“I don’t really get it”: NASCAR insider unable to find stable ground amid DVP ‘change’ for Chase Elliott and Briscoe

NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck expressed his confusion with the differentiating rules amid the chaos that took place at the Talladega Superspeedway. Unlike the preceding race weekend at Kansas, where Josh Berry was given a DNF, Chase Elliott and Chase Briscoe were offered a contrasting treatment, despite them getting trapped in a similar situation.

With just five laps until the checkered flag dropped, the 2.66-mile superspeedway birthed the biggest crash of NASCAR's modern era, involving 28 NextGen cars. It wiped out eight championship contenders in an instant. These included Elliott, Briscoe, Daniel Suarez, and Tyler Reddick, to name a few.

As the race was red-flagged, HMS' Elliott and SHR's Briscoe were towed back to the pit road and both drivers resumed their YellaWood 500 race. However, a similar incident occurred last week in Kansas, where the officiating was "screwed up" with Josh Berry.

Jeff Gluck reiterated NASCAR's DVP rule, following which, Jordan Bianchi asked what made NASCAR tow Elliott and Briscoe to the pit road instead of the campground. The former replied and said (via Dirty Mo Media on X):

"According to Elton Sawyer (VP of Competition at NASCAR), who we've just met a few minutes ago, he said that it was never intended to take good racecars out of the race and so they've looked at this and they've said, 'Hey, you know, we want to try to, if there's a possible way to keep them in the race, let's keep that going. (0:29).

"I don't really get it but they decided to pull his (Briscoe) car back to the 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, though they're trying to common sense and change the policy a little bit," he added.

Berry's #4 Ford got wrecked on the opening lap in Kansas and succumbed to multiple flats. The officials didn't let the SHR driver return to the field, towing his car to the campground instead of the pit road.

Denny Hamlin criticizes NASCAR for allegedly disobeying rules in the Talladega race

The Talladega Cup Series race weekend has become a talking point in the community, with many aiming at NASCAR for their supposed divided take on the rulebook. Joe Gibbs Racing's Hamlin also commented on the officiating at the YellaWood 500.

Before Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snapped his 65-race winless streak, his #47 Chevy was embroiled in the 28-car pileup that happened five laps before the race concluded. As a result, the JTG Daugherty driver's left door sustained damages, and the door foam went missing. However, the officials allowed Stenhouse Jr. to return to the field despite the rulebook saying otherwise.

The JGR driver wasn't pleased with how NASCAR addressed the situation and slammed them, saying (via Dirty Mo Media).

"If there was no rule, common sense says, 'He's fine, just let him go,' and he won the race. The issue is the rules, they didn't follow the rules," Hamlin said (26:29).

Denny Hamlin's co-host, Jared read NASCAR's policy concerning damaged door foam. He said (via Dirty Mo Media).

"Section 3337 of the Cup Series rulebook states, 'Energy absorbing foam blocks must be installed on the outside surface of the left and right side door. And B- door foam that has been damaged or crushed must be replaced, effective immediately, May 4th, 2022," Jared said (26:58).

Hamlin also mentioned that Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher's cars didn't have the roof rails after the race, but the officials didn't cater to it.