Josh Bilicki wasn’t happy after getting spun on a straightaway
On Saturday, the NASCAR Xfinity Series took the green on Circuit of the Americas. It was the first road course race of the season.
Hear from Josh Bilicki below.
Josh Bilicki took his underfunded Alpha Prime Racing machine on a charge through the field. He restarted in 34th and drove it into the top 15.
However, he was then spun by Brandon Jones at the worst part of the track, a straightaway. Bilicki wasn’t happy and sent a multitude of messages toward Jones following the incident.
On the radio after the incident, Jones confirmed, “Yeah. I wrecked him.”
Related: COTA Race Results from March 26, 2022 (NASCAR Xfinity Series)
Tommy Joe Martins: Team GM
Team GM Tommy Joe Martins commented:
“Let it be known Josh Bilicki drove from 34th to the top15 in 5 laps on scuffs. The reward was getting dumped on a straightaway to finish 35th,” Tommy Joe Martins tweeted.
“I never hit someone intentionally because I knew A) how much it cost B) how hard it was to build C) I could get hit back even worse.”
“The risk/reward for racing hard isn’t the same for everyone. I’m jealous, honestly. I wish I had THAT chance. What a luxury to never have to care.”
“I actually really like Brandon Jones. Yeah I’m frustrated and I told him that. He’s mad with how he got raced all day. We were just the last bad nudge & he gave it back.”
Martins concluded, “Obviously I felt like it was too much and he felt like he had to send a message. Is what it is. Just sucks.
Josh Bilicki comments on Brandon Jones
“I’d be upset too if I was running lap times outside of the top 20 in a Joe Gibbs car,” Josh Bilicki tweeted.
:Doesn’t justify what the 19 did to us though. Wrecked us on a fricken straightaway!”
“Proud of Team Alpha Prime. Fast car! Came from 34th to ~17th in 6 laps before we got flat out wrecked.”
He added, “Dude used his bumper on me multiple times and pushed me off track when we were side by side. I use my bumper on him, didn’t even come close to spinning him, and he retaliates by dumping me on a straight. Pathetic!”
Bilicki concluded, “Sadly I don’t have a daddy that can pay for the damage like him.”
Update: Brandon Jones and Joe Gibbs Racing reaches out
On Tuesday, Josh Bilicki tweeted, “By the way, Brandon and his team got in touch with Tommy Joe Martins and Alpha Prime after the COTA race weekend and are going out of their way to make things right. We appreciate it and we’ll all learn and move on.”
Tommy Joe Martins added, “Definitely wasn’t expected & definitely is very appreciated. Thanks to Brandon Jones & his team. Tempers always get hot racing hard & everyone – including us on socials – got carried away.
Martins added, “TeamAlphaPrime is small & that was a big setback for us. They get that. Good people.”
Related: Kyle Busch, Alex Bowman face awkward exchange after COTA crash
Links
Josh Bilicki | Brandon Jones | Circuit of the Americas | NASCAR
