If NASCAR journalists actually had talking points sent their way, Kelly Crandall sure has a funny way of showing it. She’s heard accusations that she’s a “shill” throughout her journalism career, but it’s something she cannot quite get her head around. Crandall has spent more than a decade on the NASCAR beat, and she says the reality is almost the opposite of what some fans believe.

“If you do your research and if you follow me and if you go to Racer.com, you’ll see that I’ve written plenty of columns that have criticized the race car and criticized NASCAR. I wrote a column a couple of years ago where I literally called them clowns. I called the Richmond race ‘Amateur Hour’ because of how it was officiated,” Crandall said on The Racing Angle.

She was responding to fans who believe in the infamous garage myth that NASCAR tells journalists like her what to say. These accusations often surface when the wider audience is unhappy with something happening within the sport, with some fans believing members of the media are simply echoing NASCAR’s talking points.

Drivers, too, have questioned the media over this. In 2024, Denny Hamlin called members of the media “shills” on his Actions Detrimental podcast after they defended NASCAR’s playoff elimination system, arguing that the format helps ensure the championship is decided in the final race and prevents a decline in viewership.

Hamlin did not directly name any journalists, but he did use the word “shill,” which refers to someone who publicly promotes, praises, or endorses a product, service, or organization while presenting themselves as an independent observer.

Fans have put plenty of other media personalities in the same boat. Former crew chief Larry McReynolds caught their attention during the 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports antitrust fight with NASCAR last year after speaking out against the teams. Hamlin even accused him of “spreading misinformation.”

Mike Joy has faced similar criticism. The FOX Sports commentator has often pushed back against fans who complain about the network’s NASCAR coverage, particularly the amount of commercials, questionable camera angles and what they feel is forced drama.

In reality, Crandall, who began covering NASCAR in 2013, believes many of the people fans accuse of being “shills” are simply expressing their own opinions. She has praised NASCAR when she feels it deserves it, but she has also written plenty that has upset the sanctioning body.

Crandall also addressed another complaint she has faced over the years. That media members and other insiders talk down to race fans. Many feel that being closer to NASCAR’s inner circle has made some members of the media too quick to defend the sport when they call for changes. She denied those claims, but admitted that when she faces disrespect from the community online, she doesn’t always shy away from giving it right back.

“Now, I will say that I am not afraid sometimes to pop off and respond to race fans because, listen, if you’re going to spew something at me, I’m a human being with feelings. So there are going to be times when I’m not going to let it go. I’m going to respond,” she added in the same interview.

For Crandall, the line between being positive about NASCAR and being a “shill” seems to come down to having the freedom to say what she actually thinks. Fans may continue to question where the media stands, but Crandall’s point is that disagreement with NASCAR does not automatically make someone biased, just as praise for the sport does not make them a mouthpiece.