“I don’t think you’re going to be allowed to just wipe someone out to move on. It’s an intentional wreck, is it not?” This was Denny Hamlin, pissed post-race, quick to call for a penalty. After Ross Chastain threw a full-blown Hail Mary in an attempt to steal a playoff point from Joey Logano, to keep his championship hopes alive, he ended both his and Hamlin’s day earlier than expected. Then came the calls to slap Chastain with a penalty, but amid that, Dale Jr. holds a different opinion.

Heading into Charlotte, Dale Jr. had his eyes on Chastain, even rooting for another “Hail Melon” moment. But Joey Logano swept through with a four-point edge, advancing to the Round of 8 despite finishing just one spot above the No. 1 driver. When Hamlin was questioned about whether Chastain deserved a penalty, Dale Junior quickly jumped to his defense.

Speaking on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, the NASCAR veteran scoffed at the idea of Ross Chastain getting penalized: “Is that really a question? Who would have thought such a thing? It was a zero chance, but if that had worked, and he (Ross Chastain) did get through, I bet NASCAR would have penalized him.”

And Dale Junior is right in pointing this out. The NASCAR rulebook, especially section 10, covers violations and disciplinary actions, each judged on a case-by-case basis after video review. While last-lap aggression is very much part of the sport’s DNA, NASCAR tends to let drivers race it out.

Moves like the classic ‘bump and run’ usually slide under the radar, with penalties reserved for major infractions. But when it comes to deliberately spinning someone out or trying to manipulate the outcome of a race or championship, that is where NASCAR draws a hard line. And there was no risk of manipulation in Hamlin and Ross Chastain’s case.

Junior explained his strong stance, saying, ” I think NASCAR is trying to avoid being the bad guy there. There’s nobody that would appreciate NASCAR doing that except for the Denny bros. If NASCAR penalized him for trying to go for it even in a failed attempt, they would catch so much s—. They would catch hell.”

The race didn’t impact Denny Hamlin’s chances of securing a spot heading to Las Vegas for the Round of 8 opener, but Chastain suffered the most. What is more intriguing is that Hamlin understood why the 32-year-old made the aggressive move, saying, “I don’t fault Ross at all… because of what was at stake.” So then why call for a penalty in the first place?

However, this is the least of worries, as the dust has settled on Charlotte. The 44-year-old has already cleared the air between him and Chastain. But now, another important discussion troubles Dale Earnhardt Jr…

Dale Jr. is fatigued with the ongoing playoff complaints

On the latest episode of the Dale Junior Download, NASCAR’s favorite Hall of Famer had a bone to pick. He says the constant chatter about the playoff format, full-season points, and what-if scenarios has started to drown out what actually matters: racing.

The action on track is as electric as ever, but according to Junior, the never-ending debate has taken the air out of the room. He admitted, “I know that I’m getting some fatigue — and I think a lot of people are — around this whole conversation about the playoffs versus full-season points. I don’t think people are fatigued with what’s actually happening on the racetrack right now, but I do think they’re tired of the conversation around what we’re going to end up having. And honestly, I think I am too — a little bit.”

Junior has got a point. The timing couldn’t be worse; the postseason is in full swing, yet everyone seems busy dissecting the next year’s possible rulebook instead of enjoying the fireworks in front of them. NASCAR’s competition committee, for its part, has held off on announcing any new format tweaks until this season wraps up to avoid stealing thunder from the championship fight.

Despite being a strong supporter of the good old Chase format, Junior explained, “I don’t like that. I want to enjoy this one. I want to enjoy this year, this playoff. I want to be excited about it, but I’m having a hard time. And I wonder if everyone else is, too, because you can see it — in the viewership, in the general conversations, in the way people are talking. It just feels like everyone’s already looking past it.”

Still, Junior couldn’t help but point out that the buzz about next year, from increased horsepower to rule changes, has fans and insiders mentally fast-forwarding past the best part of the season. For Dale Junior, that is the real heartbreak. The racing has never been better, but too many people are missing the show.