Veteran Insider Acquits Ross Chastain As Late Race Ryan Blaney Drama Prompts Race Etiquette Concerns

The 2023 Cup Series championship race saw it all. The stakes were high and so was the thrill. For the first time since NASCAR introduced the elimination-style playoff format, the winner of the Grand Finale has always been the one to lift the Championship trophy. Until last Sunday. Ross Chastain became the first driver in the last decade to win the Championship 4, despite being a non-championship driver. However, this victory did not come without its fair share of controversies. Was it right for him to block runner-up and Champion Ryan Blaney?

Was it right for Ryan Blaney to curse at Chastain while bumping him several times? Here’s what NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty had to say.

Kyle Petty drops a reality check on the community

When 40 cars throttle at full speed, and cruise two or sometimes even three wide, to grab that single, coveted trip to the victory lane, it’s only normal that on-track squabbles will ensue. NASCAR has never been a docile sport. On the contrary, it’s this dare-devilish wreck-and-break factor of the sport that makes it so demanding to the public eye.

Speaking of wreck-and-break, can Trackhouse Racing sensation Ross Chastain be left far behind? Perhaps not. This man got involved in a brawl with Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, as the latter tried his best to clear Chastain but failed. The climax of the tug-o-war was reached when Ryan Blaney hit Chastain hard in between turns 1 and 2. And moments after the 312-lap race was over, none of them pulled a punch calling out each other about their skirmish. But was it right for them to do what they did?!

Kyle Petty said yes, it was. “I believe it’s okay for him to roll in and get into Ross and try to get Ross upset and try to get Ross out of the way,” said Petty, “I also believe it’s okay for Ross Chastain to take away the line of the second place car, which was Ryan Blaney, no matter whether he’s running for a championship or not.”

While others looked at it as two wrongs, Kyle Petty considered it as two rights. “We came away. No harm, no foul. Ross Chastain wins the race, first time in 10 years of racing that a non-championship driver has won the race but we have a champion and it’s Ryan Blaney and he was calmed down when it was all over with,” he added.

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But is that true? Was Ryan Blaney really calm and okay with what Ross Chastain did to him? One sure wouldn’t think so while watching their post-race media availability.

Words flew to and fro between Ross Chastain and Ryan Blaney

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In the last stage of the race, the #12 Ford icon had charged through the field, battling hard to snatch away the lead from Ross Chastain. But Chastain was adamant. While Kyle Larson and William Byron chased Chastain down, the melonman blocked three lanes to prevent Blaney from passing him. After being blocked multiple times, Blaney expressed his frustration by nudging him. And he wasn’t even a bit remorseful about it.

When Ross Chastain said that Blaney had raced him hard, the 2023 Cup Series champion said, “The dude blocks three lanes getting in the corner every lap, I mean, I don’t know how I’m racing him hard. When you’re looking in the mirror and you’re going left and right and left and just following wherever I go…I don’t understand how he thinks I’m racing him hard.”

“He’s just backing me up to the 5 (Larson) where I’m gonna be in trouble. Well, f****ng right I hit him on purpose. Yes, I hit him on purpose,” he stated. Blaney was indeed mad. But Ross Chastain didn’t care. He admitted, “I did not care then, I do not care now. I’m here to race him. I’m not going to wreck him and I gave him the bottom most times. Only time I was inside of him was after he got by me, I crossed back over into three and I made sure to wrap the bottom like I’m not going to slide up and pinch him at all.”

“He gets angry, it’s okay. I’ve known him for a decade,” he added with a smile. According to Kyle Petty, none of them did anything wrong. What about you? Do you think if there is no yellow flag, anything and everything should be allowed to happen? Do let us know what you think!

Read more: “Been Super Close for Many Years”- Ryan Blaney Gets Emotional As Championship Ticket Completes Unfulfilled Martinsville Dream