The 2024 NASCAR season has witnessed its fair share of bump-and-runs. For reference, think back to Corey LaJoie’s push on Kyle Busch at Pocono—a move that made waves around the globe. Or perhaps one can remember the All-Star race earlier in the year, where Busch himself got involved in a viral brawl with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and his team for wrecking the latter early.

However, none of those events or their fallout affected the state of NASCAR in 2024 the way Austin Dillon’s #3 wrecking ball did on that last lap in Richmond. And as the penalties for Dillon and Joey Logano rolled out only days before Michigan, Hall of Famer Mark Martin took to DJD: Reloaded to draw some hefty comparisons. In Mr. Consistency’s eyes, that gutsy last-lap move has found itself in the company of some of the most viral moments in NASCAR history.

Mark Martin believes the Richmond wreckage mirrors NASCAR’s past

From Daniel Suarez’s three-wide win in Atlanta to Austin Dillon’s controversial performance at Richmond, this year has birthed more than just a few viral moments. The sport’s growing appeal in 2024 likely played a significant role, even though the number of TV viewers for the Richmond fall race dropped by 0.21 million from the previous year.

Regardless, the increased digitization and personalization of information in the 21st century ensure that specific moments reach a wider audience. Austin Dillon’s double-tap became one such moment, and Mark Martin emphasized that fact while talking to Andrew Kurland on DJD: Reloaded, making a few comparisons.

The 40-time NASCAR Cup winner said, “I view this as a big event in our sport. Not quite as big as the Hail Melon by Chastain, but it’s pretty huge. I mean, it’s generated a lot of attention, and there’s a lot of stir. And you know, when you get stir, even negative stir is stir…”

For those living under a rock, the Hail Melon was an infamous video game-esque move Ross Chastain made at Martinsville Speedway two years ago. He braced his #1 Chevy against the wall to slingshot past five other opponents on the last lap, securing a playoff berth. NASCAR banned anyone else from using that move forever, although it became the most-watched viral moment on social media for quite some time.

Similarly, Martin drew upon another comparison, this time from the 1989 All-Star Race—then known as The Winston. He likened Austin Dillon’s last-lap retaliation to Rusty Wallace’s last-lap move on Darrell Waltrip’s bumper at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That race is infamous for the post-race brawl between the teams of Waltrip and Wallace, as the latter made his “undeserving” trip to Victory Lane. Despite not facing any consequences for his clear swipe on Waltrip just before the last lap, people say to this day that Wallace cheated Waltrip out of a $200,000 cash prize.

Wallace eventually won the 1989 Winston Cup championship, but his move against Waltrip turned him into public enemy number one overnight. As Martin recalled, “When you have the switch from Darrell Waltrip being the bad guy to being the good guy. And Rusty (Wallace), the switch to being the bad guy, the roars and the boos, they weren’t all bad for the sport. It gets their blood pumping.” Hence, he thinks, “This has been a shot in the arm in one way. But in the other way, it’s kind of a black eye as well, but gosh, we’re going racing this weekend, and there’ll be something else to talk about. But it’s big news right now.”

The NASCAR icon is not wrong. As the Michigan International Speedway race approaches, tensions between Austin Dillon and his victims—Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin—are at an all-time high. NASCAR’s delayed penalties only add fuel to the fire.

Stock car racing or sports entertainment?

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Mark Martin may no longer be racing actively, but he remains deeply connected to the sport, even though his appearances have dwindled over time. His experience is invaluable, and during the discussion, he raised a point that few could disagree with. He said, “When you have bump-and-run and all this stuff going on at a racetrack, running somebody high, if it’s your guy that gets the short end of the stick, you’re mad as hell. But if your guy is giving it, you ain’t so mad you know? So I feel like we’re in the entertainment business now instead of the sport.”

NASCAR is a sport broadcast on a global level, and the lines between sports and entertainment have blurred with the evolution of its racing product. Unplanned, impactful incidents often sit in a gray area, requiring “further review” with a “verdict” that arrives mid-week. A portion of the audience believes that NASCAR deliberately makes fans wait for crucial decisions, building anticipation to ensure maximum attention when the decision is finally announced.

To address those rumors, Elton Sawyer explained, “The magnitude of this decision was and is huge so we felt it was very important that we get this right.” When the decisions finally fell, Joey Logano’s wallet was a $40,000 lighter for his pit road infraction. As for Austin Dillon? He will keep the win, but NASCAR has revoked his playoff eligibility following his contentious maneuvers. But some wonder if it truly matters in the end for everyone involved. After all, rubbing is racing. And the fallout from Richmond seems to have placed both the culprits and victims alongside legends like Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace in the eyes of a true legend like Mark Martin.

But how will it all affect the state of things moving forward? We’ll find out at the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway this Sunday.