It’s wild, isn’t it? Martinsville 2024 was supposed to be just another playoff cutoff race, but instead, it blew the doors off NASCAR’s officiating philosophy. Now, months later, we’re still feeling the aftershocks—and according to Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s attempt to crack down on race manipulation might just backfire.
The controversy? Accusations of drivers strategically holding back to protect teammates, particularly in a race that determined the Championship 4. The fallout was so intense that NASCAR had no choice but to rewrite the rulebook, tightening its stance on team orders and race-fixing tactics.
But here’s the catch—Dale Jr. doesn’t think it’s going to work.
“This is one of those rules that’s gray as hell,” he said on The Dale Jr. Download. “People find new ways to take advantage of the system, especially with the playoffs and points. NASCAR has to keep adjusting rules.”
Translation? The game will just evolve.
What’s New in NASCAR’s Rulebook?
The revised rule now explicitly states:
“Any member who attempts to improperly influence the outcome of the event or encourages, persuades, or induces others to do so shall be subject to penalties as outlined in Section 10 violations and disciplinary action.”
In simpler terms? No more blatant team orders. No “letting a teammate through” or “holding up a rival” to manipulate the playoffs. The rule even specifically calls out “intentional planning” as a violation.
Seems airtight, right?
Well, not so fast, says Dale Jr.
Why Dale Jr. Thinks NASCAR Can’t Police Every Move
Let’s be real—NASCAR isn’t going to monitor every single move in every race.
“They’re not trying to officiate every single race, every single lap, going, ‘Did he do what he should have done or could have done?’ It’s impossible,” Dale Jr. said.
Instead, he believes this rule will only really be enforced during the playoffs, when stakes are highest and teams have the biggest incentive to play the system.
And that’s where things get messy.
“Some of it is to help their teammate or affect who can advance in the playoffs. That’s when it gets really problematic.”
So, the question isn’t whether teams will still try to manipulate races—it’s how creatively they’ll do it.
Martinsville 2024: The Race That Broke NASCAR’s System
If you need a refresher on why this rule even exists, just look back at Martinsville 2024.
- William Byron was on the bubble for the Championship 4.
- Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain, two other Chevy drivers, seemed suspiciously hesitant to make a move against Byron.
- Radio chatter suggested a plan was in place to keep Byron in the mix.
NASCAR wasn’t thrilled. Fans called it rigged. And suddenly, NASCAR had to act.
Now, the rule is in place. But the problem? It’s a slippery slope.
- If a driver doesn’t pass a teammate when they have the chance, is that manipulation?
- If a driver blocks a rival but doesn’t wreck them, is that a strategy or a violation?
- If a manufacturer encourages a driver to help another car brand-wise, how do you prove it’s illegal?
Will Teams Just Get Smarter at Bending the Rules?
Dale Jr. thinks so.
“Everything gets smarter,” he said. “People find new ways to take advantage of the system in place.”
In other words, NASCAR’s attempt to close the loophole might just create new, harder-to-catch ones.
Think about it—if teams are afraid of being penalized for blatant manipulation, they’ll just make it look less obvious.
- A driver doesn’t pass because their car is “loose” instead of getting a radio command.
- A teammate conveniently “wears out his tires” right when a key competitor is catching him.
- An engineer tweaks strategy to make a team car more “fuel-conscious” to slow down a race’s pace.
How does NASCAR prove intent in those cases?
The Verdict: A Rule That’ll Be Tested Sooner Rather Than Later
With the 2025 NASCAR season around the corner, we won’t have to wait long to see if this rule actually changes anything.
Will teams fear the penalties and clean up their act? Or will they just get sneakier, forcing NASCAR to rewrite the rulebook again?
If history tells us anything, it’s this: race manipulation isn’t new. NASCAR has always walked a fine line between “strategy” and “cheating”—and this rule won’t erase that.
And as Dale Jr. put it, “NASCAR has to keep adjusting rules.”
Which means? This is just the beginning.
