Fighting in NASCAR adds an element of excitement to the sport, and even NASCAR recognizes this. They continue to highlight footage from the 1979 Daytona 500, where Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough famously brawled after crashing on the final lap. Some argue that this fight brought stock car racing into the spotlight and made NASCAR must-watch TV. However, the governing body’s inconsistent decisions over the years have left fans and drivers frustrated, culminating in a dangerous precedent set this past weekend.
During the second lap of the All-Star Race, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made contact with Kyle Busch, causing Busch to graze the wall without triggering a caution. In retaliation, Busch used his bumper to spin Stenhouse into the wall, ending Stenhouse’s race while Busch continued. After the race, a brawl erupted by the haulers, with Stenhouse landing a punch on Busch’s face. Crew members scrambled to separate the drivers, and even Stenhouse’s father got involved, mirroring typical short track fights seen nationwide.
After the incident, Kyle Busch expressed his frustration to reporters, saying:
“It’s the first lap of the race, we don’t even have water temp in the car yet and we’re wrecking each other off of [Turn] 2. I’m tired of getting run over by everybody. But that’s what everybody does. Everybody runs over everybody to pass everybody.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. explained to FOX pit reporter Jamie Little:
“I felt like Kyle and I have always raced each other really hard, you know, back to the Nationwide Series when we were competing for wins week-in and week-out and never had any issues. And then, I wrecked him one time at Daytona and he’s kinda bad-mouthed me ever since then. Definitely built-up frustration with how he runs his mouth all the time about myself. I know he’s frustrated because he doesn’t run near as good as he used to. I understand that. We’re a single-car team over here. We’re working really hard to go out and get better every weekend. We had a really good game plan coming in … and he ruined it.”
NASCAR Hands Out Fines and Suspensions
NASCAR fined Stenhouse Jr. $75,000, suspended Stenhouse Sr. indefinitely, and suspended JTG personnel Clint Myrick for eight races and Keith Mathews for four races, while Kyle Busch faced no penalties. This sets a clear precedent: using a 3,300-pound car as a weapon is acceptable, but fighting in the infield is not.
At tracks like North Wilkesboro, Martinsville, and Richmond, it’s more acceptable to seek revenge on a competitor because the lower speeds mean the cars can absorb the impact without causing physical harm to the drivers. However, at faster tracks like Las Vegas, Kansas, and Michigan, such actions are dangerous and can result in serious injuries or end drivers’ careers.
Stenhouse’s response was consistent with NASCAR’s history on short tracks, but NASCAR’s handling of the situation differed from the past. Despite this, NASCAR will likely use footage from the fight to generate hype. This inconsistency is one of many issues fans have with the sport. Stenhouse cleverly sent a cryptic message through reporters:
“I told him I might crash him at Charlotte — I’m not gonna crash him at Charlotte. Then that just keeps it going, right? So, as far as my end goes, I feel like I’m past it.”
