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ATLANTA—Prior to NASCAR’s Pep Boys Auto 500 last weekend, an interview involving Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress about his team’s financial outlook led a crowd of nearly 125,000 NASCAR fans to stare blankly at a video screen for the interview’s six-minute duration.

Fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway, many forced to momentarily pause their consumption of Keystone Light, could only widen their eyes and drop their lower lips Saturday as Childress, who eloquently painted a bright economic future for his team, seemed to be speaking about something completely unrelated to racing, wrecking or shirt removal.

“I don’t know what that old boy was saying,” said Jeremy Host, avid Kevin Harvick fan, of Childress’ interview. “He wasn’t one of us. You see what he was wearing? He must have had at least three shirts on at once.”

Many in the crowd report feeling mixed about how to react to the heinous video board display, while others who arrived moments after the interview reported a strange feeling throughout the stands.

“Thinking about it now, I wanted to either boo or start a chant,” said Tim Westhouse, a 28-year-old trucker. “but all I could do was just stare at it. I’d like to see him say those things to my face, though.”

NASCAR event organizers admitted it was a mistake to subject fans to the mild amount of math and two suits present in the segment, adding they would not air such interviews at future events.