DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 zone Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Peak Ford and Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford spin after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Kyle Busch, driver of the #8 zone Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Peak Ford and Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford spin after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) | Getty Images

NASCAR clarifies damaged vehicle policy in rule update

One NASCAR Cup Series rule book update on Wednesday will likely leave Kyle Busch and the Richard Childress Racing No. 8 team feeling a little justified in how indignant the two-time champion felt in the aftermath of his elimination in the Daytona 500.

Now, NASCAR has updated the language of its rule book to reflect that a driver can only leave the designated work area once before attempting to make minimum speed, which was not the language of the rule book at the time of the Daytona 500.

Additionally and previously, if a car was on pit road getting repairs and the time limit expired, a danged car would be forced to the garage to complete repairs. Now, repairs can continue on pit road but will result in a stop-and-go penalty.

And the team will also still need to meet minimum speed, no matter where repairs were completed.

Sportsnaut

See the actual text of this rule on Jayski’s Damaged Vehicle Policy page.

Damaged Vehicle Policy