Did Jeff Gordon indirectly suggest the Chevrolet drivers rigged the Martinsville race?

Hendrick Motorsports Vice President and former NASCAR Cup Series driver Jeff Gordon has broken his silence on what he believes happened at Martinsville Speedway last Sunday. The four-time champion of the sport opined on what he thought about how one of the drivers on the team he represents, William Byron, earned the final spot in the fourth round of the 2024 playoffs.

Byron’s advancement, while warranting celebration, was overshadowed by allegations drivers like Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon helped him during the race, which was filled with producers playing games behind the scenes.

Both Chastain and Dillon were seen driving two-wide behind Byron for long stretches to give him breathing room from any backfield attacks, refusing to overtake him themselves. This comes as one of several cases of race manipulation that have been reported during the 2024 Xfinity 500.

Gordon explained what his thoughts were on the matter and whether he believes manipulation was the case and said in a later interview, “We really focused on what we were doing. Group #24 focused on finishing and not losing any more positions.”

Touching on how he interpreted the actions of the No. 1 and No. 3 Chevrolets in the context of how they affected Byron, he added: “Especially when you get into the playoffs, that’s your job as a driver and as a team and crew chief is to be aware of what’s on the line and who’s in the championship hunt, who has a chance to move if they win and so on .”

“That’s what you saw in the game yesterday. You don’t go out to destroy someone and or transform someone. Just give them a little more space and leniency. That’s what I saw unfold” he rounded.

While some may agree with Gordon’s point of view, others in NASCAR view the issue in a different light. It remains to be seen how the governing body interprets this. It’s safe to assume that if penalties were handed down, they would be aimed at both Chastain and Dillon instead of Byron himself.

Kyle Petty supports Gordon’s position

Another former driver who weighed in on the matter was Kyle Petty. Joining Gordon in this case, the current broadcaster revealed how the practice of defending your teammates has been prevalent in the sport for a long time.

“There is no rule against blocking, and producers have been working together for years! (See Daytona and Talladega) The second wall is against the rules, that’s a fact,” he wrote Small.

While most stock car racing fans might not agree with this point of view, it is undeniable that manufacturers and teams often strategize behind the scenes to benefit themselves in the best possible way.

The same practice is not only isolated to NASCAR, other genres also undertake the same to varying degrees.