NASCAR has issued a crucial clarification on its towing policy and Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP) clock following a chaotic weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, which saw a massive 27-car wreck and left teams frustrated over inconsistent enforcement of rules. The communication was sent to Cup Series teams this week, addressing how the rules will be handled for the final five races of the season.
The clarification comes after rising tension following two controversial race weekends—first at Kansas Speedway, where Josh Berry’s No. 4 car was eliminated after being unable to drive back to pit road on flat tires, and then at Talladega, where confusion reigned over how NASCAR handled damaged cars.
Rodney Childers, crew chief for Josh Berry, praised the clarification on social media, acknowledging the confusion Kansas had caused and welcoming NASCAR’s efforts to rectify the situation moving forward.
“Appreciated the communication this week, and the move to make things better,” Childers said. “Kansas wasn’t good for any of us. I’m looking forward to more communication over the offseason to make this all better for everyone involved.”
Key Changes and Driver Reactions
NASCAR’s updated policy revolves around how cars are handled when they cannot drive back to pit road under their own power. If a car cannot return to the pits on its own, it will now be declared out of the race—something that will be enforced consistently for the rest of the season. This decision addresses the confusion sparked at Kansas and Talladega, where teams questioned why some damaged cars received assistance while others were declared out of the race.
Ryan Blaney, one of the drivers affected by the changes, expressed his relief over the clarity but lamented the timing, wishing the rule had been made clear before the playoffs began.
“I think it’s good they sat everyone down and clarified the rule, but I wish they’d done it sooner, like before the playoffs,” Blaney said. “It’s tough, especially for the 4 team at Kansas, but at least it’s set in stone now.”
Denny Hamlin also weighed in, noting that while the clarification is helpful, the focus should be on consistency from NASCAR going forward.
“We’ve played by the letter of the law for a long time, but there was some variance recently,” Hamlin said. “Now that they’ve made the clarification, I just hope they stick to it for the rest of the year. Consistency is key.”
William Byron’s Optimism
Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, the only driver already locked into the Round of 8, expressed confidence that the clarified rules won’t have much of an impact on the remaining races—especially since the most unpredictable tracks, like Talladega, are now behind them.
“I feel like the wildcards are mostly behind us,” Byron said. “The DVP shouldn’t be a big issue for the Round of 8. At the Roval, it’s slower, and you could probably nurse a car back to the pits if you needed to.”
Looking Ahead
As NASCAR prepares for the final stretch of the season, the clarified rules on towing and damaged vehicles offer a much-needed sense of consistency and fairness for teams navigating the high-stakes playoff environment. However, as the playoffs continue and emotions run high, NASCAR will be under pressure to ensure these rules are enforced fairly, especially with so much on the line for drivers and teams hoping to secure a championship.
The upcoming race at the Charlotte Roval will be the next big test for the revised policy, and the spotlight will be on NASCAR to see how well the updated rules hold up under pressure.
