NASCAR Inside the Playoffs dives into the post-race penalties stemming from the final laps at Martinsville Speedway.
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00:00Okay, so while this was going on after the race, right before the end of the race towards
00:05the closing laps, there was also some questions about whether manufacturers were helping other
00:09manufacturers maintain position, not get passed on the racetrack.
00:12And so that was specifically with the Toyota 2311, above a Wallace, and a couple of Chevys
00:19kind of blocking what it looked like for William Byron.
00:22NASCAR spoke today, and this is what they said, their suspension's coming down for that
00:26event.
00:27So we've got number one, three, those are Chevys, and the 23 above a Wallace.
00:31You have three people that are experiencing suspensions, fines, and driver-owner points.
00:35What do you think about this?
00:36So I think the penalty was needed.
00:37I question if it's really enough.
00:39Basically you have an executive, and then the crew chief, and then the spotter, two
00:43people on the radio probably, and an executive, a fine, and the points.
00:46So basically what happened is that, and NASCAR alluded to this Sunday night, they said, we're
00:50going to go back and look at this because it failed the eye test.
00:53We had a couple of Chevys out there riding around behind William Byron.
00:56It looked like a motorcade.
00:57It looked like a motorcade.
00:58And the 23 above a Wallace, you know, magically just is really slow the last few laps, and
01:05we had the 20 needing that spot.
01:06The problem with this is the integrity of any sport should be the most important thing,
01:10whatever the score is, whatever the example is.
01:13And there was just enough evidence here that these teams were purely performing only to
01:18help the others.
01:19Mom, it becomes more complicated because in NASCAR, Rick Hendrick owns four cars, Roger
01:23Penske owns three cars.
01:24So we have seen teammates assist other teammates.
01:27I think that is fair competition.
01:30This is people that are just like manufacturers, I think, manipulating the outcome of the race.
01:36The fan deserves more.
01:38And from the TV booth, it failed the eye test.
01:40It didn't take a whole lot of digging to realize something was up.
01:43One, I'm surprised that the six, who was a Ford of Brad Keselowski, didn't just ship
01:47them.
01:48Because he was behind that blockade.
01:49Because he was behind, he was the next one that wasn't a part of that blockade family
01:53that he could have done something.
01:54And I was really surprised he didn't.
01:55But let's not act like these things don't happen and haven't happened throughout the
01:59history of racing, whether it's a water bottle that you've thrown out the window to try and
02:04get a caution or, you know, even to the point at super speedways where people maybe will
02:09lift instead of pushing somebody across the line.
02:12We see these things, but those are really kind of hard to call.
02:17Like you're getting really close there on the line.
02:19This was a little bit more egregious.
02:21And plus all the audio, that's where it really came into it for me and I think for everybody
02:25else.
02:26All the audio, the chatter about what was going right or what we were going to do really
02:31let the cards out.
02:32But why?
02:33Let's see.
02:34Here's my question, right?
02:35And I understand teammates helping teammates.
02:36Manufacturers are essentially teammates as well.
02:38This has happened forever.
02:39I mean, and we've talked about this going to Talladega and Daytona, we're going to have
02:42to have these discussions.
02:43Because don't tell me guys don't block for their teammates in order to, and that's kind
02:48of what we saw.
02:49So this is a watershed moment.
02:50I believe that the sport are the drivers on track performing to whatever they see fit.
02:56Most of the time is to try to win the race.
02:58Maybe that involves a block.
02:59Maybe that is to push a teammate.
03:01In these situations, there's evidence that they're being instructed on the radio of the
03:06outcome they're trying to change.
03:08Here's the points total.
03:09This guy can't pass.
03:10This guy needs you to pass.
03:12That is an orchestrated attempt to change the results.
03:15If those drivers on their own said, you know what, William's having a bad day, I'm not
03:19going to pass him because he cut me a break three weeks ago.
03:22Like that's sports in general.
03:24That happens anytime there's combat.
03:26But when you start having, that's why we saw the penalty involved executives and crew chiefs
03:30and spotters as there's radio communication setting the stage.
03:34Look, this is a watershed moment.
03:35I believe something had to be done in what happened to Martinsville heading to where
03:40we're going to crown a champion.