In NASCAR, a little bump has always been part of the dance. Rubbing’s racing, they say—just ask any veteran who spent years swapping paint at Martinsville or Darlington. It’s the kind of edge-of-your-seat chaos that made legends out of Earnhardt, Stewart, and Gordon. Remember when Carl Edwards sent Brad Keselowski flying at Atlanta in 2010? Or when Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon threw punches in Texas?

NASCAR’s never been for the faint-hearted, but it’s always had one unspoken rule: respect the craft. Lately, though, that line feels more like a speed bump. The Xfinity Series, once a proving ground for tomorrow’s stars, is now becoming a weekly wreck fest. And after Darlington’s drama, one veteran has had enough.

Kevin Lepage, a NASCAR veteran, has expressed his frustration over the growing disrespect in the Xfinity Series. “There’s one word that has been lost in a lot of the divisions, from cup all the way down to late models, is the word respect,” he said, highlighting how intentional wrecks, including in the Xfinity Series, have become more common. Lepage emphasized that while rubbing is part of racing, intentionally dumping drivers for a win is unacceptable.

Lepage’s comments follow a series of chaotic races, including the recent Martinsville event, which featured 14 cautions, 1 red flag, and over 100 laps under yellow flag conditions. It, notably, included a controversial final lap crash involving Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray. The lack of respect among drivers has led to calls for stricter penalties, such as suspending drivers for reckless behavior.

At Darlington, incidents involving Ross Chastain and Christopher Bell, as well as a notable crash between Leland Honeyman and Josh Williams, further underscored the need for improved racecraft. Lepage suggested that suspending drivers could be an effective deterrent. “There’s one word that has been lost in a lot of the divisions, from cup all the way down to late models, is the word respect. We’ve had some conversations about some of these racers that are here today, our fellow racers and about how we raced each other and yeah we rub people, put donuts on cars, but you know we never intentionally try to dump somebody, especially for a win and I think somebody posted on Twitter that you know you win a race and you’re in championship. I think that’s a good thing that needs to go away because these guys are doing so much stuff. I don’t know how we can fix it except for, regardless of the sponsor, the car number, the car owner, I think a driver needs to be set out.”

Lepage’s reasoning was that, nowadays, the drivers have a lot of financial backing. This makes simple fines or warnings ineffective. But taking away their ability to race? That’s a different story. Lepage believes that being benched, even for just one weekend, would force drivers to think twice before turning bumpers into battering rams—especially with Playoff berths on the line.

Moreover, he emphasized that the punishment should be handed over to any driver, irrespective of their stature, the teams they are driving for, or the sponsor behind them. “You sit them out for the first week, and if he does it again um you set him out for a couple weeks. I think that’s the only detention you’re going to get because a lot of these young drivers you know have financial backing, and I think that, you have to hit them where it hurts, where they’re not driving. Regardless how much money you got, NASCAR sends you home, you’re not racing for a week or two, you probably think about it,” he mentioned. It wouldn’t be the first time someone mentioned this as a solution.

Notably, Brad Keselowski suggested this idea on X. “My 2 cents- The solution needs to come from the car owners not NASCAR. Until the car owners are willing to park their drivers for getting this out of control, very little will change. I get that they are all scared to park a funded driver out of fear they will lose the money to continue to operations. However, at some point, that’s the risk you have to take to get this right. I believe if all of the teams do it together, it would work.”

However, the response hasn’t been all positive. Dale Jr. came out in support of his driver, saying, “Sammy’s my driver. Ya’ll can continue to be p-ssed and think what you want. I got to shift to what do I do to give Sammy the best advice. I got to figure out how Sammy can clean this up.” 

As NASCAR continues to grapple with these issues, Lepage’s (and others’) call for tougher penalties reflects a broader concern about maintaining integrity in the sport. With the Xfinity Series becoming increasingly known for wrecks rather than racing, the need for change is pressing.

Kevin Lepage reflects on racing past and present

Kevin Lepage recently returned to Darlington for the NASCAR weekend for the first time since 2014. He reminisced about his racing days and offered insights into the sport’s evolution. “This is awesome… It’s finally nice to be back at the racetrack and meet a lot of my old friends and fellow racers,” Lepage shared, highlighting the nostalgic atmosphere of the Throwback Weekend.

Lepage recalled his strong performances at Darlington, stating, “This is one of my favorite racetracks.” He emphasized his success while driving for Roush, where he completed every lap in four consecutive races, finishing in the top 10. Lepage added, “I’ve got my first top five here in the Cup Car,” reflecting his fondness for the track.

But as much as he enjoys the memories, Lepage didn’t shy away from comparing the past with the present. He admitted that while drivers back in the day raced hard, there was still an unspoken code.  To Lepage, the problem isn’t just aggressive racing, it’s a lack of respect. And his reflections remind us that while the sport has evolved, not every change is worth celebrating.