Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Patrick Andres

NASCAR Hands Out Penalties After Highly Controversial Final Lap of Martinsville Race

Austin Dillon at Michigan International Speedway in 2024. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

After a bizarre end to the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Va. Sunday, NASCAR has handed out penalties to several individuals.

Three drivers' competition directors, crew chiefs, and spotters have been suspended for the final race of the season Sunday, NASCAR announced Tuesday afternoon. Per the stock-car racing governing body, the penalties stemmed from "race manipulation and actions detrimental to stock car racing."

Additionally, drivers Ross Chastain, Austin Dillon, and Bubba Wallace were docked 50 points and $100,000 apiece. Each driver's team was also hit with a $100,000 fine.

During the waning laps of Sunday's race, Chastain and Dillon appeared to effectively run interference for Chevrolet teammate William Byron, who was gunning for a spot in NASCAR's Championship 4. Radio communication between Chastain and Dillon's teams made opaque reference to "knowing the deal."

Wallace—who also had skin in the game in the form of Toyota teammate Christopher Bell, who was bidding for the spot that eventually went to Byron—slowed substantially when told of Bell and Byron's respective standings, with radio communication from his team telling him to "nurse" a tire issue.

Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, and Byron will race for the Cup Series title Sunday at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.

More of the Latest Sports News


This article was originally published on www.si.com as NASCAR Hands Out Penalties After Highly Controversial Final Lap of Martinsville Race.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.