Insider calls out NASCAR's double standards on driver fights

Jordan Bianchi, a motor sports expert The Athletiche shouted NASCARThe hypocrisy of this one when it comes to fining drivers for altercations with other drivers. The co-host of “The Teardown” podcast on Dirty Mo Media noted that NASCAR will fine a driver for engaging in a fight, but will use footage of the fight to promote the sport.

On a recent episode of “The Teardown,” Bianchi used Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s post-race altercation. with Kyle Busch at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2023. In the encounter, Stenhouse punched Busch in the face, leading to a large brawl between the two teams. Because of the incident, NASCAR fined Stenhouse $75,000.

Bianchi thinks it's the wrong approach to fights to fine a driver. Instead, he believes the sport should take the opposite approach and appreciate drivers getting into altercations to help generate publicity.

Here's what Bianchi had to say via “The Teardown”:

“If Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is going to put Kyle Busch in, I'm not going to fine him $75,000. I'm probably going to pay him $75,000 for it and say, 'Here's your check. Thank you for that. You just found us in every national outlet in the country and we're not going to embarrass you to have your 75 grand sponsor paid. Like, 'Man, that makes us look bad.'” (0:02 onwards)

With Bianchi's approach, he said sponsors would celebrate their driver for not being afraid to get his hands dirty. The insider ended by saying NASCAR shouldn't be hypocritical in punishing drivers for fighting, while still using footage of the fight for commercials and other promotional tactics.

“It's so hypocritical to sit there and fine these guys with this money and at the same time turn around and use it for commercials. You can't have it both ways,” Jordan Bianchi said. (starting at 0:29)

When does the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season start?

While Kyle Larson captured his second career NASCAR Cup Series championship at the season-ending race in Phoenix on November 2, the 2025 season came to an end. Now, attention turns to 2026 and a new season of NASCAR action ahead. The season will kick off with the annual Cook Out Clash exhibition, which will take place on February 1st at Bowman Gray Stadium.

Two weeks later, the Cup Series circuit will prepare for the 68th running of the Daytona 500. The Duels at Daytona to determine the starting field will take place on Thursday (Feb. 12), three days before the Daytona 500, which takes place on Feb. 15.

The season will feature a similar broadcast rotation, with FOX covering the early part of the campaign, TNT/Prime taking over during the summer months and then NBC finishing the season through the playoffs.