Ty Dillon fumes on radio over NASCAR damaged vehicle policy after crash at Atlanta

Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta went 80 laps caution-free before Ty Dillon spun out on his own on Lap 81.

Dillon, who had a right rear tire down, couldn’t get off the apron. Dillon tried hard to get going in hopes of getting to pit road to avoid having to head back to the garage. NASCAR informed him he would be towed back to the garage area to make repairs. He wanted a push; NASCAR wasn’t gonna give it.

“I’m not going to let them hook me up! They’ve got to push me!” Dillon said, via Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. “These guys have no clue, every week.”

Trouble for Ty Dillon in Atlanta. https://t.co/Zx10arTYvy pic.twitter.com/YG9i2qK0Ly

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 23, 2025

Under the revised damaged vehicle policy, there is no mention of being able to get a tow back to pit road or getting pushed, per Jonathan Fjeld of The Racing Experts.

Dillon has since returned to the track after making repairs. He met minimum speed allowing him to continue in the race.

Ty Dillon joins Kyle Busch in ripping NASCAR damaged vehicle policy

The new DVP clearly is going to take some time getting used to for drivers. It was an issue in last Sunday’s Daytona 500 involving Kyle Busch, and it’s an issue today with Dillon. Busch’s public criticism of the rule prompted NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde to clarify it on the “Hauler Talk” podcast. 

NASCAR parked Busch after he went to the garage, came back out and then went back in. At that point, his race was over.

“So, a team, take the 8 team, start working on the car, when they’re done you have one opportunity to leave the garage and reach minimum speed in three consecutive green-flag laps,” Forde said. “What the 8 car did was leave the garage and then come back. And if you come back to the garage, you’re out of the race.”