Why did NASCAR bar Kyle Busch from resuming his Daytona 500 race? All you need to know
NASCAR did not allow Kyle Busch to continue racing after his crash at the Daytona 500 due to its Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP). Despite his car being repairable, the governing body ruled him out, leaving Busch frustrated with what he called an 'unclear' rule in interviews.
Kyle Busch was involved in a wreck on Lap 186 of the Daytona 500, which was triggered by Joey Logano and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Several drivers, including Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Busch himself, suffered the consequences. Although Busch's #8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 did not sustain severe damage, minor repairs were needed to make it race-ready.
However, NASCAR did not allow him to continue, leading to his frustration. Busch questioned NASCAR's rule on vehicle repairs, explaining that while his car had all four wheels pointed in the right direction and was fitted with new tires, officials still ruled him out.
The 39-year-old attempted to return to pit road and sought assistance to resume racing, but NASCAR’s ruling forced him to park his car, leaving him out of contention for the 20th consecutive Daytona 500. Adding to his frustration, Busch took to social media to criticize the decision, saying, via X,
"Parked by @nascar officials. Rule says you have 3 attempts to make minimum speed. The race never went back green yet. I don’t even think they know their own rules or procedures. 🤬"
To clarify Busch’s removal from the race, NASCAR’s Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP) dictates specific conditions under which a damaged car can continue competing. Teams have a seven-minute window to repair damage on pit road. If repairs cannot be completed within the time limit, the car must be taken to the garage, where there is no time limit for repairs.
Busch’s car was towed after he could not drive it back to the pit lane. According to Busch, the car should've been allowed to meet the minimum speed, which didn't happen.
As per Section 8.8.9F, the damaged vehicle is given a three-lap run under the green flag to match the minimum speed requirement. However, during the race on Sunday, Busch was not given the three-lap permit, consequently barring him from re-entering the race.
Kyle Busch expresses his frustration regarding his early Daytona 500 exit
Kyle Busch expressed frustration not only towards NASCAR but also with Joey Logano while discussing the Lap 71 crash that ruined his race. The Richard Childress Racing driver had been running strong in third place and was in contention for the win before the incident. Logano faced some issues related to the engine, which led to him crashing into Ricky Stenhouse Jr., which in turn affected Busch and several others.
After being released from the infield medical center, Busch criticized Logano, and according to him, the Penske driver unnecessarily forced his way through the middle and triggered the wreck. Speaking to a NASCAR reporter in a post-race interview, Busch said,
"Looks like the fastest car got in a hurry and wrecked. (Joey) Logano was by far the fastest car out there today. Saw a lot of laps led and he could do anything - The Penske cars were very strong. We still got 20 laps to go and he's trying to go through the middle, create a hole that is not there and it created chaos."
Busch also expressed disappointment for his team and believed the unfortunate end to their Daytona 500 run was due to the consequences of someone else's actions.
"You got to know how wide your race car is to be able to find a hole that it'll fit in, and he obviously does not know that."
Penske cars dominated the race, with Logano winning Stage 1 and Ryan Blaney clinching Stage 2. However, the crash at Lap 71 put an end to Logano's chances of lifting the Harley J Earl trophy.