Legend joins calls for NASCAR rule change

A NASCAR legend has joined calls for rule changes after a controversial incident at Watkins Glen last weekend.

Ryan Blaney was involved in a Lap 1 wreck at the iconic track, but after being towed off he was returned to the garage where his team were prohibited from making repairs, and was not allowed any further part in the race.

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The damaged vehicle policy was employed to prevent teams from returning cars to the race if they were destroyed beyond means that were safe.

There were instances where teams would return to the track unsafely so they could complete a couple of laps to grab championship points, with Blaney suffering as a result of this rule.

Should NASCAR change their rules after Watkins Glen?

“Give us a chance to fix it, how are they going to dictate if we’re done or not?” Blaney said in response to the decision on the TV broadcast.

“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.”

Amongst other NASCAR stars, legend Dale Earnhardt Jr has weighed in on the calls for a rule change, suggesting that a middle ground must be found.

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“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,” Dale Jr. said on social media.

“The clock has teams rushing repairs and sending cars back on the track in dire need of more repairs. These hurried repairs create their own batch of debris cautions as well.”

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