The way I see it is that Ross Chastain was doing whatever it takes to get into the championship race without wrecking anyone but himself in the process! Unbelievable, if I didn’t see it with my own eyes! That being said, does anyone else smell a new rule from NASCAR coming? – Bobby T, YouTube
Let’s just start with the inevitable: Ross Chastain‘s move at Martinsville Speedway was legendary. Personally, it was the greatest move I have seen in racing. While we have seen guys like Carl Edwards and Kyle Larson try to attempt it, it kind of surprises me that it took nearly 75 years to pull it off, yet it still seems unthinkable at the same time.
Despite how genius the move was, the question now arises if such a move should be penalized in the future. Drivers’ reactions following the race produced mixed reviews. Denny Hamlin gave Chastain credit for the move and said he tried something no one else thought of. Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe found the move cool, but expressed caution on whether it should be used in the future.
Then, we have Larson and Joey Logano. As mentioned above, Larson attempted a similar move one year ago to pass Hamlin for the win at Darlington Raceway.
Two video game moves that just didn't work out, 13 years apart…
Who did it better? 🎮 #NASCAR
Carl Edwards @ Kansas, 2008
Kyle Larson @ Darlington, 2021 pic.twitter.com/pmvWvx17Ip— Davey Segal (@DaveyCenter) September 6, 2021
You would think the defending champion would be in favor of such a move, right? Not so fast.
Larson expressed displeasure with the move to Frontstretch after the race.
“That was pretty embarrassing, honestly,” Larson said. “That’s not a good look for our sport.”
Logano admitted the move was spectacular but that the “box is open” for the field to do it.
Joey Logano on Chastain's move: "As spectacular as it was, now the box is open. … There needs to be a rule against this one. I don't know if you want the whole field riding the wall coming to the checkered flag."
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) October 30, 2022
Those two drivers mainly make up the main focus of the argument that there should be a penalty. I would say that’s egregious.
Chastain’s move put the sport in the mainstream spotlight once again. Only time will tell how long that will carry on, but it was a bright spot for a sport that has faced safety issues, officiating inconsistencies and driver/team frustrations over the past couple of months.
The move was even listed as SportsCenter’s number one play on the Top 10 plays for Sunday (Oct. 30). When was the last time you could remember a NASCAR highlight earning that spot, let alone any mention on that list? News networks and non-NASCAR fans are even talking about it, generally in a positive manner. That is what the sport wants, right?
The problem NASCAR has faced over the past couple of decades is not being able to keep a good thing going. This time, it’s the drivers who are threatening to ruin a potential breakthrough for the sport. While NASCAR drivers were wary of the move, drivers of other disciplines were praising it. Even Formula 1, which has seen a surge in American interest, had drivers calling it one of the best moves ever.
This is the best thing of 2022 in motor racing !
We all did this on video games with damage disable. Never thought this could become reality 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 https://t.co/UOsfyxox7E— Fernando Alonso (@alo_oficial) October 31, 2022
NASCAR has had plenty of moments in the past month that can be labeled embarrassing, and they received that exact reaction. This did not, nor should it be labeled “embarrassing.”
The thing is, these moves are not always an option. In fact, Martinsville is one of the only tracks where this could be pulled off due to the angles of the turns and speed of the cars. If quarterbacks can attempt a “Hail Mary” in football, why can’t drivers attempt the “Hail Melon” in the future?
I get that this is something that drivers shouldn’t do any time they are desperate, especially since it tears up equipment. But NASCAR has dealt this hand to the playoff drivers based on the playoff system, and Chastain played the right card.
So that brings us to the question of if it’ll be outlawed. We can’t say for certain that it won’t happen again in 2022, as Steve O’Donnell addressed this week.
NASCAR's Steve O'Donnell on @RossChastain final lap: “We’ve seen similar attempts, but never successfully. (It was) certainly within the rules.” No indication of any interest in outlawing similar moves. “We don’t think it’s right to change the rules after 35 races."
— . (@Karrion_WWE) November 1, 2022
Questions were also brought up if it could be labeled “racing detrimental to the event” or if a caution should have been called. Chastain’s car was out of the groove and against the wall at a good rate of speed, likely deterring NASCAR from throwing the yellow on the final lap. As for dangerous racing, I once again point to the fact that he was out of the racing line, plus he was not plowing through drivers.
If potential penalties weren’t brought up when Edwards tried it in 2008 or Larson’s move last year, why should NASCAR make a rule now for something that has only been accomplished once? And if they truly want to please the fans, this got them talking in a favorable way. Those are the people buying tickets and watching them on TV.
So will we see a penalty? Not likely in 2022, and overall, probably not. Now, if this happens multiple times in a short-term span, then NASCAR will very likely intervene.
Until then, why tear something apart when it is bringing eyes to the sport? The last thing we need are more rules being added for simply amazing moves. What Chastain did is the intent of these moves in racing: jaw-dropping and entertaining.
The fact that a small handful of NASCAR drivers want NASCAR to create yet another new rule outlawing one of the most incredible last-lap moves in the history of the sport — one that had every fan on their feet and cheering — is beyond baffling to me.
— . (@Karrion_WWE) October 31, 2022
Are Denny Hamlin’s chances of a championship slim? He deserves a championship trophy before he retires. I say support him till he gets one. – Robert D., YouTube
Once again, Denny Hamlin falls victim to just a couple of mistakes that costed him a title. And that has defined Hamlin’s near-misses on that elusive title: execution.
If you look at the first close call, it came back in 2010 when Hamlin nearly snapped Jimmie Johnson‘s title streak. A win at Texas Motor Speedway gave Hamlin a 33-point cushion over Johnson with two races to go.
At Phoenix Raceway, Hamlin led a race-high 190 laps. However, he was short on fuel and had to pit, relegating him to 12th. Entering the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hamlin had a slight 15-point advantage over Johnson.
On lap 22, Hamlin went for a spin and suffered minor damage to his splitter. Later in the race, he made contact with Greg Biffle, knocking the toe out and ultimately ruining any chance at a title.
Nearly a decade later, the Chesterfield, Virginia, native found his next best chance in 2019. A year after going winless for the first time in his career, Hamlin had a resurgence by winning six races and qualifying for the Championship 4. Only helping matters was that he had momentum, winning the Round of 8 finale at Phoenix in dominating fashion.
Hamlin certainly had the speed to win the title, but once again, execution bit him. During a pit stop late in the race, the crew put too much tape on Hamlin’s grill, causing his No. 11 to overheat. Hamlin was forced to pit with 46 laps remaining, dashing his hopes for his first title yet again.
Then came 2020, when Hamlin qualified for the Championship 4 again. But after winning the second-most races of any driver that year with seven, Hamlin was mostly a non-factor compared to his title opponents, struggling to keep up on long runs.
Hamlin’s most recent near-miss came in 2021, when he once again made the championship race. Hamlin was more competitive in this one, with the No. 11 showing strong long-run speed. That played into his hands late in the race as he chased down teammate and title contender Martin Truex Jr. for the lead and championship. However, a caution flew with just over 20 laps remaining.
It all came down to the money stop, and Larson’s crew delivered with their fastest stop of the year, putting the No. 5 out front and sending Larson to his first title. Hamlin could only watch from third.
So what happened this go-around? Hamlin swept the stages and led a race-high 203 laps. But once again, execution on pit road was his kryptonite. After losing the lead on pit road with just over 160 laps remaining, Hamlin got one more shot when the caution flew with 34 laps to go. Unfortunately, the stop was even worse, as Hamlin lost multiple spots on pit road. Eventually, it all led to Chastain’s “Hail Melon” that solidified Hamlin’s downfall.
Whether it is because of driver tensions (see: Hamlin vs. Alex Bowman in 2021), driver mistakes or pit road execution, Hamlin has had no luck on his side when it seems he is a championship threat.
At 41 years old, the clock is beginning to run its course on Hamlin’s career. Add to the fact that the youth movement is beginning to take control (the average age of this year’s Championship 4 is 28.5), and the years of veteran dominance appear to be over.
Even more concerning is the fact that Hamlin had one of his worst statistical seasons in years. His 15.7 average finish is his worst since 2013. He had his fewest amount of top fives since 2018, and his 15 top 10s are the fewest he has had since 2013.
You can never count out a 48-time Cup race winner. But as Hamlin’s age grows and the years of poor execution mound, the chance of Hamlin holding the Bill France Cup looks more unlikely than anything else.
Entering his fifth year with Frontstretch, Luken Glover is the author of The Underdog House, shedding light on the motivation and performance of NASCAR's dark horse teams as they strive to fight to the top. Additionally, Glover reports for the site at various events, and he contributes in the video editing department.
A 2023 graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, Glover is a middle school math and PE teacher, as well as a basketball coach. He is passionate about serving in his church, playing/coaching a wide variety of sports, and researching motorsports history.