NASCAR recently made a call that seemed to benefit Kyle Busch during the overtimes at Nashville Superspeedway. However, things didn’t go as planned for Busch in the end. There was some controversy surrounding the call, as Busch slowed down to avoid hitting another driver, resulting in a minor scrape against the wall. He didn’t come to a complete stop and blended back in around 30th place.
According to NASCAR rules, drivers involved in an accident are scored where they blend in, while those not involved maintain their position as long as they maintain a “reasonable speed.” The definition of reasonable speed is left up to NASCAR’s discretion, but it is generally around the speed of the caution car, except in accident areas. This can lead to confusion as drivers must maintain a certain speed to not lose positions.
Initially, NASCAR listed Busch as being in the accident, but upon further review, they determined that he was not involved and his speed was reasonable given the circumstances. Therefore, he was placed back in fourth position. It was a judgment call, and while some may disagree, NASCAR was under pressure to make a quick decision to ensure the correct order for pit road opening.
Unfortunately for Busch, two restarts later, he ended up colliding with a running-out-of-gas Kyle Larson, a situation he wouldn’t have been in if his position hadn’t been adjusted. This seems to be the story of Busch’s season so far, where even when given a break, things don’t go his way.
Overall, NASCAR’s decision to give Busch his spot back was not a clear-cut call, but it wasn’t a major injustice either. These judgment calls can go either way, and in this case, NASCAR decided to err on the side of caution. It’s just another example of the unpredictable nature of racing and the split-second decisions that can make a big impact on the outcome of a race.
In conclusion, NASCAR’s call on Kyle Busch’s incident was a debatable one, but ultimately, it’s just part of the excitement and drama that comes with the sport. Busch will have to bounce back from this setback and focus on the upcoming races to turn his luck around.