Denny Hamlin isn’t holding back. NASCAR’s new Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP) changes for 2025 were meant to level the playing field, but the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran sees a massive flaw—one that could hand an unfair advantage to certain drivers.
At the heart of this controversy? Chase Elliott and the chaotic 2024 Talladega playoff race, which Hamlin called “a sham at best.”
Now, NASCAR’s rule changes will allow wrecked cars to be towed back to the garage for repairs, but Hamlin sees a hidden danger in the system—who gets towed first could still decide the race.
The Talladega Controversy: Was Chase Elliott Given Special Treatment?
The October 2024 Talladega race featured the largest crash in NASCAR history—a 28-car pile-up that left the track looking like a junkyard on asphalt.
🚨 Ryan Blaney and Josh Berry? Ejected from their races for flat tires.
🚨 Chase Elliott? Towed back to the pits and allowed to repair his car.
The contrast was staggering, and Hamlin didn’t forget.
“The finishing order of Talladega was a sham at best,” Hamlin said after the race, questioning why NASCAR allowed Elliott to continue while others were forced out.
Now, with NASCAR’s new DVP rules, drivers can be towed and take unlimited time to repair their cars in the garage—something that wasn’t allowed before.
Sounds fair, right?
Not exactly, says Hamlin.
Hamlin’s Warning: Tow Truck Priority Could Decide Races
Hamlin broke down the problem with NASCAR’s rule change on his Actions Detrimental podcast:
“The basic change is that you can go back to the garage now and take as long as you want to get your car fixed.”
But then, he pointed out the major loophole:
“The only kink in this is that it’s still going to matter when you get towed. So if there is a multi-car accident where there’s more cars wrecked than tow trucks – the order in which you get towed will definitely matter.”
In other words? Who gets pulled off the track first could decide who gets back in the race fastest—and for NASCAR’s biggest names, that could be a huge advantage.
Does NASCAR Play Favorites? The Chase Elliott Factor
Hamlin isn’t the first driver to accuse NASCAR of favoring Chase Elliott. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has won Most Popular Driver six times in a row, and some drivers believe NASCAR caters to its biggest star.
Even Actions Detrimental co-host Jared Allen joked about how drivers should start buttering up the safety crews:
“So I would make friends with the tow truck people.”
Hamlin agreed, laughing about how drivers might need to start networking with track workers:
“Yeah, when you’re doing your driver intro and you’re going around… All the safety crews come out and give us a wave as we’re doing our driver intros. You gotta give them the old tip of the hat, ‘Get me first!’”
Is Hamlin joking? Maybe.
Is there truth to his criticism? That’s what NASCAR fans are debating.
Will This Rule Change Actually Improve NASCAR?
NASCAR’s intentions were clear with this rule update:
✅ No more inconsistent rulings on damaged vehicles.
✅ Teams have a fighting chance to repair cars after wrecks.
✅ Less randomness in deciding who gets to continue racing.
But Hamlin’s point stands:
🚨 What happens if Elliott, Hamlin, and Blaney all wreck at the same time?
🚨 Who gets towed first?
🚨 Is there a bias toward NASCAR’s biggest names?
If Chase Elliott or another star driver benefits from tow truck priority in 2025, expect a fresh wave of controversy to hit NASCAR’s leadership.
Final Verdict: NASCAR Needs Transparency or More Controversy Will Follow
🔹 NASCAR needed to fix its damaged vehicle rules, but it still hasn’t eliminated favoritism concerns.
🔹 The Talladega mess from 2024 is still fresh in the minds of drivers like Hamlin.
🔹 If Chase Elliott gets special treatment in 2025, expect fireworks from drivers, fans, and media alike.
So, is this rule change good for NASCAR?
That depends on who gets towed first.
