What Ross Chastain’s overtake means for NASCAR?
We all saw on youtube, read an article, or from a social media post what Chastain did last weekend at Martinsville. It was out of nowhere, very funny, and extremely similar to the type of thing we all did in our first racing games when we were 5 years old. But surely this sets a dangerous precedent in NASACR?
NASCAR is not in anyones mind as the pinnacle of Motorsport. Nor is it in the top three. It has always been this sport that was hard to grasp its entertainment value (being from Europe), other than the big wrecks that always seemed to happen. Over the years though I have watched quite a few full NASCAR races and I have even been lucky enough to go to the Daytona 500 (biggest race of the year for them) in 2015. I have come to the conclusion that it is far more intricate than what the masses think of it right now (shake’n’bake).
I am not saying its a perfect and always enjoyable form of motorsport, but If you give it a go what you will find is an entertainingly strategic sport. These drivers are highly skilled as the entire packs moving at 200mph, they have to be super alert to what is happening a few inches around them while also trying to draft each other to keep up with the pack. The last 5 laps is where everything gets turned up to 11. Theses last few laps is what everyones waiting for and thats when it gets dis-respectful but amazing, with drivers pushing and bumping their way to glory (Think BTCC sprint race shenanigans, but faster). For sure it’s not a glamorous sport - but it gets the job done as a piece of entertainment.
Now with Chastain’s move, he has somehow found a way to create the most amazing and at the same time most problematic overtake ever in the history of NASCAR and maybe in Motorsport as a whole (my opinion). Using the barrier to guide your car while accelerating through the corner instead of braking like everyone else is both hilariously childish and scary. Imagine going forward to the next races, when it gets to the last lap, everyone behind first is just going to go for it at the last corner. By the time they all get to the finish line the race will resemble less of a professional sport and more of a replay from the 2004 console game: Burnout 3 (BTW still a great game, holds up well).
What if the barrier or more likely one of the access gates for the marshals had failed under that force and stuck out just a bit more than normal. An immovable object being hit by a brick shaped car moving at speed - It would have ripped that car apart. Then if others behind him had joined in too, you can imagine the scene. Therefore, should it of been allowed?
I am grateful that NASACR allowed it - but for NASCAR as a whole I don’t think they fully understand what allowing it will mean for the future, as it will definitely happen again (Maybe we should start the hashtag “doing a Chastain”). I think this might push this beloved yet flawed racing series more and more down into the depths of entertainment like Monster trucks and Destruction derby rather than a professional, strategic and highly skilled Motorsport. What do you think?
Rant over - TB