Behind every dramatic NASCAR finish, there are a few untold stories—especially the ones that unravel when the cameras are no longer rolling. Take Portland, June 2022. In the heat of a controlled caution lap, while the safety vehicle led the field, Ty Gibbs looked untouchable. The young Joe Gibbs Racing driver had dominated the opening stages at Portland. He wasn’t just leading—he was cruising. The car was dialed in. The setup was sharp. All signs pointed to another win.
Then, from the back of the pack, a single move flipped the day on its head. As the #54 car approached Turn 1, preparing to arc into the next green-flag run, a slower car suddenly closed in from behind. It wasn’t a challenge for the position. The race was under caution. But the #34 barreled straight ahead—and slammed into Gibbs. Under yellow. It was a bizarre moment that left drivers, fans, and even commentators stunned.
A miscommunication—not racing—prompted No. 34 driver Jesse Iwuji to make the move that turned Gibbs’ race upside down. After the race, the man behind the wheel apologized. He blamed miscommunication and confusion from the spotter and race control. “I’ll take full responsibility,” he tweeted shortly after. But the damage—both to the car and his credibility—was already done. And now, nearly two years after the Portland debacle, the rumor mill suggests he might be gearing up for a comeback at Talladega for the Xfinity Series race. And this mere speculation has NASCAR fans sweating.
On paper, it’s just a rumor. But it’s one loud enough to stir the NASCAR garage and online fanbase. Reports suggest Jesse Iwuji could make a comeback with a newly formed strategic alliance between his team and DGM Racing. That means new backing, new equipment, and a potential entry for Talladega. Brake Hard was the one who sparked the rumors with a cryptic post on X: “Hearing a certain naval officer is returning to the Xfinity Series next weekend.”
Though nothing is officially confirmed, the possibility has already made fans express deep concern, with some even fearing for others’ safety on the track. “Welp, we may see the 28-car pileup record broken,” one fan posted on X, echoing a sentiment that’s quickly gaining traction. Their concern isn’t coming out of nowhere. Iwuji’s track record raises fair questions. In Portland, he was parked for two laps after the Gibbs incident. Later that year in Las Vegas, Iwuji spun in Turn 4, triggering a multi-car crash that ended races for Ryan Vargas, Stefan Parsons, and Landon Cassill. Two years earlier, at Charlotte in the Truck Series, a misjudged move up the track led to a pile-up involving Stewart Friesen and Brennan Poole.
Hearing a certain naval officer is returning to the Xfinity Series next weekend.
— BrakeHard (@BrakeHardBlog) April 20, 2025
To his credit, Iwuji often takes accountability. After Portland, he posted, “I want to sincerely apologize to the #54 team… It was not intentional.” He explained his confusion and called it a learning experience. But NASCAR is a results-driven sport. After years of part-time racing, missed qualifications, and mid-pack finishes, fans want to see performance, not apologies. But as fans see it, there’s a fine line between learning and becoming a liability.
This rumored return also comes at a tense time. Katherine Legge, another controversial name this season, has recently faced the ire of the NASCAR community after a wreck at Rockingham that wiped out Kasey Kahne’s comeback bid. Though she blamed William Sawalich for the crash, some fans questioned her qualifications, especially after a rocky Cup debut earlier this year at Phoenix. Social media exploded with debate. Now, throw Iwuji into the Talladega mix, and fans are bracing for chaos.
Jesse Iwuji’s return rumor sparks outrage!
The moment Jesse Iwuji’s potential return started trending, the reaction was swift and brutal. Many worry that putting him back on a superspeedway invites disaster, not just jokes, but genuine concern. One fan summed up the feeling: “Y’all hated Katherine Legge, and this is your punishment.” Whether fair or not, the timing of Iwuji’s potential return, combined with Legge’s ongoing scrutiny, has the NASCAR community on edge. There’s concern that the series is inviting more chaos at the worst possible time.
“Katherine Who?! This is going to be a s— show,” another fan added, suggesting that Iwuji’s return could easily overshadow Legge’s recent woes. Now race race-related incidents aren’t new in NASCAR. Just take a look back at Martinsville muckup, where Sammy Smith stalled the entire field coming to the finish line. But, the fact that Iwuji ran into the rear end of Ty Gibbs, that too under caution, is something that they cannot forget easily. That moment became a meme, a warning, and now, a reason for serious concern. “He should be banned from racing. He’s f—— terrible,” one blunt reaction read.
While extreme, it reflects how many see his driving record as unsafe for high-speed environments like Talladega. Especially given that his last appearance at the superspeedway in 2022 ended in a 36th-place finish with no notable incidents, but also no notable competitiveness. Earlier that year, he had failed to qualify for the spring race. Meanwhile, others are even more sarcastic, anticipating the worst. And
“Maybe he can wreck Legge on the pace laps so we don’t have to worry about her taking out anyone’s golden child,” a user posted. It’s said as a joke, but the fear underneath is real. Talladega is notorious for multi-car crashes. Adding unpredictability to that equation is, for many, a nightmare scenario. Still, there’s a portion of the fanbase that sees value in giving drivers like Iwuji another chance, especially given his military background and inspiring rise through the sport. But even that sentiment gets drowned out by frustration. No one wants unnecessary wrecks or their favorite driver being taken out by a part-time driver.
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