NASCAR warned two Xfinity teams about discussing the points situation on the radio with their drivers early in last weekend’s cutoff race at the Charlotte Roval, series officials confirmed on the “NASCAR Hauler” podcast.
A day after the Xfinity race, Denny Hamlin was frustrated with his team for not telling him about the Cup points situation as he raced Ross Chastain — who needed to stay ahead of Hamlin to claim the last transfer spot to the Round of 8.
What is said on the radio about points and playoff spots in cutoff races has gained closer scrutiny amid radio chatter and actions in last year’s Martinsville Cup elimination race. NASCAR suspended nine people from three different teams and issued $600,000 in fines for race manipulation at the end of that race.
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson seek a victory at Las Vegas to earn a spot in the championship race in Phoenix.
The cars of Austin Dillon and Chastain ran behind fellow Chevrolet driver William Byron in the final laps at Martinsville last fall after both were made aware that Byron could not afford to lose any more positions or he would not advance to the title race.
Bubba Wallace was made aware of the situation for fellow Toyota driver Christopher Bell, who was trying to gain spots to take the final transfer spot from Byron.
NASCAR suspended a team executive, crew chief and spotter from the teams of Dillon, Chastain and Wallace for their actions at Martinsville. No driver was penalized.
NASCAR did not cite the two Xfinity teams warned in last weekend’s playoff race at the Charlotte Roval but stated they were among the teams that had already clinched a spot in the next round.
“They were just given a warning that if the points didn’t have to do with them, their specific car and vehicle, then we didn’t want to see them talking about points,” said Amanda Ellis, NASCAR senior director of racing communications on the “NASCAR Hauler” podcast.
“To take that one step further, it’s not a message of ‘You can’t talk about points,’ it’s more of a message that if you’re talking about points, it should be about your car and your vehicle and not other vehicles that are in play.”
NASCAR will add 90 horsepower for teams at select tracks next season.
The warnings were given early in the race, said Mike Forde, NASCAR managing director of communications.
“We wanted to get ahead of it with the teams in question just to say, ‘Hey, if this is the end of the race and you’re still doing this, it’s not going to be good for anybody. Because if you talk about points and then have some actions that are questionable … you’re going to be in hot water.”
In last weekend’s Cup race, Hamlin passed Chastain on the final lap. Losing that one position dropped Chastain out of the final transfer spot to the Round of 8 and moved reigning champion Joey Logano into that spot.
Chastain spun Hamlin and himself making a desperate attempt to pass in the final chicane and did not advance. After the race, Hamlin said he was not aware of Chastain’s points situation.
“I wish I would have just known what the last-lap scenario was and then I make the best decision I can for me,” Hamlin told reporters on pit road after the race. “I was surprised. No one told me anything. I absolutely had no idea.”
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NASCAR did review radio communications of Alex Bowman and Cole Custer from last weekend’s Cup race. Bowman was racing behind Chastain, also a Chevrolet driver. Custer was behind Logano, a fellow Ford driver.
“Nothing rose to the level of a penalty,” Forde said of the radio communications for the teams of Bowman and Custer.
“ … At a certain point during this week/weekend, we will just remind teams, if they need a reminder, let’s not put yourselves or ourselves in jeopardy here. Fans should be coming to the racetrack and expecting a straight up race where each position is fought for as hard as possible, especially at the end of the race.
“If we do see something or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we have done now several times.”
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