Elton Sawyer has addressed the confusion between Chase Elliott and NASCAR during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Elliott received a penalty for crossing the blend line while exiting the pit road, leaving him infuriated. Sawyer stepped in to clarify the situation.
The incident occurred at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where NASCAR penalized Elliott for not staying below the line while re-entering the track. This led to a pass-through penalty, severely impacting his race.
This penalty marked Elliott’s second in two races, causing the Hendrick Motorsports driver to express his frustration over the radio. He argued that he had followed the instructions exactly as they were given.
Sawyer, NASCAR’s vice-president of competition, explained NASCAR’s perspective on the matter. He clarified that the video instructions required drivers to stay in the acceleration lane until exiting Turn 2 before merging onto the track.
NASCAR had also sent additional information to the drivers to clear up any potential misunderstandings. Sawyer emphasized that their goal was clear communication with teams and drivers to ensure everyone understood the rules. They had received minimal questions about the information, which led them to believe they had communicated effectively.
In the end, Elliott finished the race in 10th place, just ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and behind Noah Gragson, after starting in third.
NASCAR analyst Jordan Bianchi supported the penalty, stating that only Elliott and Brad Keselowski had been penalized out of 39 drivers, indicating that the rule was generally understood. Bianchi argued that if the rule had been confusing, more drivers would have violated it, suggesting that Elliott’s infraction was clear-cut.
Brad Keselowski, like Elliott, was also penalized for violating the same blend line rule during the race. He pitted on Lap 41 and faced the same consequences.
This incident highlights the importance of clear communication and understanding of the rules in NASCAR, as even minor misinterpretations can have significant impacts on race outcomes.
