorsports, Dipti follows credible sources such as ESPN, Autosport, and RacingNews365, along with respected journalists like Chris Medland. She also keeps an eye on official social media handles to uncover fresh perspectives.

Outside of writing, Dipti enjoys reading, watching documentaries, and listening to podcasts. A constructors fan with a soft spot for certain drivers, she dreams of witnessing the return of the Buddh International Circuit to the F1 calendar, bringing the excitement of Formula 1 back to India.

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Edited by Anisha Chatterjee