All you need to know about the changes to the NASCAR rulebook for 2025.
By Julian Austin
January 12th, 2025
NASCAR issued a news bulletin concerning changes to the rulebook ahead of the 2025 season. Here is all you need to know about what to expect ahead of the 2025 season when it comes to the new policies and revisions to the rule book.
1. Open Exemption Provisional (OEP)
The OEP would essentially guarantee a starting position to a driver from another racing series or with a significant racing resume. Think of this as a promoter's provisional. This practice has been used for many decades in short track and dirt racing. The most recent example of this would have been Dale Earnhardt Jr (and others who participated on a regular basis at Florence) granted a promoters provisional for the South Carolina 400 Late Model Stock race at Florence back in November.
Full time NASCAR drivers would not be eligible for this provisional and it would only be in place if more than 40 cars show up to run a Cup Series race. Criteria for approval will be on a case by case basis with their resume being a major factor.
If the OEP is used, the driver and team will not be eligible for race points, playoff points, or prize money. If this driver wins the race or a stage, the car will be given the race win, trophy and eligibility for the all star race but will NOT be playoff eligible or obtain points. The team must request the OEP this 90 days before the event.
2. Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP, Only for the NASCAR Cup Series)
Any vehicle placed on DVP may drive to the garage or recieve a tow to the garage and will NOT be out of the race. The seven minute clock remains active for vehicles making repairs on pit road. It will be eight minutes at Atlanta. When the clock expires, the car must go to the garage to continue work being done. There is no time limit for repairs in the garage. If the car leaves the pit box & the clock expires prior to entering the exit line, a penalty will be issued. Any vehicle unable to drive out of the pits will be towed to the garage.
3. Playoff Waivers
If a waiver is given for missing a race, that driver will forfeit all current and future playoff points earned prior to the start of the postseason. They will star the playoffs with 2,000 points. Exceptions include a medical reason whether it directly involves the driver, birth of their child, family emergency and age restrictions. This essentially means that if you are suspended for a race or decide to skip a race, you may receive a waiver but your playoff points will be null and void.
4. Manufacturer Penalties (OEM)
If an OEM violates a rule, they may lose manufacturers points and/or lose wind tunnel hours and/or RCFD runs. Penalties will be handed out for a violation of the Vehicle Testing Policy, wind tunnel policy, event roster and conduct policy.
5. Practice and Qualifying Changes for the Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series
Group practice goes from 20 to 25 minutes. Single round qualifying will be at every facility except for Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta which will keep the final round of time trials for the fastest 10 cars. Starting position will be based on qualifying results. It had been based on row by row according to group results.
Qualifying will be single-lap time trials at most tracks. At short tracks, the best of two laps will be the qualifying speed of record, and road courses will have group qualifying with multiple cars on the track for 20-minute sessions.
NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions will be shown on Prime Video in the season’s first half, and by TNT Sports on Max and TruTV in the second half. FOX Sports will have broadcast rights for practice and qualifying for The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR All-Star Race.
All Xfinity Series practice and qualifying will be broadcast on The CW, and FOX Sports will broadcast all Truck Series sessions.
6. Expanded practice weekends
Weekends scheduled to have separate practice and qualifying sessions:
Cup: The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, Daytona 500, COTA***, All-Star Race, Mexico City, Indianapolis, Phoenix championship
Xfinity: Daytona, Rockingham, Mexico City, Indianapolis, WWTR, Phoenix championship
Trucks: Daytona, Rockingham, Michigan, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, New Hampshire, Charlotte Roval, Phoenix championship
***The NASCAR Cup Series weekend at Circuit of The Americas will feature expanded road course qualifying, with cars assigned to two groups. Two 20-minute practices will be held for each group (40 minutes total per car), with those sessions leading into qualifying.***
In addition to the above rules, the 100% rule has been replaced with a focus on "manipulating" the outcome of an event or championship. This was perhaps a direct result of the incident that took place at Martinsville where multiple teams were observed not racing as hard as they could be for positions that may or may not have affected the outcome. It was also announced that all suspensions that were a result of a technical penalty can be postponed without an appeal for the next race after the penalty was issued. Any other suspension will be effective at once.
Information provided by NASCAR