Trackhouse Racing to preserve Ross Chastain’s “Martinsville wall car” as NASCAR outlaws such desperate actions.
The car Ross Chastain used in Martinsville was the most-sold diecast of 2022.
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Ross Chastain in Martinsville
Trackhouse Racing No:1 Chevy Camaro Zl1 driver Ross Chastain produced the moment of the 2022 Cup season in the Martinsville playoff race. In the Round of 8 Cut-off race, Chastain drove along the wall at full speed with just two corners left in the race. The desperate move helped him to score a better finish than rival Denny Hamlin and earned him the Championship 4 entry.
Potentially one of the greatest moves ever in NASCAR was welcomed with a mixed response. While admiring Chastain’s bravery, many questioned the safety of drivers and spectators if drivers started using it again. This forced NASCAR to outlaw the use of such action, and the sanctioning body introduced a new penalty system to penalize the drivers.
The Car Chastain drove in Martinsville has now become more significant, which has influenced Trackhouse Racing to preserve the car in its physical form for years to come. Trackhouse co-owner Justin Marks released a statement through his socials that the team has decided to preserve the vehicle, which they would have easily restored to commemorate its historical value of it.
“So, the good news is these cars are strong. Because of that, the Martinsville “wall car” came back from the race with 90% of its parts reusable. This means keeping that car exactly as it came off the track as a show car would cost Trackhouse hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Justin Marks stated.
“We’ve gone back and forth on what to do, but given the new ruling NASCAR made yesterday, we’ve decided to preserve the car as best as possible. Ross’ move at Martinsville was a historic moment and should be preserved for the fans for years to come in physical form. This sport isn’t just about the balance sheet, it’s about passion and moments, and people,” Justin Marks added.
In case you missed it: “To claim it is “safety” is a cop-out”- Fans react as NASCAR outlaws Ross Chastain’s Martinsville video game-inspired move
What are the rule changes made by NASCAR to outlaw Chastain’s move
NASCAR hasn’t introduced any new rule to ban the wall ride; instead, they have just updated an already written law about safety and incorporated the move into it. Drivers will be penalized for potential breaches after a case-by-case analysis.
“Safety is a top priority for NASCAR and NEM. Therefore, any violations deemed to compromise the safety of an Event or otherwise pose a dangerous risk to the safety of Competitors, Officials, spectators, or others are treated with the highest degree of seriousness. Safety violations will be handled on a case-by-case basis,” the rule states.
One thing NASCAR can be sure about is that the Chastain has no plans on doing the stunt again. During an interview before the ban, he pointed out that it might not be beneficial to pull it off in the future. He said, “I don’t think it will ever happen again. I don’t think it will ever pay the reward that it paid off for us that it did that day,”.
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Justin P Joy
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