NASCAR outlaws 1 controversial move

March 20, 2022; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain during the QuikTrip 500 Pillars of Honor at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR bans the controversial decision made by Ross Chastain last year that attracted widespread attention.

Chastain was looking to propel himself into championship contention 4 and out of options at the Xfinity 500 in Martinsville. He ended up pulling a video game move on the final lap and slammed into the wall, squeezing it to propel him past Denny Hamlin (video here).

The maneuver worked, and best of all for Chastain, race officials refused to penalize him.

The next time he or someone else tries something similar, he won’t be so lucky.

NASCAR Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer said Tuesday the organization will penalize a driver who attempts something similar on the grounds that it endangers the safety of competitors and fans. Sawyer clarified that rules existed last year under which Chastain could have been penalized. Officials agree that they will apply these rules in the future.

“It’s not a new language,” he said. “Basically, if there is an act that we believe compromises the safety of our competitors, officials, spectators, we will take it seriously. We will penalize for this act in the future. Basically it would be a lap or time penalty at the end of the race. This move to Martinsville would be a penalty in 2023.”

Chastain may have to find some new moves for the future, which probably won’t be too difficult for him.