The second NASCAR race for Kamui Kobayashi ended in a disappointing 29th place due to multiple incidents. The NASCAR Cup Series race at COTA was marked by intense competition among the drivers. Two Toyota drivers, Christopher Bell from Joe Gibbs Racing and Kamui Kobayashi from 23XI Racing, were involved in several aggressive encounters throughout the day.
Kobayashi, a renowned legend in Japanese Supercars racing, made only his second start in the NASCAR Cup on Sunday. However, he struggled to stand out as the aggressive nature of the NASCAR field proved challenging for him. He had several clashes with drivers from Stewart Haas Racing and JTDG Racing.
During the race, Kobayashi was chasing Josh Berry and approaching Turn 11. He maneuvered his Toyota through the middle, causing the Ford No. 4 to slow down. However, when the No. 50 Camary turned into the corner, Berry rear-ended Kobayashi, resulting in a 180-degree spin.
Kobayashi finished the race in 29th place, while Berry had an even worse result, securing only 35th place and becoming the worst-performing SHR driver that day. Brad Keselowski also had a below-par result, finishing in 33rd place, while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had a better result than Kobayashi, finishing in 28th place.
Fans on social media quickly reacted to a video of the incident shared by the NASCAR official page. Many expressed their disappointment with Kobayashi’s aggressive driving throughout the race at COTA and believed he deserved more respect on the track.
Some fans also questioned Berry’s poor performance as Kobayashi’s substitute in 2024. They believed that his aggression towards Kobayashi was a result of his own frustrations. However, it was pointed out that the treatment given to Kobayashi on the track, both in Indy and COTA, seemed unfair and overly aggressive. As a legendary figure in motorsport, this harsh treatment is not beneficial for the sport. If Kobayashi makes a third start in NASCAR, fans hope that such incidents do not occur again.
