Though one usually lets sleeping dogs lie, the topic is back in the spotlight. Remember the chaotic wreck at EchoPark Speedway this June? It was a notable example of the towing dilemma in NASCAR. A massive crash on lap 69 that involved over 20 cars, including several playoff contenders, led to a significant traffic jam in the garage area as tow trucks struggled to remove the damaged vehicles. This situation highlighted the challenges of prioritizing which cars to tow, especially when playoff drivers are involved.

Critics pointed out that under NASCAR’s updated rules about damaged vehicle policy, there is no clear system for prioritizing tow trucks, leaving drivers at the mercy of chance in such chaotic situations. And now, as the NASCAR car heads to Talladega, a track known for notoriously creating chaos and big wrecks, this topic comes back into the light. And now Joey Logano has made a firm decision on it.

Joey Logano calls for the priority of playoff drivers amid potential wrecks

Speaking in a media availability, Logano weighed in on the tricky situation. He said, ” That’s a tough one. Uh, I would, to your point, who first off, whoever is wrecked the most, that’s where the safety team needs to go first…Golly, I—I guess I would say to make it fair and…There’s less of them, you should go to the playoff car first, in my opinion. I’m sure there’s more to that equation that why NASCAR makes decisions that I have no clue and understanding why. But if you’re asking me quickly without much thought into it, the most fair thing would probably go to the playoff car first.” 

The scenario underscores the complexity NASCAR faces when managing multicar incidents, particularly when playoff drivers are involved. The lack of a clear towing prioritization system can lead to confusion and potential unfairness, as all drivers are competing for the same limited resources.

As the No. 22 Team Penske driver suggested, in such cases, it might be fair to prioritize playoff cars for towing, given their high stakes in the championship race.

Back in January, NASCAR overhauled its Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP), providing teams with more flexibility and fairness following accidents. Previously, if a car was either driven or towed to the garage, it was automatically out of the race. Now, cars can return to competition after repairs in the garage, provided they meet the minimum speed requirement.

The seven-minute repair clock on pit road remains in effect; if repairs exceed this time, the car must be towed to the garage, where there is no time limit for further repairs.

However, if a car cannot be driven to pit road due to crash damage or flat tires, it will be towed directly to the garage. This change aims to give teams a fair opportunity to repair and rejoin the race, especially in multi-car accidents where playoff drivers may be involved.

However, this wasn’t very fruitful at the Atlanta race. There was no organized order for towing vehicles, even in cases involving championship contenders, and officials removed cars based on access and not status. Hence, causing the drivers to rely on luck. And now, as NASCAR has reached the midpoint of the Round of 8, the stakes are higher than ever. Talladega promises nothing; known for big wrecks, it leaves most drivers uncertain of what lies ahead.

With Logano calling for NASCAR to prioritize playoff contenders in situations like this, the defending champion hasn’t been one to shy away from expressing his opinions regarding NASCAR rules. The 35-year-old has been defending the current playoff system for a while now, and with building dislike towards him for this stance, Logano has finally clapped back with a “screw you” to the haters.

But that is the least of his concerns right now. Joey Logano sits points below the cutline and has to keep his nose clean through Talladega to make it to the Championship 4. As Dale Junior has charted out a plan to keep both playoff Penske drivers in the mix, Joey has drafted his own.

Joey Logano reveals strategy ahead of Talladega

Heading into Talladega, Joey Logano is walking a tightrope. Sitting seventh in points and 24 shy of the cut line, the easiest path to the Championship 4 is simple: win. Anything else means relying on points to sneak into Phoenix, a much trickier route, but not impossible.

Pointing in at this stage is far from a sure thing. Remaining drivers are all elite, and every pit-road mistake or on-track miscue counts. Still, Logano isn’t ready to throw in the towel. The unpredictable chaos of Dega could be the wildcard. His team needs a massive wreck, and the survivors suddenly find themselves in prime position.

Speaking to the media, the No. 22 driver laid out his mindset, saying, ” Well, I don’t see why you wouldn’t go for the points. We gotta go for the points in our position. There might be some cars that don’t need to go for the points, or they’re in different positions. You know, you kinda gotta know what your competitors’ goals are when you get to the race track. especially here. But yeah, for us, we need to get the points, it’s pretty obvious.” 

The defending champion’s team has a knack for survival, even in races that don’t go their way. Crew chief Paul Wolfe consistently maneuvers the team into strong positions to snag stage points, finding small advantages wherever possible.

Logano added, “I can talk about that. It’s pretty obvious we need to get the stage points. In my mind, I think we’ve gotta top-five every stage and top-five both races. You know, so four stages and two races to have a chance to point in. That’s my opinion. I don’t know what math backs that up, it’s just kinda what I think in my mind we have to do to point our way in. Which is possible, very possible.”

The question remains: if a win doesn’t come, can Joey Logano make up 24 points in just two races against some of the best in the series? It is a daunting challenge, but with strategy, skill, and a little Talladega chaos, the No. 22 team has a plan to fight its way into the Championship 4.