I've always taken the rules about towing as written and have never seen otherwise. The Hot Rod team has given us the advice that you can "drive" off the route, to get parts or repair or hotel, etc., as long as you get back on the route at the same place you got off. Likewise if you make a navigation mistake. I will say that If someone has to drop out due to being towed and they get their car repaired, Hot Rod will allow you to keep making passes at the rest of the tracks and finish the week, but they are out of competition. That's why you see some people that were towed still at the tracks later, but if you look at the results they will be listed as out. Good luck this year.