You ever watch a race, see your driver cross the line in the top five, and then wake up the next morning to find out they actually finished last? It’s a gut punch. That’s exactly what happened at the 2025 Jack Link’s 500. Talladega is already chaotic enough with the "Big One" lurking around every corner, but the real drama started hours after the checkered flag flew.
NASCAR isn't playing around anymore.
When the news broke that nascar talladega drivers disqualified lists included big names like Joey Logano and Ryan Preece, the garage area went into a bit of a tailspin. We’re talking about a former champion and a guy who just put up a career-best performance, both getting wiped from the record books over technicalities that sound minor but mean everything in the world of superspeedway aerodynamics.
The Spoiler Scandal of 2025
Talladega is all about the draft. If your car has even a tiny aerodynamic advantage, you’re basically playing with a loaded deck. NASCAR knows this, which is why their post-race inspection is basically a forensic deep dive.
Ryan Preece was the feel-good story of the afternoon. He dragged his No. 60 RFK Racing Ford to a second-place finish, losing to Austin Cindric by a literal hair. It was supposed to be a massive points day. Then the inspectors found the shims.
NASCAR Rule 14.5.8.F is very specific: you get two shims for the rear spoiler. Preece had three.
RFK Racing didn’t even bother to appeal. They admitted they made an "unintentional adjustment" during pre-race tech to fix a spoiler angle issue. It sounds like a simple mistake, but in a sport where races are won by thousandths of a second, "unintentional" doesn't save you from a DQ. Preece went from 2nd to 38th. Just like that, his playoff cushion evaporated.
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Then you have Joey Logano.
Logano finished fifth, which would have been his first top-five of the season. But he was disqualified because of a loose bolt. Yep, one single bolt out of 18 on the spoiler assembly was loose. Team Penske took the hit on the chin, stating the bolt likely rattled loose during the race. NASCAR didn't care. If the part isn't secure, the car is illegal. Logano was relegated to 39th, the very bottom of the results.
The Massive Point Swing
The fallout from these DQs wasn't just about the trophy. It shifted the entire points landscape:
- Joey Logano: He went from a comfortable +73 points above the playoff cutline to a much shakier +36.
- Ryan Preece: This was the real tragedy. He plummeted from 14th in the standings to 19th, falling 14 points behind the elimination line.
- Beneficiaries: Kyle Larson moved up to 2nd, and Noah Gragson inherited a top-five finish he didn't actually cross the line for.
Why Talladega DQs Hit Differently
Disqualifications at superspeedways feel more "expensive" than anywhere else. Why? Because at a track like Martinsville or Bristol, you can usually point to driver skill or pit strategy as the reason for a win. At Talladega, it’s all about the machine's ability to punch a hole through the air.
If a team "accidentally" finds a way to keep their spoiler more rigid or at a slightly better angle, they aren't just faster; they're dangerous.
The Alex Bowman Ghost
We can't talk about nascar talladega drivers disqualified history without mentioning the 2024 postseason chaos. Technically, it happened at the Charlotte Roval, but the "Talladega hangover" was real. Alex Bowman was disqualified because his car was too light—specifically, it failed the minimum weight requirement by about 17 pounds.
That DQ didn't just cost him a finish; it booted him out of the playoffs entirely. It was the "saving grace" for Joey Logano, who actually took Bowman's spot and eventually went on to win the championship.
It’s wild how the sport works. One guy’s loose bolt or light chassis is another guy’s ticket to a title. Honestly, it makes you wonder how many "illegal" cars have made it through inspection over the decades before NASCAR moved to this strict, at-track DQ system in 2019.
The Inspection Process is a Nightmare
If you’ve never seen a NASCAR inspection, it’s basically like a trip through a high-tech car wash where the "brushes" are laser scanners and templates. There are five main stations:
- Chassis Platform: Checking the frame and basic dimensions.
- Visual Templates: Ensuring the body looks like it's supposed to.
- Underbody/Splitter: Making sure nobody is hiding extra downforce under the car.
- Weights and Heights: The "Bowman Trap."
- Safety Inspection: Belts, nets, and the new-for-2026 A-post flaps.
Post-race, the top three finishers and a few "randoms" go through this all over again. The tolerance for error is almost zero. NASCAR allows for about a 0.5% weight variance to account for "rubber buildup" and lost fluids, but once you cross that line, you’re done.
What You Can Learn from the Chaos
If you're a bettor or a hardcore fan, these disqualifications are a reminder that the race isn't over when the flag drops.
Wait for the "Post-Race Inspection Complete" tweet from NASCAR before you celebrate. Usually, this happens about 90 to 120 minutes after the race. If you see cars being loaded into the "NASCAR R&D" hauler, that’s usually a sign that something is fishy, and officials want a closer look back at the shop in Concord.
Keep an eye on the "spoiler" and "rear-deck lid" area in the news. Since the Next-Gen car debuted, that's where teams have been caught most often trying to find "creative" speed.
To stay ahead of the next big DQ shakeup, follow the official NASCAR technical bulletins released on Tuesday afternoons. These documents often highlight which teams were warned during the weekend and provide clues on who might be pushing the limits too far at the next superspeedway event. Check the official NASCAR standings 24 hours after a race to ensure your favorite driver's points are actually locked in.