There may be snow on the ground in Charlotte, but there is plenty of exciting news in the NASCAR world this week.
This has been a Silly Season to remember, but with the season just a month away, the pieces are beginning to fall into place. NASCAR has updated the rule book for 2025, and the changes are subtle, but have serious implications. In what’s being dubbed by many as the “Kyle Larson Rule,” NASCAR will strip playoff points and playoff eligibility from any driver for missing a race for any reason besides family or medical reasons.
In addition, the Damaged Vehicle Policy was overhauled, and now cars that go behind the wall will be able to return to the race after repairs are made. While they will be several laps down, attrition may help them to gain a few spots, and sponsors of stricken cars will get that much more TV time. NASCAR also ruled that former driver Mike Wallace will not be able to compete in this year’s Daytona 500, as he has not competed in the Cup series since 2015. The 65 year old driver has also never driven a Next Gen car.
Apparently, the door is open for next year, however, but he will have to go through the same process I would – starting on small tracks, then intermediates, and working his way up before being permitted to test at Daytona in January. While I understand NASCAR’s perspective, it just seems somewhat unfair to subject a former full-time Cup competitor to the same process that this ARCA hopeful will have to follow. On a personal note, good luck, Mike. I’m pulling for you. See you in 2026.
On the flip side, NASCAR ruled that four time Indy 500 champion Hélio Castroneves will be able to attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing as part of their Project 91 program. NASCAR created a new rule, the Open Exemption Provisional, which allows world-class drivers from other disciplines to attempt a NASCAR race. It’s similar to a “promoter’s choice provision” often seen at short tracks that will allow crowd-drawing superstars to compete in feature races against the local talent.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his sister Kelly dropped the news of their long-awaited entry into the Cup series this week. They will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 with Xfinity Series champ Justin Allgaier behind the wheel of a Chevrolet sponsored by Chris Stapleton’s Traveller whiskey. This is likely to remain a one-off effort for JRM, but it’s a step in the right direction for fans who want to see an Earnhardt-owned team in the Cup garage full time.
Junior’s hunting buddy, Martin Truex Jr., will make his first post-retirement start for Tricon Garage in the Daytona 500. His longtime crew chief Cole Pearn will also be exiting retirement to sit atop the pit box at Daytona. While it had been expected that Truex would make this start with former teammate Denny Hamlin’s team 23XI, the uncertainty swirling around the lawsuit left little time to get things into place for this year. That lawsuit seems to be progressing along nicely, though, and it seems likely, at least at this point, that both Front Row Motorsports and 23XI – and maybe the entire sport – will be in a better spot this time next year. At least for now, both teams can focus on racing as the suit progresses.
Photo: Courtesy of the Associated Press
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