NASCAR has delivered a warning to Trackhouse Racing after Ross Chastain and Shane Van Gisbergen were observed driving through the grass during their cooldown laps at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, casting attention on a controversial post-race tactic. The NASCAR warning for Trackhouse Racing comes as officials and industry insiders question whether such moves are attempts to influence post-race inspection outcomes.
Incident at World Wide Technology Raceway Involving Trackhouse Drivers
During the most recent NASCAR Cup Series event, Ross Chastain and Shane Van Gisbergen—who ended the race in 24th and 25th positions, respectively—were seen veering into the infield grass at various times as they cooled down from the race. This activity prompted scrutiny from both NASCAR officials and observers, with many in the racing community speculating that the grass maneuver could be a method to potentially gain weight, possibly allowing their cars to meet minimum post-race weight requirements.
NASCAR Management Responds and Plans for Clarity
Brad Moran, Managing Director of the NASCAR Cup Series, addressed concerns about the post-race behavior during a segment on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 on Tuesday morning.
“We’ll be having some discussions with Trackhouse [Racing] in management, as well as their crew chiefs, and we’ll be giving all the teams some information regarding that this week,”
—Brad Moran, Managing Director, NASCAR Cup Series. Moran further clarified the seriousness of the situation, stating,
“We have rules that could put the teams in a real bad spot when we see that. So, we’ll make it pretty clear to them, moving forward, starting at Bristol, what that means.”
—Brad Moran, Managing Director, NASCAR Cup Series.
This statement indicates that official communications and policy guidance concerning post-race driving conduct will soon be delivered to all teams, starting at the Bristol Motor Speedway race.
Inspection Rules and Past Consequences
Although the upcoming Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway does not present the same grass-related concerns due to the absence of turf, NASCAR is mindful that most tracks feature grass and could present future risks. Reminders of past inspection infractions add weight to this situation, such as the incident last October at Charlotte Motor Speedway. During that event, Alex Bowman failed post-race inspection due to rear weight issues, which resulted in his elimination from the NASCAR Playoffs and enabled Joey Logano to progress to the ‘Round of 8’ and ultimately secure the championship.
Playoff Implications and Driver Standings
As the series shifts focus toward Bristol Motor Speedway, Ross Chastain and Shane Van Gisbergen’s playoff situations diverge. Chastain holds a 19-point advantage above the cutline, giving him some margin in the championship standings. In contrast, Van Gisbergen trails by 15 points, putting additional pressure on his upcoming performance.
The warning issued by NASCAR underscores heightened oversight for post-race conduct, particularly concerning parity and fairness in the Cup Series Playoffs. Industry observers will be watching closely to see how these updated clarifications and future enforcement may affect the strategies drivers and teams use during and after races.
