NASCAR confirmed a rule will be added ahead of the 2025 season that allows the sanctioning body to penalize the manufacturers.
No such action was taken — because there couldn’t be given the current rules — this week in the fallout from last weekend’s elimination race at Martinsville Speedway. NASCAR penalized three teams for what was determined to be race manipulation in helping manufacturer teammates try to advance to the Championship 4.
“We do have rules in the rule book where we can address it and we did,” NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell said. “We had a call with our OEMs where we were very clear about our intentions going forward. Do we have a rule right now where we could do something? We don’t. Will we have a rule next year? 1,000%. And they’re aware if anything happens this weekend, which it won’t, we will react.”
Chevrolet drivers Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon did not attempt to pass William Byron in the final stint of the event at Martinsville. The two also ran side-by-side at points, which blocked oncoming challengers. And there was radio communication indicating a “plan” among the manufacturer to help its championship contenders.
Bubba Wallace and Toyota were also involved. Wallace slowed on the final lap and was passed by Christopher Bell, who needed one position to tie Byron for the final Championship 4 spot. Bell had the tiebreaker over Byron.
Byron received the final spot after NASCAR reviewed the finish. However, Bell’s penalty was for riding against the wall in Turns 3 and 4.
“I would argue before what we saw (it was) one of the best races we’ve seen in the playoffs, and it’s unbelievable that we’re sitting here talking about this topic,” O’Donnell said Friday in his State of the Sport address. “I’ll probably get in trouble for saying this, but I’ll say it anyway. I’ve been around a long time. But Bill France used to say being pissed off is not a plan.
“What I saw in Martinsville pissed me off, and it pissed everyone off at NASCAR. Because we all know better, and we know what happened.”
The penalties were issued on Tuesday, after which NASCAR scheduled a call with its OEMs to deliver the message. The drivers already had a competition meeting scheduled for this weekend, and the meeting will now include an additional conversation about what happened last weekend and how NASCAR will react going forward.
“The reason we chose not to penalize the drivers (is) the drivers are holding the wheel, but the drivers are told essentially what to do,” O’Donnell said. “We gave them the benefit of the doubt. Saturday’s message from Elton [Sawyer] and John [Probst] to the drivers will be: that’s your warning.
“We know what happened, and going forward, we’ll have to penalize you as well. But what do our words mean? We’re not going to let people — drivers, teams, OEMs, anyone — challenge the integrity of the sport.”