While all of the attention at the end of Sunday's Bank of America 400 was on the thrilling photo finish between Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell, two other drivers decided to create their own headlines a lap after the checkered flag.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Michael McDowell, who'd had a spirited battle for about 20th place, got into a shoving contest down the backstretch that ended with the latter intentionally right-rear hooking the former going into turn three.
If NASCAR follows its own precedent, that's grounds for a one-race suspension.
Michael McDowell broke two cardinal NASCAR rules in Charlotte post-race altercation; now we'll see how they react
In recent years, NASCAR has consistently enforced two big no-nos when it comes to intentional on-track incidents. You can't hook a driver in the right rear, and you can't wreck somebody under caution.
Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott, and Austin Hill were all suspended in the past five seasons for rear hooks. William Byron was given a hefty points penalty and fine at Texas Motor Speedway in 2022 for spinning Denny Hamlin under the yellow flag, and Johnny Sauter was suspended after a similar incident at Iowa Speedway in 2019.
McDowell was just guilty of both crimes in one go. It was ultimately a harmless incident, but based on the precedent set, NASCAR has a tough decision to make.
A suspension would seem like a bit much in this instance, but when you draw a line in the sand that there is zero tolerance for incidents like this one, you have to consider it. Of course, NASCAR didn't suspend Austin Cindric at Circuit of the Americas last year for hooking Ty Dillon, using the logic that because it was at low speed, it wasn't as severe.
All in all, situations like this just put NASCAR in the type of position where they look bad no matter what they do, and it's a position they created themselves. You can't claim to enforce rules on an absolute level and then still make it up as you go.
We'll see what happens with McDowell. You'd think at least some sort of fine or points penalty has to be on the table. He probably won't be suspended, but if he is, then he should have known better.
NASCAR has let drivers have at it when it comes to solving their differences off the track. But intentionally endangering each other on it is a different story, especially when it's not during the natural flow of the race.
McDowell has put NASCAR in a bed they've already made for themselves. Now they have to sleep in it.
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