Insider calls out NASCAR officiating after latest DVP controversy at Talladega

Another NASCAR race at Talladega has come and gone and there are perhaps even more questions surrounding this race than any other. After a 28-car wreck stranded more than half the field on the track, officials bent and maybe broke some rules.

Ryan Blaney was wrecked on Lap 1 at Watkins Glen. His car was towed away and his team had no opportunity to repair the car. However, in that case, the car was more or less totaled. So, why did things change for NASCAR at Talladega?

Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic were not fans of the decision. NASCAR added unnecessary drama to a race that was pretty good all things considered.

On The Teardown, Gluck explained the situation.

“We’re told as recently as last week with the Josh Berry situation. The rule is, if you are involved in an incident and you have flat tires and you cannot drive it back, if you are involved in an incident in any way, you are out of the race. So, we learned this with the Blaney situation at Watkins Glen, Berry. And let’s just say this as well, NASCAR came out you know on Sirius this week, Sirius Radio, and they said, it might not look like, but it was right. I think was Brad Moran’s quote. I know this looks weird but this is the right call under the rules.”

NASCAR at Talladega: Elton Sawyer doesn’t ease tensions

After the race, Elton Sawyer was made available for questioning. That only added to the confusion.

“Well, according to Elton Sawyer who we just met with a few minutes ago before this podcast, that was the last thing we did before starting this [podcast],” said Gluck. “The DVP rule … We don’t know really what happened with Briscoe’s car. We have 25 cars sitting there, this huge wreck just happened.

“They don’t have enough wreckers, we can’t judge who… yes that’s what they’re saying. Briscoe, we don’t really know if he could, I don’t know I don’t really get it. But they decided to pull his car back to pit road and let him work on it, and Chase Elliott. Even though they were involved in the wreck, because they said, we’re trying to not – basically they’re trying to use common sense and change the policy a little bit.”

Ultimately, this is an issue NASCAR created at Talladega. We had two very clear examples of this rule being applied. Was it harsh? Yeah. But at least it was consistent from Blaney to Berry. Now Chase Elliott is involved and things change.

“That’s a problem. It’s a problem, I don’t know what to say. … I would say, it’s just like exhausting is my emotion about it,” Gluck continued. I’m exhausted. It’s so tiring to like get to these races and you’re like, ah playoffs, playoffs, and then we’re again talking about the officiating and trying to explain why or how the rule was changed from last week or what we thought was the policy, right? Elton Sawyer saying afterward, the Josh Berry thing in hindsight, they might have done something different there.”

Did NASCAR make a mistake here?