NASCAR’s Perception Problem

Perception is reality.

NASCAR has embedded itself in controversy in recent weeks. On-track and post-race inconsistencies have piled up, and while some calls have been legit based on the rule book, the rulings have not appeared to be consistent.

One area where the sanctioning body has drawn questions recently is the Damaged Vehicle Policy, and specifically allowing drivers to be towed back to pit road for repairs versus to the garage, day over.

At Kansas Speedway a few weeks ago, Josh Berry went for a slide, resulting in flat tires on the No. 4. Berry was picked up by the wrecker and taken to the garage. Berry and his crew had been expecting a tow to their pit, where they could put fresh tires on and make any repairs on the DVP clock.

Except Berry was taken to the garage, and under the rules, his day was over. Berry was livid; his car had little other damage, and he and his team felt they could have easily continued.

Just a week later, when Talladega Superspeedway produced its typical mayhem, the policy was brought back into focus.

After a crash that was by some counts the biggest ever, damaged cars littered the track and frontstretch grass. Some were towed to the garage, and rightfully so. Some were taken to their pits with flats (as the rule states is allowed). NASCAR had thrown a red flag while it was clearing the track, meaning teams who had their cars could not work on them.

But then, before all of the cars had been removed, NASCAR went back to the yellow flag, giving teams who had their cars on pit road the green light to make repairs … while others were waiting to be brought back for the same opportunity. That gave the cars already in the pits a distinct advantage because their cars could be back on track before the others’ countdowns even began. 

Under the rules, they all have the same time allowed to make repairs, but the ones able to start them sooner could get back out before the others even began, giving them valuable track positions.

Drivers argued with safety crews to be brought to the pits with flat tires. Berry, who was collected, questioned why anyone was towed back for flats after he’d been parked the week before.

If nothing else, it was a disorganized mess that made NASCAR look unprepared for something that was basically inevitable.

One week later, the NASCAR Xfinity Series was thrust into the same spotlight. As the field came to the white flag at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL,