Charlotte, N.C. — NASCAR has levied significant fines totaling $600,000 and suspended nine team members from three distinct teams due to alleged manipulation during a race at Martinsville Speedway.
These penalties were introduced after a heated final confrontation on Sunday, during which Christopher Bell initially secured a spot in the championship final four. However, his strategy of slamming into the wall and using it to gain momentum breached a safety regulation and was subsequently disqualified.
This ruling allowed William Byron to claim the final position for this week’s critical title match at Phoenix Raceway.
NASCAR communicated its intention to scrutinize the roles played by other drivers during this pivotal sequence, particularly focusing on actions surrounding Bell and Byron’s competition for the championship slot.
In Bell’s situation, NASCAR identified that fellow Toyota driver Bubba Wallace had simulated a flat tire, supposedly enabling Bell to maneuver effectively by hitting the wall.
Meanwhile, it was determined that Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon acted in ways that allowed Byron to maintain his position on the track, ultimately assisting him in avoiding a loss that would have jeopardized his chance to compete for the championship.
Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition, disclosed that the organization weighed the option of suspending certain drivers and taking action against the manufacturers Chevrolet and Toyota.
However, it was indicated that the existing rulebook did not include stipulations for punishing manufacturers. Plans are in place for discussions with the executives of Ford, Chevy, and Toyota regarding this matter.
Due to the timing of the penalties, teams have until Wednesday afternoon to file for an expedited appeal, with anticipated hearings set for Thursday.
Both Trackhouse Racing, which oversees Chastain’s Chevrolet, and 23XI Racing, representing Wallace’s Toyota, have announced their intentions to appeal these penalties.
23XI issued a statement firmly declaring their position, asserting, “We feel strongly that we did not commit any violations during Sunday’s race.” The team is currently involved in legal proceedings against NASCAR regarding the charter system while preparing for Tyler Reddick’s participation in the upcoming Cup Series title race.
The outlined penalties are as follows:
Chastain received a fine of $100,000, with the same amount applied to Trackhouse Racing. The penalties also included one-race suspensions for team executive Tony Lunders, crew chief Philip Surgen, and spotter Brandon McReynolds. Additionally, Chastain’s team suffered a loss of 50 points.
For Dillon, the fines matched Chastain’s, impacting both him and Richard Childress Racing, which also incurred a one-race suspension for team executive Keith Rodden, crew chief Justin Alexander, and spotter Brandon Benesch, alongside the deduction of 50 points. Richard Childress Racing has also indicated its intention to appeal.
Wallace faced similar penalties with a $100,000 fine for himself and for 23XI Racing, along with one-race suspensions for team executive Dave Rogers, crew chief Robert Barker, and spotter Freddie Kraft. This team also lost 50 points as a result.
Sawyer had previously indicated that NASCAR would analyze the finish at Martinsville for evidence of race manipulation involving drivers cooperating to support their manufacturer counterparts.
He expressed hopes that the imposed penalties would be stringent enough to deter manufacturer alliances and any form of race manipulation. “We reviewed the most recent penalty for a similar infraction… and aimed to escalate this one,” Sawyer explained, adding that the measures taken were designed to reinforce the responsibility for maintaining the sport’s integrity.
