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NASCAR driver Parker Retzlaff isn’t backing down after deliberately ignoring his team’s orders and pushing a rival driver to victory at Daytona last weekend.
Retzlaff, driving for Beard Motorsports, pushed Harrison Burton of Wood Brothers Racing to victory despite a quasi-teammate in Kyle Busch racing against Burton for the win.
Retzlaff’s spotter told him in no uncertain terms “do not push that 21 to a win.”
But after the race, Retzlaff had no regrets.
“Everyone works too hard to not have a shot at it,” Retzlaff told Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “I definitely didn’t want to push a Ford to the win in a Chevy. But I knew I needed to get Harrison clear to make it a race between me and him to race to the line there. I had a little bit of nose damage, and my line broke apart down the backstretch. I pushed him clear, and my line broke apart and I had no chance to get clear.”
NASCAR Driver Parker Retzlaff Doubles Down On Decision To Defy Team Order
Now he says he’s faced consequences from his choice to push Burton to victory. But he won’t reveal what exactly those consequences are.
“Parker Retzlaff live On Track we asked about end of Daytona Cup race when he was lined up 4th in a Chevy and pushed Harrison in a Ford to the win while Busch was in a Chevy on the front row,” Sirius XM’s Danielle Trotta reported. “Chevy is reportedly very upset with Parker – Parker says he won’t get into any consequences he suffered as a result but says it’s not what he wanted to have happen but he wanted to put himself and his sponsors on the map and give himself a chance to win in second cup start.”
Retzlaff finished seventh in the race. Burton locked himself into the playoffs with a victory. Meanwhile, Busch must now win on Sunday at Darlington in order to qualify for the postseason.