"The line has been drawn": NASCAR sends strong message to crew chiefs amid fresh playoff manipulation fears

Heading into the Las Vegas race weekend, NASCAR's Managing Director, Brad Moran, has talked about the line being drawn in terms of possible race manipulation that could take place in the upcoming rounds. Concerns about drivers possibly forging the result of elimination rounds have often been a hot topic, and the officials have an eye on it.

Over the years, the playoff format has often led drivers to become creative to ensure their spot in the subsequent rounds. However, this also goes the other way, as another driver could forge a path to get their competitor out of the championship fight if they play the cards correctly.

However, any attempts at manipulating such results in either direction have led officials to take stringent action against the concerned party.

So, to reiterate the situation to the crew chiefs heading into the final few race weekends of the 2025 season, Moran said NBC Sports:

"The crew chiefs understand they’re in charge of everything that happens, from the time we throw the green flag to the checkered flag, so they understand what we’re saying. The warnings have been sent, the penalties have been sent. The line has been drawn. We’ve reacted in the past, so it’s kind of all out there. And these guys, they’re switched on. They know that, so it’s more just a friendly reminder not to mess this up. We’ve got sponsors, fans and the sport and we expect everything to go according to plan."

He then pointed to last year's Martinsville race, where some drivers tried to help fellow drivers with the same manufacturer into the final four, as he further added:

"These guys have been in this industry a long time and they understand where we draw a line. I reminded them to go back to Martinsville where the line was drawn."

On the other hand, the most recent debacle about NASCAR disallowing crew chiefs to convey to their drivers about the points situation has revolved around Denny Hamlin and Ross Chastain's crash at the Roval.

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Denny Hamlin is unhappy with NASCAR prohibiting the crew chiefs from relaying such information

Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin - Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin has often led the championship standings this year. So, arriving at the Roval elimination race, he was comfortably into the Round of 8 while others squabbled to make it through.

That's when he found himself in hot water despite no fault of his own, as Ross Chastain was on the cusp and decided to make a lunge on Hamlin on the final lap. This resulted in both of them spinning, and the JGR driver ending the race in 23rd.

Subsequently, the 44-year-old condemned that if he had known Chastain was on the brink of making it through, he would have geared himself up for an opportunistic move on the final lap. He further battered NASCAR's stance on the matter, as he said (via WCYB):

"I don't see any reason why I can't know what the point situation is. I had no allegiance to either party."

On the other hand, the Las Vegas race will be the first of the three NASCAR Cup Series races in the Round of 8. So, if a top-eight driver emerges victorious, he would seal his spot in the final four to fight for the elusive NASCAR championship.