Thanks in large part to Ross Chastain, aggressive driving is now more than a passing interest – pun intended – in NASCAR circles.
Chastain ran with wild abandon at times last week at Gateway, angering Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin, earning their retaliation on the track and later apologizing for riding over his head, as he put it. In March, Chastain fought his way to his first Cup victory with aggressive late-race driving at COTA.
What is the line between aggressive driving and too aggressive driving? The approach to drawing that line is likely different for each driver, but it’s a topic that will likely continue to be at the forefront as all three NASCAR national series approach the start of the playoffs.
“I like to leave it all in the hands of the drivers,” said Matt DiBenedetto, who has raced in all three series and is currently a full-time Camping World Truck Series driver. “The more we can let him be independent, the more he seems to get better.” We have to compete every week. If there are problems and conflicts, it’s best to leave it to the drivers to decide whether they need to talk to each other after the race or hit you in the head or whatever.
DiBenedetto said the on-track exchanges last week between Chastain, Elliott and Hamlin are examples of how the system works.
“We’ve seen them (NASCAR) really let the drivers take care of it,” he said. “It’s perfect. It’s working. NASCAR should step in when they need to, but more importantly allow it to stand on its own two feet.
NASCAR said it may discuss Gateway incidents with the drivers this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.
The action in the Truck Series often tests the limits of aggressive driving as up-and-coming drivers seek to establish themselves as potential winners. Hailie Deegan said driving on the show sometimes went beyond acceptable.
“There’s a lot of chaos in the Truck Series, and I think it’s almost a matter of discipline,” she said. “It’s like building a building without a structure: it’s going to collapse. If you raise a child without discipline, they’re not going to behave in the best way possible, and I feel like in the Truck series what’s missing right now is that discipline.
“There are a lot of young kids trying to prove themselves, and then there are older talents who have a lot of experience and don’t fit in well. I feel like there needs to be some structure in order to master it. …If I’m going to hit somebody or destroy somebody, — if there’s a black flag or some sort of discipline, some sort of repercussion that I might face because of that — I’m probably going to decide whether or not to do that and not do it instantly because you know there won’t be anything bad that comes of it afterwards.
