NASCAR Outlaws Ross Chastain’s Move at Martinsville

CONCORD, N.C. —  NASCAR announced Tuesday it won’t allow drivers to speed up against the wall. Ross Chastain did in last year’s Martinsville Cup playoff race.

NASCAR made the announcement Tuesday in a session at the NASCAR R&D Center.

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Chastain drove into Turn 3 and rode the bike around the track at a faster speed than the rest. He passed five cars in the last two turns to secure enough places to win the championship race. NASCAR allowed this move to stand Even though competitors had requested a rule change, Leading into the Phoenix season finale last year.

NASCAR does not intend to add a rule but emphasizes that Rule 10.5.2.6.A is applicable in such cases.

This rule says: “Safety is a top priority for NASCAR and NEM. Therefore, any violations deemed to compromise the safety of an Event or otherwise pose a dangerous risk to the safety of Competitors, Officials, spectators, or others are treated with the highest degree of seriousness. Safety violations will be handled on a case-by-case basis.”

NASCAR stated in its official statement that such a maneuver would carry a lap- or time penalty.

Chastain said he’s fine with being known for that move, which will never be repeated in NASCAR history.

“I’m proud that I’ve been able to make a wave that will continue beyond just 2022 or just beyond me,” Chastain told NBC Sports earlier this month about the move’s legacy. “There will be probably a day that people will learn about me because of that, and I’m good with that. I’m proud of it.

“I don’t think it will ever happen again. I don’t think it will ever pay the reward that it paid off for us that it did that day. I hope I’m around in 35 years to answer someone’s question about it. And I probably still won’t have a good answer on why it worked.”

The video of Chastain’s wall-hugging maneuver had 12.5 million views on the NBC Sports TikTok account within a week of it happening. Excluding the Olympics, the only other video that had had more views on the NBC Sports TikTok account to that point in 2022 was Rich Strike’s historic Kentucky Derby win. 

Formula 1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly, as well as Daniel Ricciardo all praised Chastain’s move at the timeJoining a group of social media competitors. 

Might just leave that Martinsville car alone for a while…

— Justin Marks (@JustinMarksTH) February 1, 2023