I do understand what you are saying Jim...completely! Side by side contact(incidental) in a corner...turn in, apex, or track out among 2 competent drivers that doesnt result in a gain for either is part of racing and rarely intentional! Hard racing!
Leaning on someone going in a straight line in an obvious attempt to slow them via contact or force them off track I dont consider "incidental". I actually dont think you would have done what Palermo did. Nor do I think you would have taken the win this way.
Zero issue with your position and how you race...I think we just differ in this particular situation on were the line is crossed. Granted...the contact 200yds before the line didn't result in a crash(had they touched tires in a different fashion all bets are off!)but it absolutely changed the outcome! For this reason in this instance "hard racing" turned into a huge advantage...line crossed...no pun intended