Noah Gragson has not forgotten Ross Chastain. More than three years after their heated confrontation at Kansas Speedway, Gragson still believes he would come out on top if the two ever faced off again. But while discussing the incident on the latest episode of Racin’ With The Boys, Gragson and fellow Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe also highlighted a bigger issue they feel NASCAR still hasn’t fixed — inconsistent penalties for driver altercations.

Their comments sparked fresh discussion about one of NASCAR’s biggest gray areas. When does a confrontation deserve punishment, and do drivers actually know where the line is? For Gragson, whose 2023 clash with Chastain remains one of the most talked-about post-race incidents in recent memory, that line is still far from clear.

NASCAR’s biggest problem, according to Gragson and Briscoe

“You get fined first of all, so you got to eat one and you go to town…Ricky Stenhouse got into a fight with Kyle Bush [RIP], it was 75 grand,” Gragson pointed out, to which Briscoe added, “There’s really no clear picture on what’s allowed.”

Gragson echoed the sentiment, stating, “That’s the problem.”

Officially, NASCAR’s rulebook is pretty clear. Under the Member Code of Conduct (Section 12.8), physical confrontations, striking another person, or creating unsafe situations involving officials, competitors, media, or fans can trigger fines ranging from $50,000 to $100,000, loss of 25–50 championship points, and even indefinite suspension.

On paper, that sounds straightforward. But Gragson’s argument isn’t that NASCAR doesn’t have rules. His issue is that NASCAR’s enforcement often feels subjective.

He pointed to his own example involving Chastain, naturally. Gragson marched down pit road in Kansas in 2023 to confront Chastain after weeks of frustration had boiled over. Gragson grabbed Chastain’s firesuit during the exchange, prompting Chastain to throw a punch before NASCAR security separated the two drivers. Although the confrontation became one of the most talked-about moments of the season, NASCAR ultimately chose not to issue any fines or suspensions.

And recent examples haven’t exactly made things any clearer.

At the 2024 All-Star Race, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. confronted Kyle Busch after the race and threw a punch. The altercation quickly escalated, involving crew members and even Stenhouse’s father. NASCAR responded harshly. Stenhouse was fined $75,000, while two crew members were suspended.

But that is exactly where Gragson sees the problem. In Kansas in 2023, Chastain also threw a punch, yet NASCAR chose not to issue any fines or suspensions.

That’s not to say NASCAR was wrong to punish Stenhouse. Rather, Gragson’s point is that drivers often don’t know how NASCAR will judge these incidents from one case to the next. The issue isn’t whether fighting should be penalized. It’s whether competitors have a clear understanding of the standards they’re being held to every weekend.