NASCAR has had the Damaged Vehicle Policy or DVP in place for several years. In most cases, it hasn’t caused many problems across the sports top three series. However, since going to the Next Gen car in 2022, things have only gotten tougher on drivers and teams, especially with the DVP clock.
If a driver is involved in an on-track incident, they will have 10 minutes to try and repair damage. They will then have to meet minimum speed or they will remain on the clock until they do. If they fail to repair the car in 10 minutes, they will be out of the race. In most cases, the teams that end up on the DVP do a good job of getting their driver back out on track, but there are plenty of instances when the damage is far too severe. However, this season, there have been some controversial DVP-related incidents with drivers getting removed from a race.
Twice already in the 2024 NASCAR Playoffs alone, and it begs the thought, is NASCAR’s DVP causing more harm, than good?
NASCAR DVP Causing More Harm, Then Good
Crashes can be expected especially at some of the bigger and more racier tracks on the NASCAR schedule. Watkins Glen less than a month ago certainly provided some problems for many drivers. One such driver was defending Cup Champion Ryan Blaney. The Team Penske driver was involved in a lap-one incident, that severely damaged his No. 12 Ford Mustang.
As it turned out Blaney, had received significant mechanical damage to his car, enough that he couldn’t drive it back to his pit box. So NASCAR, said his day was done, and stood by the decision, as they pulled his car to the garage. That incident seemed like it was just a one-off type of deal.
Despite Blaney’s protests, his day was done, and it seemed like everyone had moved on. So Blaney reached the round of 12 despite the miserable day at the Glen.
Flash forward, to Kansas this past weekend, and yet another driver fell victim to the DVP.
Josh Berry Removed From Kansas Race Because of Four Flat Tires, say what?
This past Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 had yet another very early incident on lap one. Several drivers were involved, including Josh Berry, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He got hit in his right front tire and ended up spinning out to try and avoid the rest of the cars crashing including Jimmie Johnson and Harrison Burton, among others. When Berry came to rest, he ended up with four flat tires.
So naturally he was under the impression that NASCAR would simply hook him up and bring him back to his pit-box. Just like Blaney was looking for at the Glen. Again, NASCAR took it upon themselves to take Berry and his car behind the wall, despite his car appearing to just need new tires.
It certainly caused controversy, especially with Stewart-Haas’ Racing, and more over Berry’s crew chief Rodney Childers.
According to Joseph Srigley from Racing America, Berry admitted that it was the weirdest situation he had ever been through in racing.
” That was an experience like none other,” Berry said. “Obviously, we get clipped and spun, and we had four flat tires. I assumed they were going to tow the car to the pits, which is what I was asking for, and then they dropped my window net and told me to get out. Rodney (Childers) told me to stay in because all we needed was tires. They were telling me to get out. Then they towed me into the campground, so I was just out there chilling with the fans.”
Childers would later go on social media, and vent his frustration about what happened at Kansas on Sunday.
” I’ve seen a lot of things over my 25 years in the Cup Series, but that’s the most screwed up thing I’ve ever seen or been involved with. All we needed was tires with air in them,” Childers said via X. ” And how many times have we drug cars to the pit stall to put tires on them. Why today?!?”
I’ve seen a lot of things over my 25 years in the Cup Series, but that’s the most screwed up thing I’ve ever seen or been involved with. All we needed was tires with air in them. And how many times have we drug cars to the pit stall to put tires on them. Why today?!? 😡
— Rodney Childers (@RodneyChilders4) September 29, 2024
NASCAR Defends The Rules
Despite plenty of outcry from drivers like Berry and Blaney, NASCAR has been firm with how they stand on the matter. NASCAR’s Brad Moran spoke with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio about the matter.
” The rule hasn’t changed, but it certainly can give a different view when it happens and it’s unfortunate,” Moran said. ” But the 4, the 16, 21 and 84 were all involved in a wreck on the backstretch. The hit was hard enough on the 4 to lift the car off the ground, slam it down on the ground. And by the way, the IDR (Incident) recorder did go off. So it was a significant incident that the 4 was in. If he couldn’t drive that car back, it was out due to DVP. We don’t inspect it, obviously, on the site of the track. We haven’t got that ability. But the indicator is, you drive back you’re good.”
If the rules state that then, that’s NASCAR’s call. Regardless that’s two races alone during the playoffs, where a driver feels they have been removed from a race for no reason. These bad trends seem to keep happening and the next one could impact the championship. Do we need more controversy in an already messy playoff?
I certainly don’t think so, and I would expect most would agree.
