NASCAR VP of Competition explains decision to tow Martin Truex Jr. to the garage at Kansas

NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer explained what exactly went down during Martin Truex Jr.’s controversial DNF at Kansas on Sunday.

Many were shocked when Truex’s car was taken to the garage instead of pit road, as the No. 19 suffered a flat tire on Lap 3. By virtue of being towed to the garage, the Joe Gibbs Racing wheelman’s afternoon was over, shocking NASCAR fans and fellow drivers alike.

According to Sawyer, it wasn’t a mistake on NASCAR’s part, as it all relates back to NASCAR’s Damaged Vehicle Policy, which Truex and his team eventually understood.

Elton Sawyer, Senior Vice President of Competition, joined @SiriusXMNASCAR to discuss the circumstances around the No. 19 car at Kansas. pic.twitter.com/Am4VvLBcz4

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 12, 2023

“If our fans will remember a few years ago, maybe five or six I believe, we put in the DVP policy, which is Damaged Vehicle Policy. What that means is that if you make contact with another car, or with the wall, and you can drive it back to pit road, then your put on the seven-minute clock. You have seven minutes to fix your car. Get back on the track. Meet minimum speed. Then, the clock clears,” explained Sawyer, via Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. “If you’re not able to drive it back, then you’re done. How we arrived at that, more times than not, when you can’t drive it back, you’ve got a serious mechanical issue. In this case, that’s exactly what happened to the No. 19. He was able to drive off. We could see it from the tower, the right front was toed out, it looked like five inches from the tower. So obviously either a control arm broke, or a toe link that was bent or broken, and in that case, if we have to hook to the car, then we’re going to take it to the garage and you’re out of the race.

“So we totally understand the frustration from (Martin Truex Jr.’s Crew Chief) James Small. Had a conversation with James yesterday. Just love his passion and his desire and competitive nature. He totally understands the rule. Just in the heat of the moment, Lap 3. Obviously they went into the Playoffs with a regular season championship, and accumulated quite a few points, but the first two races haven’t gone well for them, and now they find themselves heading into Bristol, kind of on the outside looking in. So totally understand you know, the frustration on their side, and they clearly understand the DVP rule.”

Unfortunately, it’s a tough pill to swallow for Martin Truex Jr., as the regular season champion is now on the outside looking in of the cut-line for the Round of 12. He’ll need a great performance at Bristol, or his tremendous season will end earlier than anyone could’ve imagined.