HMS ace Chase Elliott breaks silence with “easy answer” for NASCAR’s rulebook overhaul after the Martinsville controversy

Chase Elliott has delivered an "easy answer" on NASCAR's rulebook change in the aftermath of the Martinsville controversy. The Hendrick Motorsports driver stated he wasn't in the meeting but was clear about his take, emphasizing that the sanctioning body wasn't pleased with how the pre-championship race panned out, forcing them to make the big move.

Controversies marred the XFINITY 500 at the Martinsville Speedway. Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain were held liable for helping their Chevrolet teammate William Byron by road-blocking the 0.526-mile oval, preventing rivals from gaining track position.

Furthermore, 23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace was also slapped with a penalty for pacing down in the closing laps, aiding his Toyota teammate Christopher Bell in punching his playoff ticket.

However, the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) walked away without any repercussions as no provision to penalize them existed. Thus, under the new rule, the OEM will be punished by slashing manufacturer points, reducing wind tunnel hours, and more.

Ahead of the Bowman Gray Clash, Chase Elliott opened up about NASCAR's decision, expressing how going overboard upsetted the sanctioning body.

“I have not been briefed yet, so this is an easy answer for me. I wasn’t at the meeting. I think that at the end of the day, obviously, they didn’t like how some of the things went on. Look, it’s their playground and I think the best thing I can do as a competitor is try to respect that the best I can," Chase Elliott said via Speedway Digest.

The 2020 Cup Series champion then outlined that alliances would always prevail in the sport and it may not be feasible to break them while ensuring staying within the lines with Chevy.

"From my standpoint, when you simplify it as a competitor, you always want to try and be the best and do the best that you can for your team. That’s kind of how I’ve always looked at it. We will certainly, as a company and as a manufacturer, try to stay within the lines that they set for us and respect the rules that they put in place."

NASCAR fined the three drivers and their bosses with a $100,000 reprimand, totaling a staggering $600,000.

Chase Elliott gives his take on Open Exemption Provisional (OEP)

NASCAR introduced the OEP to open the gates for 'World-Class' drivers who wished to test their mettle in the Cup Series. The driver needs to convey their interest 90 days before the event they desire to participate in, and NASCAR will evaluate their eligibility.

The most recent example is IndyCar legend Helio Castroneves, who has bagged the opportunity to pilot the #91 Trackhouse Racing Chevy at the Daytona 500. It's worth mentioning that Castroneves is under no compulsion to qualify in the pre-Daytona Duels to secure his spot. If he qualifies, the field would be stacked with 40 NextGen cars instead of 41.

Chase Elliott expressed a balanced take on NASCAR's rule. He said that guaranteeing a spot to drivers from alternate disciplines is a good practice from the promoter's POV as failing to enter the race due to a bad qualifying would defeat the purpose of letting them in.

"You’d hate to have a Helio Castroneves, a Max Verstappen, a Lewis Hamilton or someone come in to run a race and then miss the show due to something silly. So I can certainly see that aspect of it from a promotor side of things, where you wouldn’t want to risk that because that’s obviously going to be a big deal for you," Chase Elliott said via Speedway Digest.

However, the #9 Chevy driver also opined that allowing non-NASCAR drivers a guaranteed spot in prestigious races like the Daytona 500, where others have to brave the rigorous qualifying process to enter the race, could put a question mark on the sport's integrity, something he clearly stated not being a fan of.

Do you agree with Chase Elliott's take? Do you believe NASCAR should allow OEP drivers an automatic entry in every Cup Series race except the prestigious ones like the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600, and more?