NASCAR Rolls Out 2025 Rule Changes

On Friday, January 10, NASCAR released a rulebook update for the 2025 NASCAR season, which included a handful of notable changes to playoff eligibility and provisionals.

Open Exemption Provisional (OEP)

Perhaps the biggest rule change was the addition of what NASCAR dubbed an "Open Exemption Provisional," which gives notable and "world-class drivers" from any racing series a spot to race, no matter if the field is already at its max capacity.

Eligible drivers will need approval from NASCAR on a case-by-case basis. Any OEP drivers will not be eligible for points or prize money, but if that driver wins a race, they will keep the race trophy and remain eligible for the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.

Notably, four-time Indianapolis 500 champ Helio Castroneves will use the new rule to attempt the Daytona 500 as a part of Trackhouse Racing's Project 91.

The provisional would only be applied if the field size is already at 40 cars, which will be the case for the 2025 Daytona 500, with as many as 10 unconfirmed entries attempting to race in the Duels.

This would mark the first time a field has been increased to a size over 40 entries since the 2015 NASCAR Cup Series season, as in 2016 NASCAR and the Race Team Alliance would debut the somewhat controversial charter system, guaranteeing 36 entries for teams as pseudo-franchises for every race.

DVP (Damaged Vehicle Policy) Updates

After some highly controversial interpretations of the existing DVP at the fall Cup Series Talladega race, NASCAR has decided to make significant changes to cars that get damaged during a race.

Many drivers, including Denny Hamlin, spoke out against the existing policy after eventual race winner Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was not instructed to do repairs on his car, which had a large hole on the left side, after a 28-car pileup earlier in the race.

Now, all cars will be permitted to continue in a race after successful garage repairs are made. NASCAR will grant teams a seven-minute time limit (eight minutes for Atlanta Motor Speedway events) to make repairs on pit road. Any repairs after the seven-minute limit will be required to be done in the Cup Series garage, where no clock will be kept on repair work.

Additionally, all cars that are unable to drive back to the pits due to flats or damage will be towed back to the garage, where again no time limit will be enforced on repairs.

Playoff Waivers (the Kyle Larson Rule?)

Possibly the most controversial rule change among NASCAR fans is the update to playoff eligibility for missed races during the Cup Series season.

Playoff points will now be forfited if a waiver is granted after suspension, or if a driver misses a race for any reason other than medical absence, the birth of a child or a family emergency.

It may have come as a surprise to no one, but after NASCAR star Kyle Larson chose to prioritize the Indy 500 over the Coke 600, even after a rain delay in Indianapolis, many knew NASCAR executives wouldn't be impressed with his actions. Larson did not earn any points for the Coke 600, which ended up having a significant impact on playoff standings later in the year.