Obscure reference only a few will get. About 30 years ago, a crew chief for one of NASCAR's most successful teams, Robert Yates, was named Director of Competition for NASCAR. One driver, (I think it was Darrel Waltrip), said, "NASCAR just eliminated 50% of the cheating".
That's how I look at this development. Humanity was just cured of 50% of chronic diseases.
Actually the guy you’re thinking about was Gary Nelson. He knew all the tricks and found holes in the rule books. (I don’t consider that cheating. Cheating is taking a known rule and breaking it)
Probably his most famous was buckshot in Darrell Waltrip’s roll cage.
During the early part of the race, Waltrip would open a plug in the bottom of the cage and release 50 lbs of lead shot.
The rule book stated the weight of the car at the green flag but said nothing about weight at the checkers.
Sadly, there’s no room for innovation anymore which is part of the reason they lost me as a fan.