Dale Earnhardt Jr. shut down the idea that non-Chase drivers have to race Chase drivers differently. The comments stem from the on-track incident in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Gateway involving Chase driver Corey Day and non-Chase drivers William Sawalich.
One week after Sawalich was wrecked by Day at Darlington, the two were battling tooth and nail again last Saturday at Gateway. In the late laps of the race, after Day’s No. 17 Chevrolet made contact with Sawalich’s No. 18 Toyota, Sawalich hip-checked Day down the backstretch, which sent the latter crashing into the inside wall.
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Despite the retaliatory move, Sawalich was not penalized by NASCAR
Earnhardt Jr. on non-Chase drivers racing hard: ‘Something we need to be careful with’
In a recent episode of “The Dale Jr. Download,” the retired 26-time Cup Series winner was asked about the incident. It was noted to Earnhardt Jr. that some said following the Sawalich/Day incident that it is “frowned upon” when non-Chase drivers wreck Chase drivers.
Earnhardt Jr. shot down the idea that Chase drivers should get special treatment, noting that the non-Chase drivers still have something to race for.
“That’s something that I think we need to be careful with. In NASCAR, it is unique that we have a group of people that are racing for a championship. … And then you have another group of people that aren’t. We’re all on the same racetrack together and those guys that aren’t in the Chase have as much right to race to win, to race hard, to be aggressive, to do everything that they would’ve done in races [1-10] all the way through the year,” he said.
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Ultimately, Earnhardt Jr. believes it is the price a Chase driver pays if they get into a spat with a non-Chase driver.
“If you get knocked out by a [expletive] non-Chase guy, that’s the risk you take when you sign up to [expletive] put your entry into the [expletive] race. … We’re not gonna treat these Chase guys differently then punish the non-Chase guys. They’re already punished. They didn’t make the Chase and they’re mad about it,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Because Chase drivers have more to lose, Earnhardt Jr. would caution them not to mess with non-Chase drivers.
“I would probably give the non-Chase guy a little more room. He’s not to be [expletive] with,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
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Sawalich not penalized by NASCAR for Gateway incident
Sawalich was not punished by NASCAR for the on-track incident with Day at Gateway, announced on Tuesday.
“There are no penalties from NASCAR this week. No action taken on William Sawalich/Corey Day,” wrote NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck via X.
NASCAR has previously put the hammer down on drivers for intentionally wrecking. In 2022, NASCAR suspended Bubba Wallace for two races after right-rear hooking Kyle Larson at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. NASCAR sidelined Chase Elliott for one race after doing the same to Denny Hamlin in the 2023 Coca-Cola 600.
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Earlier this year, NASCAR docked Ryan Preece 25 points after it was deemed he intentionally wrecked Ty Gibbs at Texas Motor Speedway.
Although the wreck looked egregious, NASCAR opted not to penalize Sawalich after Gateway.
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