Saturday’s Xfinity Series race in Atlanta took a wild turn when Josh Williams, driver of the No. 92 car, parked his vehicle on the start/finish line and walked across the infield to pit road while waving at fans.
The decision to cause a scene came in defiance of a radio communication from NASCAR which called for Williams to return to the garage for “extending the caution,” after debris came off his car.
As seen in the video, the caution flag remained out as the pace car guided the remaining competitors around the parked vehicle, which Williams showed no interest in taking behind the wall himself.
While the stunt certainly gained him a few cheers and an iconic video of his flowing mullet and fabulous facial hair which will live on in racing history, it will likely come at a costly fee once the powers that be have time to wrap their minds around what they saw.
Once he reached the pit wall, someone appeared to appeal to Williams, reminding him of the potential for such a punishment. He did not care.
“I don’t care,” said Williams. What’s he going to do? Fine me? I can’t afford to pay it.”
NASCAR brought Josh Williams into its trailer shortly afterward, with the driver giving a thumbs up to reporters who waited outside. According to NASCAR insider Matt Weaver, officials will continue working the race, making Williams wait until after the checkered flag to speak with them about the incident.
More on Xfinity Series Race in Atlanta
While the race itself has now been overshadowed by Josh Williams’s antics, the Xfinity Series must still complete the RAPTOR 250 as scheduled. Immediately following the truck race, there has been plenty of conversation about the new setup of the track.
Long-known for being a green flag track, with long runs without a caution, Atlanta Motor Speedway revamped the surface recently in hopes of changing the narrative. However, critics of the adjustments fear they have gone too far. A large number of cautions have stood out in the limited number of races so far.
The fifth race of the young season, Atlanta is a place where many drivers will hope to find themselves up front and pick up points, and potentially a win.
For Williams, that chance is gone, and he likely will not move any closer to the playoff cutline with an emphatic DNF. He currently sits 22nd in the standings, with no Top 10 finishes over his first five starts.