DRS is a bit more of a parallel since when you're allowed to use it is completely artificial to create competition. But still in that case it's at least all decided on the track. Having drivers get a boost based on fan voting is stupid and does indeed cost the sport credibility.

Motorsports are drifting towards inevitable real-life F-Zero and Wipeout style electric hovercar racing. Don’t fight the future.

everyone has the same additional power allocation and everyone has to go through attack mode twice in a race -- it's a strategic call of when you want to use the additional power, and when you can stand to lose a second or two going far off the optimal line to activate it. this is essentially similar to the overtake system in indycar or super formula. it's certainly not much worse than DRS.

now, the "fanboost" which gave certain drivers (almost always the same handful for years one end) an additional "push to pass" option based on social media voting -- that shit sucked. it's also gone next season.

Seems to be almost exactly what happened in one race, except the dude behind actually rode the wall: https://racingnews.co/2021/09/06/kyle-larson-attempts-nascar... (from another comment in this thread).

Running the cushion is not what Ross Chastain did. At Darlington and a few other tracks you ride as close as you can to the wall without much more than the occasional tap. If your paint is scraped up but the body panels aren’t bent you did it correctly. Many years ago they used to put 2x4s in the fender walls to protect them but now this requires car control.