"Why can't they just carry the clock to the garage?" NASCAR insiders on Ryan Blaney’s Watkins Glen dismay amid rulebook confusion 

During a recent discussion, NASCAR insiders Brett Griffin and Freddie Kraft expressed their concerns over Ryan Blaney’s premature exit from the Watkins Glen race, which sparked a debate around the regulations in NASCAR’s rulebook. They suggested that NASCAR should revise its procedures to allow cars that are towed but repairable within a reasonable timeframe to return to the track competitively.

The incident in question involved Ryan Blaney's #12 car, which, after a collision with Denny Hamlin on the first lap, could not operate independently and had to be towed. Meanwhile, Hamlin was able to pit and have his #11 Toyota fixed. Ryan Blaney's situation was exacerbated by NASCAR's rules, which prevented his return to the race due to his car being towed to the garage, despite reports that it suffered only a minor suspension issue that could have been quickly resolved.

Freddie Kraft criticized this aspect of the NASCAR rules, pointing out:

"I guess the rule is, if they tow you back with damage, you’re out of the race. I don't understand what the difference is between that and if you have four flat tires like don’t you still have damage?"

In response to that, Brett Griffin proposed a novel idea to amend the current NASCAR rules:

"Why can’t they just carry the clock to the garage. you know what I mean like hey instead of telling you to pit road and sitting there for seven minutes because they don't want to open pit road and put them guys in danger which I get. Tow it to the garage and put them in the clock there. I mean, hey, when this thing as soon as tow truck drops you [snap] the clock starts."

"If they can fix it in the correct amount of time to get it where it can run a competitive speed. I mean I think there maybe should be a way to work to that where that's possible," he continued.

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NASCAR veteran Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to the calls for NASCAR rule change amid Ryan Blaney's early exit

Amid ongoing debates over NASCAR’s rules regarding towed vehicles, veteran racer Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighed in on the discussion, suggesting that while the current rule simplifies logistics, it may be beneficial to explore a more balanced approach.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed his perspective through a social media post, stating:

"With the current rule there is also no need for elaborate ‘crash carts’ and overloaded haulers full of parts and pieces. I do think there is a middle ground."

Ryan Blaney, who had secured his playoff position with victories at Iowa Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway in the regular season, entered the Watkins Glen race comfortably 45 points above the playoff cutline. Despite starting strong, a disappointing finish at P38 after the incident saw him slide to P8 in the standings, now holding a slim 29-point margin above the playoff elimination threshold.