On November 3, NASCAR’s penultimate race of the 2024 season was held in Martinsville, Va. This race serves annually as the final decider of what four drivers make the championship race in Phoenix, Ariz.
This year, several high-profile teams – some of which were competing for a championship spot – allegedly manipulated the race results, although it’s rumored that these orders came directly from the manufacturers themselves.
The teams involved were the #20 car of Christopher Bell, #24 car of William Byron (both playoff drivers), the #1 car of Ross Chastain, the #3 car of Austin Dillon and the #23 car of Bubba Wallace. According to NASCAR.com, the #1, #3 and #23 violated sections 4.4.B&D of the NASCAR Member Conduct Rulebook.
With ten laps to go, Byron held the final playoff spot by a single point over Bell, with one point being equivalent to one position on the racetrack. Byron was fading fast, though, and if anybody passed him, he would lose that single point advantage.
When the #1 and #3 (all Chevrolet teams) caught up to Byron, they made no apparent move to pass Byron, with the radio audio from Dillon’s team asking if “The #1 team knew the 24’s deal,” among other oddities captured on a five-minute video posted on X.
Upon learning this, Bell’s team realized they needed to do all that they could to gain positions. On the final lap, Bell’s manufacturer-mate Bubba Wallace slowed down, claiming a flat tire, which allowed Bell to pass.
Bell was unaware of this last-minute plan, and when attempting to pass Wallace, he slid into the wall. In a move many compare to the “Hail Melon” in 2022, Bell attempted to “gas it up” to maintain his momentum.
In the end, Bell’s move was deemed a safety violation (much like the Hail Melon), and all gained positions were forfeited.
By the following Wednesday, penalties were levied amounting to over $600,000 in fines spread amongst the three teams AND the three drivers, per KETK-FOX51, along with the crew chiefs, spotters and one team executive being suspended for the final race of the year.
On November 10, the following drivers will compete for the 2024 championship.
- Ryan Blaney – Team Penske — (#12)
- Joey Logano – Team Penske — (#22)
- William Byron – Hendrick Motorsports — (#24)
- Tyler Reddick – 23XI Racing — (#45)
Photo courtesy of Fusion Monkey
Originally Published at: https://www.fsuthevoice.com/controversy-in-the-nascar-playoffs/
Cameron Bebeau 
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