The NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Martinsville on Sunday ended in one of the season’s most contentious finishes, with drivers fiercely competing for spots in the championship round. The race was marked by controversial incidents, sparking allegations of possible race manipulation involving teams from Toyota and Chevrolet to benefit their drivers.
One incident that drew particular attention involved Chevrolet teammates Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain, who allegedly blocked the rest of the field to protect William Byron’s position. Another key incident involved Bubba Wallace, who reportedly slowed down significantly on the final lap, allowing Toyota driver Christopher Bell in the No. 20 car to pass. Senior NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck discussed this situation on his podcast, “The Teardown,” and emphasized just how dramatically Wallace’s 23XI car decelerated.
Gluck pointed out that Wallace’s last lap was recorded at 24 seconds, while most other cars were running laps around 21 seconds, creating a stark four-second difference. Wallace later claimed he had car troubles, but Gluck remains unconvinced, seeing this as a clear case of race manipulation.
“He can say, ‘Oh, my car was broken,’ but he slowed down to give him a spot,” Gluck stated. “His last lap there was a 24-second-something lap, compared to the 21-second laps of everyone else. A four-second difference shows he significantly slowed down.” Despite Wallace mentioning a possible tire issue on his team radio a few laps earlier, Gluck believes this explanation doesn’t justify such a significant slowdown on that final lap.
Regarding the Chevrolet team’s actions, Gluck acknowledged some questionable tactics but felt they weren’t as blatant as what occurred with Wallace. “The Chevy thing, I don’t think that’s as egregious as the Bubba part of this, personally,” he noted. Gluck went on to wonder how NASCAR would respond to both incidents, especially Wallace’s apparent slowdown.
NASCAR officials have already announced they are thoroughly investigating these allegations, and if substantial evidence is found, there could be serious consequences for both 23XI Racing and potentially Joe Gibbs Racing. With NASCAR’s ongoing probe, fans are waiting to see if penalties or other disciplinary actions will follow, which could have significant implications as the season nears its end.
