Rodney Childers slams NASCAR for its Josh Berry ruling: “The most screwed up thing I’ve ever seen”

Josh Berry's crew chief Rodney Childers lambasted NASCAR for their response to the opening lap wreck at the Kansas Speedway. The latter couldn't digest that the officials awarded a DNF to his driver despite ample scope of returning to the asphalt.

The Hollywood Casino 400 marked the Round of 12 opening race and took a chaotic turn on Lap 1. Harrison Burton and Ty Dillon's contact caused a big pileup, collecting many drivers. One among them was Stewart-Haas Racing's Berry, who failed to steer to the pitlane after the wreck flattened several tires of his #4 Ford.

As a result, Berry was towed to the campground. However, the officials barred him from returning to the asphalt and gave him a DNF. Notably, the Ford Mustang wasn't severely damaged and it needed to replace the Goodyear product with fresh ones.

Childers wasn't pleased with how they addressed the matter. He slammed NASCAR as he witnessed such a disaster for the first time in "25 years."

"I’ve seen a lot of things over my 25 years in the Cup Series, but that’s the most screwed up thing I’ve ever seen or been involved with. All we needed was tires with air in them. And how many times have we drug cars to the pit stall to put tires on them. Why today?!? 😡" Childers wrote.

The officials, however, reiterated the rule to Jeff Gluck, eliminating any possibility of reconsideration. Gluck stated in his tweet:

"Josh Berry, NASCAR reiterates the rule is if a car is involved in a wreck and has flat tires and can’t drive it back, they’re out. Can only get towed back for new tires if it’s a spin without contact."

The Kansas race was Josh Berry's worst outcome since entering his rookie Cup Series season.

"I assumed they were going to tow the car to the pits": Josh Berry opens up on his Kansas disappointment

After the multi-car pileup rendered his tires useless, Berry expected that the tow truck would drop his car in the pitlane and he would be able to continue his run thereon. However, the #4 Ford was towed into the campground instead and the officials asked the SHR driver to exit the car.

That's not what the 33-year-old expected and he voiced his frustration on the radio, saying, "They got me in the f***ing campground, Rodney." Childers tried to land on mutual ground with the officials but his efforts were in vain.

After exiting the race without completing a single lap, Berry reflected on his disappointing weekend and said:

“We got clipped and spun, and we had four flat tires. I assumed they were going to tow the car to the pits, which is what I was asking for, and then they dropped my window net and told me to get out. Rodney told me to stay in because all we needed was tires. They were telling me to get out. Then they towed me into the campground," Berry said.

"I have seen plenty of cars get towed to the pits and get tires put on, so I don't know if I am missing something or if there was something different than normal, but that was an experience for sure,” the SHR driver added.

Josh Berry will move to Wood Brothers Racing next year while Rodney Childers will call the shots for Justin Haley at Spire Motorsports in 2025.