Finishing second in any event could be chalked up as a great result. However, missing out on visiting victory lane by a mere 0.002 seconds?
Disappointment, according to Ryan Sieg.
Sieg worked his way to the point late in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway and led until the final lap. The 11-year Xfinity Series veteran could almost taste his first victory.
In his 341st Xfinity Series start, Sieg appeared headed for his first victory.
However, a hard-charging Sam Mayer stormed to the outside of Sieg’s No. 39 Ford on the final lap as the two door-bashed each other in a race to the start/finish line.
Mayer was declared the winner in a game of inches.
Hard to find the right words when you lose a race by an inch. Thankful for a great car, great engine, and a great team. Thankful for the opportunity to race each week and all the sacrifices my parents and family make to make it possible. Thankful for a great sponsor in Sciaps. pic.twitter.com/tobNwCzbr9
— Ryan Sieg Racing (@RyanSiegRacing) April 14, 2024
“The first emotion is definitely disappointment. We had it,” Sieg said after the race. “We were leading at the end. It is disappointing but you have to look at the other side of it and move on. We have to move on to Talladega. I thought we had a good shot right there. We got up front but we just got too tight.
“I was doing all I could do. I was changing lines, changing brakes, changing everything. It was just that close. I saw him coming. I was doing all I could do. In the end I was just trying to run him into the wall to win the race. We were just so close. I have finished second before, and it really sucks.”
Sieg’s two other runner-up results came at Iowa Speedway in 2017 and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in the fall of 2020. While the 36-year-old is proud of the efforts from his RSS Racing team, this result may take a little bit to swallow.
“Just tough. I was doing all that I could do,” Sieg said. “I wish we were on the other side of that 0.002. It is what it is. I think we are in the Dash For Cash now, so that is a good positive.
“We ran up front where we needed to be. We were able to make gains on it. I feel like there is more to come. We just have to put a full race together. Ugh, we were so close. That just sucks.”
With an extra $100,000 from the Dash For Cash on the line next week at Talladega, four previous top-five finishes at the 2.66-mile superspeedway and a hunger to diminish the bitter taste of defeat, Sieg may be a driver to look for next weekend.