NASCAR has banned the Ross Chastain wall-ride manoeuvre

Remember last year when NASCAR driver Ross Chastain hit the headlines with a ridiculously impressive wall-ride to overtake five cars in one corner on the last lap of the Xfinity 500 race? Click these blue words if you need a recap, or if you just want to watch it again for the sheer beauty.

Done that? Great. Although unfortunately we have some bad news for you – NASCAR has now banned the manoeuvre citing safety concerns.

We’re told that no new wording will be added to the NASCAR rule book to specifically ban wall-rides, but anyone attempting the move in future will fall foul of the existing rule 10.5.2.6.A and will be given a time penalty. 

The wording of 10.5.2.6.A is as follows: “Safety is a top priority for NASCAR and NEM (NASCAR Event Management). Therefore, any violations deemed to compromise the safety of an event or otherwise pose a dangerous risk to the safety of competitors, officials, spectators, or others are treated with the highest degree of seriousness. Safety violations will be handled on a case-by-case basis.”

Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition said on the decision: “We will penalise for that act going forward. Basically, what it would be is a lap or time penalty at the end of the race, so that move at Martinsville would be a penalty.”

Is NASCAR right to ban Chastain’s videogame style move?