NASCAR Official Issues ‘Open Warning’ to Everyone as Chevy Team Crosses The Line at WWTR NASCAR’s MD warns teams after Trackhouse’s Chastain and SVG drive through grass at WWTR, risking penalties in p

In NASCAR lore, the “grass pass” is legendary—like Dale Earnhardt’s memorable 1987 All-Star Race moment at Charlotte, where he was shoved into the infield yet skillfully maintained the lead. Back then, it was a true display of grit. Today, however, cutting through the grass, especially under caution or after the race, raises serious concerns and often triggers penalties.

That’s because the “grass pass” is not always about gaining position; sometimes it’s a sneaky tactic to interfere with post-race inspection, such as adding debris to meet minimum weight requirements. Last weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway, a couple of Chevy drivers stirred controversy by doing just that, and NASCAR’s top officials are not pleased. The fallout has the sport buzzing as officials prepare to enfo