The Phoenix showdown between a Championship-4 and a non-contending driver resulted in a high-octane thriller for NASCAR fans. Ever since the inception of elimination rounds in 2014, the Championship 4 drivers raced toward the front with barely any outside competition. However, this season, that scenario changed for the first time when Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain maintained his lead to break that longstanding record. What followed was a revelation that became an apple of discord for the racing community. 

Season’s champion Ryan Blaney did not wish to become the first driver to win the title without winning the final race. As a result, the Team Penske driver nearly wrecked himself in his attempt to overtake the racewinner. Blaney’s obvious frustration at having to compete with a racer outside the Championship 4 wasn’t left unnoticed. And now rumors are abuzz that the governing body too shared his disapproval of Chastain’s desire to defeat the final 4 contenders. 

NASCAR was reportedly “not pleased” at fielding a season-ending race led by a non-contender

When the current playoff format was introduced in 2014, it was an experiment to retain viewers’ interest throughout the season. When Jimmie Johnson won the trophy for the 6th time in 2013, the elimination rounds were introduced, and it was not without its own set of limitations. Fast forward to 2023, while it was an intriguing outcome for racing fans, Ryan Blaney was left fuming at Chastain’s adamance. The situation took a controversial turn when veteran spotter Brett Griffin reported NASCAR’s interference in an episode of Door Bumper Clear.

As per Griffin, a NASCAR official allegedly approached Chastain’s spotter, Brandon McReynolds, to ask the race leader to not impede Blaney’s run. It soon became a hotly debated issue on Reddit when shared by a social media user. The post stated, “From the way they made it seem, NASCAR was not pleased that a non-final four driver was racing a championship contender for the lead and expected Ross to just let Blaney go.” 

Thereafter, NASCAR communications director Mike Forde jumped in to clarify that the official was merely trying to diffuse the situation.

However, the governing body’s direct involvement in the championship race was a cause for concern for the racing community. Tempers flared up with controversies rampant and opinions divided over the extent to which NASCAR should be allowed to intervene.

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Racing community aghast over “major bad look” for NASCAR in Phoenix

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Even if the hosts of Door Bumper Clear had misinterpreted the situation, the damage was already done. The official’s attempt to communicate with Brandon McReynolds during a crucial moment for his driver has been confirmed by Mike Forde. On the other hand, insinuating that NASCAR desired a specific race outcome was a massive accusation without substantial proof.

Accordingly, the Reddit community was heavily divided over the blazing incident. One user was puzzled over Ryan Blaney, wanting Ross Chastain to simply step aside for him. “The fact that anyone or Blaney himself would be literally mad at Ross for it is baffling. If Nascar officials actually did such a thing, this is a terrible look.”

Others wondered if there was more to the story behind the Championship 4 contenders leading the Phoenix races. “You can thank Jimmy Johnson for this playoff format. Isn’t it funny how the final 4 almost always end up 1,2,3,4 in the last race, even though they are not the top 4 cars? I hate that everyone moves over and applauds @RossChastain for not doing so.”

Another comment read, “If this is true, that’s a *major* bad look for NASCAR. Not necessarily rigging races for the Championship 4, but being upset with non-playoff drivers for actually being competitive defeats the whole purpose of the race.”

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On the other side were racing fans who refused to outright believe DBC’s version of the events. A user stated, “The DBC is a group of drama queens, so I take that with a grain of salt.” Yet another person was skeptical, saying, “I don’t think this is true. It could be just stirring the pot or starting sh*t to get people riled up. (I could be wrong, though.)”

One commentator reminded users about Ford’s higher standing and authority over DBC Spotters. “Mike Forde isn’t even just the coordinator. He’s the managing director of racing communications for NASCAR. So I’m gonna take his word over any spotter, any day of the week.” Whose version sounds more authentic? Comment down below.