Despite $400K Hit to Chevy, Chase Elliott Warns NASCAR of Failure Against Race Manipulation

NASCAR teams and drivers have always walked a fine line in bending or breaking the rules. There was a time when teams used to get away with cheeky adjustments to the parts and components. Chad Knaus, the veteran crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports, opened up about the dark arts his team used back in the day. “That’s how we get it to the playoffs, and everything would come together.” However, this dynamic changed as NASCAR rolled out the Next Gen car and brought the field together.

This in turn forced the teams to depend on the OEM partners for getting that slightest edge on the racetrack. Call it monopoly or status quo; the pool of information and resources was only available to Big Brother teams. Hendrick Motorsports with Chevy, Team Penske with Ford, and Joe Gibbs Racing with Toyota—this is the established order. And what we saw at Martinsville Speedway last year was just the byproduct of the team’s dependency on OEMs and their growing influence over the sport.

Well, NASCAR did make some adjustments to their rules that will see OEMs facing heavy penalties for breaching the code of conduct. But will this in any way, shape, or form help curb the ongoing issues and avoid Martinsville-like incidents? Chase Elliott isn’t too sure about it.

Chase Elliott highlights a major loophole in NASCAR’s plan to curb race manipulation

Now we all know how pack racing plays a huge role in determining the results of drafting tracks like Daytona and Talladega. On these tracks, it’s hard to judge whether the same OEM teams are working together or manipulating the outcome of the race. We saw how all the Toyota Camry bunched up during the Talladega race last year until they ended up wrecking each other. So, how would NASCAR police such incidents given that Daytona 500 is just around the corner?

Chase Elliott was asked a similar question ahead of the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray. In reply, the driver of the No. 9 Chevy said, “You know at the end of the day, there’s always going to be teammates, alliances and so on and so forth. I’m not sure how you ever totally take that out of the equation. But from my standpoint, when you simplify it as a competitor, you always want to try to be the best that you can for your team.”

Well, last time around when Chevy teams No. 1 and No. 3 tried to support their big brother team at Martinsville, they were brandished with a $100,000 fine for drivers and owners. However, will the sanctioning body stay true to this precedent when fellow drivers from the same manufacturer come to each other’s aid at Daytona? This is a slippery slope for NASCAR, and Chase Elliott certainly made valid points while speaking to the media on the same.

The driver of the No. 9 car also touched upon another major rule change that has become a topic of debate within the NASCAR community. Not everyone is pleased with how the Open Exemptional Provision is favoring non-NASCAR drivers, but Chase Elliott could understand the argument made by both sections of the community.

Elliott feels there should be some kind of parameter for non-NASCAR drivers in major events

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The OEP is a guaranteed spot that NASCAR offers to a world-class driver looking to compete in their events. None of the full-time drivers from the chartered teams are eligible for the provision, and teams have to appeal for the same 90 days ahead of the event. It looks like Trackhouse Racing had their finger on the trigger and raised an appeal as soon as the new rule was announced. And the next thing you know, NASCAR makes an announcement that Helio Castroneves driving the #91 car will have the provisional for Daytona 500.

Yep, the Daytona 500 race, where qualifying for the main race in itself is a huge accomplishment. But NASCAR’s new rule is seen as sort of a freebie that favors international race car drivers. Denny Hamlin certainly didn’t hold back on his criticism, calling out these attempts as a desperate move to attract eyeballs to the sport. “You’re the premier stock car series in the U.S., the premier racing sport in the U.S.; be the big boys and force people to come in here and get their credentials and do it the natural way.”

Although Chase Elliott had a rather neutral stance, he somewhat agreed to Hamlin’s arguments of upholding the prestige of historic NASCAR events. “I also think that with prestigious races, there should be some sort of integrity with making the show. I think that’s part of what makes the race prestigious is it’s a hard event to make. I think you see that with the Indianapolis 500 …. It’s a big deal just to get in the show.”

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season hasn’t even kicked off, and there’s so much to dissect and understand already. Hopefully, the racing is as good as the off-track drama that has set the tone for the new year.