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MARTINSVILLE, VA – OCTOBER 10: Kyle Busch(R), driver of the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, stands in the garage area with his crew chief, Adam Stevens, during testing for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway on October 10, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
via Getty
MARTINSVILLE, VA – OCTOBER 10: Kyle Busch(R), driver of the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, stands in the garage area with his crew chief, Adam Stevens, during testing for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway on October 10, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch getting disqualified together was one of the most surprising things we saw this season. Especially considering this was the first time NASCAR disqualified the race winner in over 60 years. However, there’s some news for fans of the stock car racing series surrounding that.
NASCAR has updated the rules surrounding body wraps, windows, and windshield tear-offs in Cup Series cars.
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Essentially, the body wrap rules mention that the wrap must not alter the surface, and it should be removable. Although NASCAR didn’t explicitly say that the rule was for Joe Gibbs Racing, the fans sure think so.
Of course now they bring this out. Let me guess it wasn't worded that way before. And that's how they got away with the tape and not a HUGE PENALTY.
— Marion Derr (@Love04967) August 17, 2022
The jgr rule
— Brycen Stimeling (@BrycenStimelin9) August 17, 2022
What prompted NASCAR's restrictions on modifications on the wraps and sealing? Did they find something on someone's car in Richmond? Did someone get a warning and it's hasn't been reported
— Deb D (@DebDAngelo26) August 17, 2022
Is this the JGR rule lol
— Cory Kessinger (@ckessinger65) August 17, 2022
Watch This Story: Allowance From Grandpa Joe Gibbs NASCAR Fans Slam Latest Ty Gibbs Sanctions for Infamous Brawl
Gibbs,Front Row and jtg. Are the ones responsible for these rule changes in my opinion.
— Alex Dittmar (@alexdittmar) August 18, 2022
But what happened at Pocono Speedway?
What led to Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch’s Disqualification?
The Pocono weekend was at Joe Gibbs Racing’s palms, as they finished the weekend on a high, with Denny Hamlin taking the win. Not only that, but Kyle Busch followed him closely to finish 2nd at the tricky triangle.
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LOUDON, NH – JULY 16: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, poses with his daughter Taylor in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 16, 2017 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
However, their happy day didn’t last too long. NASCAR officials found tape under the wrap of the #11 and #18 cars, at the same spot, causing both cars to be disqualified. Moreover, this is the first time a race winner is qualified since Emanuel Zervakis in 1960 at Pocono.
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Fascinatingly, the team chose not to appeal for the disqualification. In fact, Wally Brown, the director of competition for Joe Gibbs Racing, issued a statement apologizing.
“This change in our building process was not properly vetted without our organization and we recognize it is against NASCAR’s rules,” Brown said.
“We apologize to everyone for this mistake, and we have made changes to our processes to ensure that it does not happen again.”
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It’s interesting how they got disqualified and never appealed for it. Luckily, NASCAR made sure that this will never happen again. But, do you think it was fair?
