Why Do NASCAR Drivers Stick Their Hands Out Of The Window?

NASCAR drivers are known to be hot-headed, so the first answer that probably comes to mind is they're giving the universal sign for being angry at another driver. There's a lot of paint swapping and bumper bumping that goes on during the season, especially on short tracks like Martinsville or Bristol or road courses like Sonoma or Watkins Glen. And while there have been several occasions where flipping the bird has happened, that's not what we're talking about here.

The driver's side window in a NASCAR Cup car has a safety net instead of Lexan (like all the other windows), which can be removed when the driver needs to exit. This open window causes aerodynamic drag, especially at high speeds, so NASCAR has long allowed drivers to put their hands up to block incoming air. Some drivers have even gone so far as to stick their hand out the opening between the net and the A-pillar, while others stick their fingers through the netting, all of which is also permitted as long as the net remains in position and the holes aren't modified.

Every one of the 40 cars entered in each week's race gets inspected five different times over the weekend, starting with when they first roll off the haulers. Virtually everything about the vehicle — from the weight to the shape of the nose, to the tires and the transmission – is looked at to ensure they comply with the rules. They're inspected again before and after qualifying and before and after the actual race, with the post-race look over taking as much as two hours before the winner is confirmed.

Each of these rigorous inspections includes the car moving through five stations, all of which must be completed successfully. NASCAR officials also inspect the safety equipment worn and used by the drivers, so things like seat belts (and even the seats), headrests, HANS devices, and fire-retardant suits and gloves all must adhere to SFI (Specialty Fabricators, Inc.) specifications.

During a post-qualifying inspection at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February of 2024, the in-car camera for the No. 22 Next Gen Ford Mustang driven by Joey Logano clearly showed him wearing a non-approved safety glove that had webbing between the fingers. The glove was deemed capable of creating a much larger surface area to block more of the air coming through the net, certainly more so than just a standard safety glove would have allowed. Thus, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was issued a pre-race penalty for violating Section 14.3.1.1 ("Driver Protective Clothing/Equipment") of the NASCAR Rule Book.

NASCAR displays the confiscated glove from the No. 22. pic.twitter.com/OSOkRoQEEG

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 2, 2024

Another driver (Corey Lajoie) believed the modified glove gained Logano three counts of drag, who had won the pole position at the Daytona 500 the week before. Lajoie believed Logano (who has a vast car collection) was wearing that same glove for that race as well. NSACAR felt this was an egregious enough violation to disqualify him from qualifying, forcing him to start at the rear of the field as well as perform a pass-through on pit road. They also dropped a $10,000 fine on the team. NASCAR allows the bending of rules but won't tolerate flagrantly breaking them. Still, the old adage "It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission" is typically followed.