Last season, Ryan Blaney found himself at odds with NASCAR’s former Damaged Vehicle Policy at Watkins Glen when a Lap 1 incident sparked by Corey LaJoie snared the No. 12 car along with several others in its wake. Despite the 2023 champion’s steering arm snapping as a direct result, NASCAR barred him from returning to the track after getting it repaired on the pit road, effectively ending his race on the spot. Blaney later expressed his frustration, contending that the issue was minor and easily repairable.
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In response, NASCAR implemented a revised policy this season, granting teams additional time to make repairs. The adjustment aims to prevent drivers from retiring prematurely due to manageable mechanical failures.
Denny Hamlin, who recently suffered damage in a heavy crash in Atlanta, became one of the beneficiaries of the updated rule. Still, even after sitting in the cockpit for 90 minutes, Hamlin’s team couldn’t get the No. 11 back to racing condition.
Reflecting on the revamped DVP policy, Hamlin acknowledged the physical toll, stating, “My a— hurts,” after sitting in his car while his team worked on it in the garage, but welcomed the rule change nonetheless. “I don’t mind it. I think that it puts the team element in it,” he noted.
Expanding on the competitive implications, Hamlin added, “I mean, there’s some teams that you’re in a race to try to beat the others back onto the racetrack. The depth of your team kind of matters when it comes to that…
“I don’t mind at all. It seemed not like everyone had a fair shot of it. So, the key is, do you break the parts that you can’t replace? That’s when you end up having to load it on the truck.”
Denny Hamlin was OK after his wreck. How about after sitting in his car for 90 minutes as they worked on it in the garage — just so he could go a few laps and gain six spots? Hamlin: “My ass hurts.” @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/DRMmviwke7
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 29, 2025
The ‘big one’ that changed Hamlin’s race in Atlanta
As for the Atlanta event itself, Hamlin acknowledged that his team had exhausted every opportunity. Although they could have continued circulating to avoid a DNF, he saw little value in staying out with no tangible gain in sight.
The incident that sidelined Hamlin occurred following the restart on Lap 69 when contact between the top-seeded driver in the In-Season Challenge and John Hunter Nemechek triggered a massive pile-up on the backstretch of EchoPark Speedway. The chaos swept up nearly half the field, collecting a total of 23 cars.
Among those caught in the melee at the 1.54-mile oval were pole-sitter Joey Logano, No. 2 seed and Pocono winner Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Daniel Suarez, Carson Hocevar, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Austin Cindric, and Josh Berry.
