NASCAR will not punish retaliatory acts from Watkins Glen

NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell says the league will not punish any driver for their retaliatory actions at Watkins Glen.

NASCAR will not penalize either William Byron or Bubba Wallace for their retaliatory actions against Kyle Busch on Sunday during the Go Bowling at The Glen.

The same goes for the activities between Justin Allgaier and Ross Chastain during Saturday’s Xfinity Series race.

Busch and Byron were involved in a second lap incident in which the 2015 champion spun under the second-year driver. Busch came back through the field under green and punted Byron into the grass on the bus stop chicane on the final lap of the first stage. Byron attempted to run into the back of the No. 18, but Busch slammed on his brakes and damaged the No. 24 to the point it was no longer competitive.

Byron attempted to slam into Busch under the orders of crew chief Chad Knaus.

Busch also had an early run-in with Wallace in the early stages of the race, and when they made contact with 29 laps remaining, Wallace fought back, the two drivers dooring each other down the front stretch. Wallace ultimately sent Busch spinning into turn 1, bringing out the final caution of the afternoon.

Busch wondered aloud over his team’s communication channel why Wallace wasn’t penalized, surmising that he would have been if it had happened the other way around.

NASCAR vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O’Donnell was asked that question Monday morning on the league’s SiriusXM Radio channel.

“We’ll certainly talk to the drivers who want to have a conversation with us. That’s fair,” O’Donnell said. “We always kind of get through the weekend, emotions run high and then check in with folks before they head to the next race, but from our perspective, nothing to come of what took place on the racetrack.”

As for Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, Chastain turned Allgaier into a tire barrier on lap 14. That led to a retaliatory act from Allgaier to Chastain at the end of the first stage when he forced Chastain off the track and into the turn 5 tire barrier.

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