NASCAR is considering the allowance of more hell-raising in its “Hell Yeah” era, but that doesn’t mean drivers can start throwing hands after races.
During the latest “Hauler Talk” podcast, NASCAR vice president of race communications Mike Forde said the sanctioning body and drivers have been discussing the protocol for post-race altercations – particularly in light of the new marketing campaign that aims to showcase personalities and emotions. Drivers have been lobbying for leeway to express themselves without being penalized.
“It started probably the end of last year when we had an all drivers meeting and unveiled the ‘Hell Yeah’ campaign,” Forde said. “And the drivers were like, ‘This is kind of cool. This is awesome. So, when you’re talking about that, is the driver scuffle part of that conversation?’
“We took it back to beat it up, and we’re still beating it up. Right now, it’s still a case-by-case basis.”
In the case of Ross Chastain vs. Daniel Suárez after Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, there was no punishment after a confrontation that featured a brief exchange of words and a light shove.
RELATED: Suárez-Chastain have post-race altercation
Forde said that any post-race confrontation will be viewed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity. NASCAR currently instructs its security team to intervene in the instance of physical contact.
“It’s a moving line a little bit,” Forde said. “We really do want drivers to show their emotion, and I think in this ‘Hell Yeah’ era that we’re in, which we all love, it really goes back to what the essence of NASCAR is, and that’s passion and emotion and fiery conversations and drivers disliking other drivers.
“And some of the comments that have come out this week between Chastain and Suárez, it’s become clear that there is a little bit of a feud there. … We’re not fining for a shove. It’s a case-by-case basis. Drivers have come to us and said, ‘Maybe we could open this up a little bit and let us show our emotion without getting fined.’ That is a conversation that keeps evolving. We want to keep our drivers safe and make sure that nothing gets out of hand. So it’s a tough tightrope to walk. But we’re going to continue having those conversations with our drivers, and we’ll see where we go. But what we want to do is not neuter them and take away that passion because that’s what fans love. That’s what the drivers love. And that’s why we love NASCAR.”
During the podcast, Forde also addressed NASCAR’s decision to take the Toyotas of Christopher Bell and Erik Jones to the R&D Center for a full post-race inspection (which was being conducted on Wednesday after the Camrys completed the trip from the West Coast).
NASCAR has traditionally taken one car from each manufacturer, but Forde said “a new process and philosophy in 2026” will involve taking multiple cars from the same manufacturer.
“It’s something that we’ve discussed in the offseason,” Forde said. “And so this one just happened to be Toyota. We just took two Toyotas, and next time it might be two Chevys. It might be two Fords. It’s a chance for us to get a feel of what the teams are doing and making sure that everything’s on an even playing field.”
Forde said Cup Series director Brad Moran has a tentative schedule of which races will include cars being brought to the R&D Center.
“This was sort of pre-planned, and (Moran) knew that after Vegas, we’re going to take a couple home,” Forde said. “And he knows if we’re taking some cars home after Darlington, but the teams don’t know. So that’s to kind of keep them on their toes so they don’t know when it’s coming, and we can really get a true view of what the garage is doing.”
Other topics covered by Forde and senior director of racing communications Amanda Ellis during the 46th episode of “Hauler Talk,” which explores competition issues in NASCAR:
— The rash of speeding penalties for Joe Gibbs Racing at Las Vegas.
— Is celebrating on the roof of a Next Gen car more permissible?
— NASCAR Alumni Weekend at Darlington Raceway and the discussions with Goodyear about tire falloff with the new 750-horsepower package.
— The backstory of Daniel Dye’s indefinite suspension and what’s next.
Click on the embed below to listen or search for “Hauler Talk” wherever you download podcasts to hear it on your phone, tablet or mobile device.
Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is a contributor to the “Hauler Talk” show on the NASCAR Podcast Network. He also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.