NASCAR driver compared to Will Ferrell's Ricky Bobby after pulling off 'dangerous' manoeuvre during race

NASCAR driver Ross Chastain pulled off what’s being billed as the greatest overtake in the sport’s history on Sunday (30 October) - but the move has been slammed as unsafe by others.

Chastain unleashed the gnarly manoeuvre during the race’s final lap, driving directly into the racetrack barrier at mind-blowing speed.

His vehicle lifted into the air as he skidded around the bend packing serious horsepower, and the daredevil move not only scored him a slot in next week's championship, but comparisons to perhaps the most famous NASCAR driver of all time - Ricky Bobby.

Watch Chastain's move play out below:

Ricky Bobby is, of course, a fictional racer played by Will Ferrell in Talladega Nights, and the character’s rip-roaring personality is up there with Ron Burgundy, Ferrell’s infamous anchorman.

Footage of Chastain’s performance has been widely shared on social media, with one Redditor saying he was ‘channelling Ricky Bobby’.

Others were simply blown away by the video, with many leaving comments calling the manoeuvre the 'greatest finish ever' and 'the move of the century', with another adding: “Kudos to him to even think about doing that.”

However, others were concerned that Chastain’s overtake put the lives of other drivers at risk.

Dawid Swierczek/Alamy Stock Photo

One wrote: “I was in attendance. It was cool for a moment, but after thinking about it I realised just how dangerous it really was.

"A caution should’ve been thrown the moment he hit the wall, and he shouldn’t have been allowed to advance positions. @NASCAR needs a rule to prevent this."

Another person wrote: “It was definitely a cool & unique thing to see. Almost looks like the old days where nitro kicked in. On the flip side it’s fortunate no one was in his way.”

NASCAR champion Kyle Larson was also unhappy with Chastain’s driving, saying in a post-race interview: "That's not a good look for our sport, at all. I don't know what you guys think, you probably think it's cool but I think it's pretty embarrassing.”

Driver Joey Logano also weighed in, saying: "There needs to be a rule against this one because I don’t know if you want the whole field riding the wall coming to the checkered flag."

ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo

Incredibly, Chastain himself told reporters he was copying a move he’d seen when used to play NASCAR 2005 on Gamecube as a youngster.

The driver explained: “I never knew if it would actually work.

"I grabbed fifth gear down the back and full committed.

“Once I got against the wall, I made sure I basically got rid of the wheel, just hope I didn’t catch the turn four access gate or something crazy, but I was willing to do it.”