NASCAR Rule Changes Shake Landscape Ahead of 2025 Season

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer/Photographer

Exemptions, DVPs and waivers headline NASCAR’s rule updates as each have created tremendous buzz and several discussions across the board. This was a result of the sanctioning body issuing a rules bulletin Friday that has already created several implications ahead of the 2025 season.

Among the changes issued by the sanctioning body was the inclusion of a new provisional that will help international drivers from a different motorsports discipline who’d like to compete in the sport’s premiere division.

Known as NASCAR’s version of a promoter’s provisional, a common usage for short and dirt track racing, the Open Exemption Provisional (OEP) allows an extra entry to compete in the Cup Series. The OEP will only apply for non-full-time NASCAR drivers and if the entry list has more than 40 cars. Then the OEP rule will be applied, and it’ll extend the field from 40 to 41 cars with the Daytona 500 being the focal point of the new rule.

Following Friday’s announcement, NASCAR confirmed that four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves is guaranteed a spot in the 67th Daytona 500 should it be used following the Duels at Daytona qualifying races on Thursday, February 13.

Castroneves will pilot Trackhouse Racing’s No. 91 Chevrolet as part of the organization’s PROJECT91 effort. With the OEP rule applied, he’ll become the first Brazilian to compete in “The Great American Race” since Christian Fittipaldi in 2003, where he finished 35th for Andy Petree Racing. Not only that, but Castroneves will also become the 16th former Indy 500 champion to compete in the Daytona 500, joining fellow four-time winners Al Unser, and 1972 Daytona 500 winner A.J. Foyt.

However, if Castroneves ends up being among the top-two fastest Open Car entries during Wednesday’s qualifying session or races his way into the Daytona 500 via Thursday’s Duels, then the field will stay at 40 cars. Should the Brazilian not accomplish either of those, then the field will expand to 41 cars for the race on February 17.

While it guarantees Castroneves a spot in the Daytona 500, there are several caveats with the OEP. If the provisional is used, the driver (Castroneves) and car owner (Justin Marks and Trackhouse) won’t be eligible for race and playoff points, prize money or any tiebreaker benefits.

Additionally, should an OEP car win a stage and/or overall race, the entry will be credited with the race win, collect the trophy and become eligible for the All-Star Race. But the result won’t count for Playoff eligibility for the winner nor the runner-up finisher. The latter will only receive first-place points.

Furthermore, prize money, and race/stage points (excluding Playoff points) will be adjusted upward of one spot for the non-OEP cars. The process will begin with the OEP’s finishing position and it’ll continue for the rest of the field.

Finally, approval for an OEP will be determined on a case-by-case basis with the driver’s resume being a focal point for NASCAR with the request being made 90 days before the event by the race team.

Trackhouse Racing made the request for the No. 91 entry in advance and was approved before the rule changes were publicized.

Outside of the new provisional, NASCAR also made changes to the Damaged Vehicle Policy exclusively for the Cup Series. It includes the abolishment where a driver’s race ends if they head to the garage or tow away when they’re placed on DVP.

Previously, a car was ruled to be out of an event if they eclipsed the DVP time limit or had to be towed back following an incident.

However, the seven-minute clock (plus an additional minute at Atlanta Motor Speedway) will remain, but it won’t mean their race is officially over. Should the clock expire, the damaged car must go to the garage where work can be continued, and they won’t be timed during repairs.

If the car leaves its pit box and the clock expires before officially exiting out of pit lane via the pit-out line, they’ll have to serve a penalty.

As far as a car being unable to make it to pit road, regardless of the machine having a flat tire or damage, they’ll be towed to the garage area without consequential outcomes.

The old policy was a subject of controversy throughout the year, particularly involving Josh Berry last fall at Kansas Speedway. After being involved in a Lap 1 accident, all four of Berry’s tires were flat and couldn’t get the car moving.

Consequently, the tow truck arrived and towed his then ride at Stewart-Haas Racing to the infield, but the crew weren’t allowed to change tires, let alone return to the race. Berry’s day was over, leaving the now Wood Brothers Racing driver livid upon learning his exit.

Another slate of criticisms NASCAR were bestowed upon were race manipulations and Playoff waivers. The sport made key changes to each situation with the expectation of not letting controversial outcomes affect the integrity of NASCAR.

This was a result of a controversial finish in the penultimate race of the 2024 season at Martinsville where teams, notably Trackhouse’s No. 1 team, 23XI Racing’s No. 23 team, and Richard Childress Racing’s No. 3 team, weren’t performing at 100% to either help Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron (Trackhouse and RCR) or Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell (23XI) make the Championship 4.

When the dust settled, Byron advanced into the Championship 4 after Bell was given a time penalty for wall riding the final corner. However, fines, penalties and suspensions were assessed to the three teams who’ve tried helping either driver days later.

Due to this, NASCAR have changed the verbiage from the “100% rule” to “manipulation.”

OEMs were also the subject of Friday’s announcement as rule violations made by them can lead to loss of any of the following – Manufacturers Points, loss of wind tunnel hours, and loss of RCFD runs.

Those penalties will be assessed for violations in the vehicle testing and wind tunnel policy, event roster, and the sport’s Code of Conduct.

Should a suspension occur because of technical penalties, they can be deferred without appeal for the race after the penalty is issued. Any other suspensions will be effective immediately.

Following Austin Dillon’s win at Richmond not counting towards the Playoffs and Kyle Larson not competing in the Coca-Cola 600 due to the Indianapolis 500 being delayed by weather, the Playoff waiver saw a significant overhaul.

Unless it’s a medical reason, such as driver medical, birth of a child and family emergency as key examples, or age restriction (a full-time driver being under 18 years old), the granted waiver to keep a driver’s playoff hopes alive comes with a significant price.

If a waiver is granted for missing a race that isn’t medical nor age restriction, the driver forfeits all current and future Playoff Points that were earned before the Playoffs happen. Therefore, should the driver with a waiver make the Round of 16, they’ll start with a maximum of 2,000 points.

Such situation could play an even bigger role for any driver wanting to do “The Double” at Indy and Charlotte in the future. Larson initially planned to compete for the 1100-mile odyssey, but rain pushed back the start of the Indy 500.

After many considerations, Larson decided to stay at Indy and ran the entire 200-lap race where he finished 18th. Following the race, Larson took the plane ride to Charlotte Motor Speedway where the Coke 600 was also affected by rain. When he arrived at the 1.5-mile circuit, the race was under caution before being stopped on Lap 249 for rain and was ready to take over from Justin Allgaier, who was given the nod to drive the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the meantime.

However, the race never resumed, denying Larson a shot of running laps, and wasn’t credited for the 13th place finish. Instead, the credit went to Allgaier as NASCAR rules indicate that whoever takes the green flag, they’ll get credit for the start regardless of if a driver change happens.

By missing the 600, it might’ve played a role in Larson losing the regular season title to Tyler Reddick by a single point.

With all those changes in effect, drivers and teams will head to next month’s Daytona 500 and the entire 2025 campaign with tremendous awareness. Perhaps more than any other rule change that’s ever been implemented ahead of the sport’s 77th season.