NASCAR’s decision sparked controversy during the weekend’s race at Watkins Glen, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. joining the chorus of voices weighing in on the contentious call against defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney. The incident unfolded on Sunday when Blaney, a fan-favorite, found himself disqualified after a wreck on Lap 1 left his car incapacitated.
Ryan Blaney didn’t hide his discontent, questioning the officials’ refusal to let him attempt repairs on his car.
“Give us a chance to fix it, how are they going to dictate if we’re done or not? They have no idea the damage. They said because I couldn’t drive it back to the pit box we’re done, but if you have four flats you get towed back to the pit box, you can’t drive it back.
“So, I don’t know what’s going on, why they won’t even give us a shot to work on it, but I don’t agree with it.”
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Dale Earnhardt Jr., now serving as a commentator and retired from active racing, took to social media to share his perspective on what happened.
With the current rule there is also no need for elaborate “crash carts” and overloaded haulers full of parts and pieces. I do think there is a middle ground. The clock has teams rushing repairs and sending cars back on the track in dire need of more repairs. These hurried repairs…
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) September 16, 2024
“With the current rule there is also no need for elaborate ‘crash carts’ and overloaded haulers full of parts and pieces. I do think there is a middle ground,” he stated. “The clock has teams rushing repairs and sending cars back on the track in dire need of more repairs.”
The rule in question stipulates that any car unable to drive back to the pit box is immediately retired to the garage, effectively ending its race participation. This policy, designed with safety in mind, has been both praised for its precautionary stance but criticized for its rigidity.
Blaney’s frustration was palpable as he recounted the accident that led to his premature exit.
“I don’t even know what happened honestly, stacked up, I caught someone on the left front and it completely broke the steering arm. I don’t know if we could have fixed it but that’s the frustrating part, just don’t even give us a chance you just end our day and you’re not letting us get to look at it before it’s in the garage? That just, stinks.”
The incident has prompted discussions about a potential change in regulations, already reported by Newsweek Sports. FOX Sports journalist Bob Pockrass has proposed revisiting the DVP in light of Blaney’s experience, suggesting that a policy tweak might offer teams a fair opportunity to attempt repairs without compromising on safety standards.
With a strong points cushion heading into Bristol, Blaney’s chances of pushing forward to the Round of 12 are still intact, though the crash undeniably casts a shadow.
The broader question now facing NASCAR is whether their current regulations sufficiently balance safety with fair competition.
“These hurried repairs create their own batch of debris cautions as well,” Earnhardt Jr. pointed out.
