The final laps of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville promised a classic NASCAR thriller: tight competition, high stakes, and ballsy maneuvers. Christopher Bell, fighting for a Championship 4 berth, pushed his No. 20 JGR car around the outside wall after making a move on Bubba Wallace on the final lap to secure his spot, somewhat echoing Ross Chastain’s jaw-dropping “Hail Melon” move from 2022. But as Bell made his move, NASCAR assessed him with a safety violation, a call that cost him a chance at the title and sparked heated debate across the sport. Speaking on his ‘Happy Hour’ podcast, veteran driver Kevin Harvick didn’t hold back, explaining exactly why he believes NASCAR made the right choice in penalizing Bell.

Harvick’s perspective carries weight due to his own track record as a driver with NASCAR’s rule enforcement. In 2002, Harvick experienced fines and a suspension for rough driving after intentionally spinning out Coy Gibbs during a Truck race at Martinsville. That incident, where he admitted his intentions over the radio, prompted NASCAR to take immediate action, removing him from the race. He’d already been fined that same season for a post-race altercation with Greg Biffle. Known for his on-the-edge driving style, Harvick has firsthand experience with NASCAR’s evolving approach to safety and rule consistency, giving him unique insight into why moves like Bell’s need firm enforcement.

The Hail Melon rule: A clear but controversial decision

For Harvick, NASCAR’s decision against Bell wasn’t a difficult call; it centered on safety, which he says drivers had settled in 2022 after Chastain’s wall-riding stunt. Chastain’s move was exhilarating but risky, with him shifting into fifth gear and hurtling along the wall to secure his Championship 4 spot. Fans loved it, but drivers and officials saw clear dangers: flying debris, loose parts, and potential harm to fans and drivers. In a meeting with NASCAR, drivers agreed that stock car racing should boil down to more than just slamming the gas and clinging to the wall.

“There was a meeting with the drivers and NASCAR [after Chastain’s move] … the wall ride was unanimously voted to say, ‘We don’t need that. We can’t do that,'” Harvick said. He explained that the move wasn’t explicitly banned in the rulebook but was widely condemned by the racing community, who felt such maneuvers threatened safety. From Harvick’s view, NASCAR’s choice to penalize Bell reflected a shared stance within the sport—a way of saying NASCAR should involve more than wall-slamming tactics.

Christopher Bell’s team at Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), however, expressed disappointment with the ruling. JGR President Dave Alpern called it “a tough one to lose like this,” especially given that he had already overcome numerous obstacles, including a spin after contact with Corey LaJoie and a pit-stop blunder that cost him a lap. But Harvick felt otherwise, calling it “the easiest call that NASCAR’s gonna make” since drivers had already agreed that moves like Bell’s were too risky for high-stakes competition.

Bell’s intentions: A mistake or repeat of the Hail Melon?

Kevin Harvick admitted that Bell probably wasn’t trying to recreate Chastain’s wall ride but rather made a quick decision when he found himself in a tight spot. “He did get loose … but unfortunately for him, there’s a camera inside the car,” Harvick explained. In the last moments, footage appeared to show Bell choosing to “put the gas down [and ride] the wall” instead of easing back to regain control.

With the timing right before the Championship 4, NASCAR faced a tough call, Harvick noted. Enforcing this “black and white” rule consistently—even if it’s not formally written in the rulebook—was critical to maintaining fairness and safety. NASCAR’s penalty against Bell signals a clear message about acceptable tactics. Harvick believes this ruling shows NASCAR’s commitment to ending wall-riding in any form, whether intentional or not.

Bell’s penalty may have cast a shadow over the Martinsville race, but NASCAR’s stance remains firm: the Hail Melon move was an exciting flash in NASCAR history—now permanently off-limits.