NASCAR playoffs are always quite dramatic and some events have caused controversy and provoked various emotions among fans and drivers. Here are five of the most memorable playoff controversies that shook the sport.
5. Ryan Newman’s Last-Lap Bump — 2014 Phoenix
In the 2014 Phoenix playoff race, Ryan Newman sparked controversy with a last-lap contact with Kyle Larson. Newman needed one more position to make the final four of the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup. As they were approaching the finish, Newman pushed Larson onto the wall. This allowed Newman to gain one more position. It placed him in the 11th spot and got him a chance to race for the championship at Homestead.
As expected, Larson, who finished 13th, was frustrated but understood the risks involved in the game. He said that it was unfortunate to be pushed into the wall but he couldn’t hold it against Newman for being aggressive given that it was a playoff race. Newman later stated that although he was not happy with the decision, he thought it was the right thing to do in order to stay within striking distance of the points leader. He also said that Larson had raced him in the same manner in other races before.
The “bump-and-run” controversy came when fans debated over the tactic that Newman used. Some understood what he did in the last moments of the race while others blamed the new playoff system. They said that the new format promoted aggressive driving, a win-at-all-costs approach, and felt detracted from the sport’s traditional values.
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4. Chase Elliott’s Pit Road Controversy at Martinsville (2020)
One of the highlights of Chase Elliott’s 2020 playoff race at Martinsville was a pit stop. One of the main pit crews person, jackman Tyler (T. J.) Semke, prematurely left the pit wall, which is a typical reason for penalty. Semke quickly understood his oversight and ran back to touch the wall before attending to the car as required by NASCAR. This action saved a penalty time that benefited Elliott to maintain his fourth-place position as he exited pit road.
Semke would have made a big mistake if he did not correct himself. With under 150 laps left in the race, Elliott would have had to start from the back of the grid. Instead, Elliott crossed the finish line first and secured his first Championship 4 spot. He went on to win the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship. The controversy was that some fans saw the decision as favoritism, believing NASCAR bent the rules to help Elliott.
According to some critics, this might have altered the race outcome, as Elliott could have suffered a big blow without the correction. Others believed that Elliott was playing by the book and the jackman reacted fast in accordance with NASCAR regulations. This moment raised questions about NASCAR’s playoff system, equality, and allegations of bias in favor of popular drivers such as Elliott.
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3. Matt Kenseth’s Payback on Joey Logano (2015)
A major controversy in NASCAR history is the 2015 Martinsville incident between Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano. The issue started a few weeks prior at the Kansas race when Logano, who was in a fierce battle with Kenseth, made contact with him. This led to Kenseth’s crash, leaving him out of the Chase playoffs. Kenseth thought that the move was too aggressive and unwarranted, making him furious.
At Martinsville, Kenseth, who was several laps down and out of the playoff race, deliberately crashed Logano on lap 454. Logano was leading the race at the time and Kenseth’s actions seemed to have been in response to the Kansas incident. This wreck denied Logano an opportunity to win and move to Championship 4. Many fans and officials also criticized Kenseth’s move, with Logano calling it “cowardly.”
NASCAR considered the incident serious and punished Kenseth with a two-race ban, which was unusual. They cited concerns about safety and the impact on the playoff race format as their reasons. Kenseth’s suspension was among the heaviest that NASCAR has ever given to one of its drivers.
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2. Brad Keselowski vs. Jeff Gordon Pit Road Fight — 2014 Texas
The heat between Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski in the 2014 Texas playoffs was intense. The feuding began in the AAA Texas 500 race. In the last few laps, Gordon was leading and trying to secure a Championship 4 position. On a restart, Keselowski made a bold move trying to overtake Gordon between him and Jimmie Johnson. The contact led to a cut on Gordon’s tire, making him spin out and finish the race in the 29th position, which hurt his championship chances.
After the race, Gordon approached Keselowski on the pit road to confront him. Some pushing and shoving took place and Kevin Harvick, who was standing close to Keselowski, gave him a nudge, and this led to an all-out fight between the two teams. Gordon and Keselowski ended up with cuts on their lips from the fight. Many crew members were fined and suspended for participating in the fight, while both teams’ crew chiefs also received penalties.
1. The Jeff Gordon vs. Clint Bowyer Brawl — 2012 Phoenix
One of the most famous fights in NASCAR history occurred in 2012 between Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer at Phoenix Raceway. The plot began in the penultimate race of the 2012 season as Bowyer was still in championship contention. The two drivers had contact several times during the season, and the incident that started it all happened on lap 312 when Gordon wrecked Bowyer. Gordon later said that it was retaliation for earlier incidents, one of which happened at Martinsville.
After the wreck, chaos ensued. Bowyer’s crew confronted Gordon in the garage area and both crews engaged in a massive fight. Bowyer came running onto the track to intervene, but by the time he got there, Gordon had already been escorted away.
This event had serious consequences: Gordon was fined $100,000 and had 25 points deducted from his license, and Bowyer’s championship dream was destroyed. This controversy is still a heated subject to this day as to whether Gordon was right to do what he did as an act of payback. Others, however, criticized him for impacting the playoff race so dramatically.
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