NASCAR Suspends 9 People Across 3 Teams After Martinsville Speedway Race

Cars race drives during the NASCAR Mexico Series auto race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on Feb. 3, 2024. Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo

Nine people from three different NASCAR teams have been suspended by the sanctioning body and received a collective $600,000 in fines for alleged race manipulation at Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 3.

In a Nov. 6 statement, NASCAR said that after investigating “on-track data and team scanners” from the final laps of Sunday’s race, the sanctioning body has allegedly determined that race manipulation and actions detrimental to stock car racing have occurred.

As a result, NASCAR drivers Ross Chastain from Trackhouse Racing, Austin Dillon from Richard Childress Racing, and Bubba Wallace, driving for 23XI Racing, each lost 50 driver points and received a $100,000 fine.

Each team’s owner has been fined $100,000 and had 50 owner points deducted. Team executives Tony Lunders, Keith Rodden, and Dave Rogers were suspended for one race.

The crew chiefs have also been penalized. Phil Surgen, Justin Alexander, Bootie Barker, and their respective spotters Brandon McReynolds, Brandon Benesch, and Freddie Kraft have all been suspended for one race.

NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer said the sweeping action resulted from looking at the most recent penalty written for an infraction in similar circumstances, “which was the 41 car a couple of years ago at the Roval.”

“We felt like we wanted to ramp this one up and we did, we did that in a way that we included team leadership,” he said.

“And this one, something that we feel like that, you know, we want to get our point across that it’s a responsibility of all of us, the team owners, the team leadership as well as ourselves here at NASCAR to uphold the integrity of our sport,” Sawyer added.

After the race at Martinsville Speedway, Christopher Bell initially qualified for the championship final four at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 11.

However, NASCAR ruled that hitting and using the wall for momentum to gain a boost violated a safety rule and was disallowed, meaning Bell was moved to a 22nd-place finish, giving driver William Byron enough points to advance into the final spot.

According to NASCAR, Toyota driver Wallace allegedly faked a flat tire to give Bell leeway to move out of the way and hit the wall for the maneuver.

NASCAR ruled that Chastain and Dillon ran interference to help fellow Chevrolet driver Byron avoid losing position on the track, which could cost him a spot in the championship.

All the teams involved have the chance to appeal before the finale. Richard Childress Racing, 23XI Racing, and Trackhouse Racing all announced they will appeal the ruling.

The Epoch Times has contacted Trackhouse Racing, Richard Childress Racing, and 23XI Racing for comment on the allegations.