NASCAR often has a negative reaction from fans due to the many changes to the sport, such as the knockout and race format.
However, this year’s rule pack is nothing but positives.
The headline here is that road courses will no longer have scheduled warnings at the end of the stages. Many fans believe that racing compromises the strategic element of such tracks because you no longer know for sure when the warning will drop. This will help with that.
The change to the loose wheel penalty is also a long overdue tweak. Previously, losing a wheel was a six-week suspension for both the tire changer and the crew leader, which was too harsh.
Installing rain tires on some shorter, flatter ovals is another step forward. This means those races are less likely to be delayed or postponed due to inclement weather.
A few other changes are a bit more controversial. Specifically, NASCAR has out of law the “Ross Chastain Moves” broke the internet last fall. This is also probably the right decision. It’s great because of the sheer boldness and creativity behind it, it’s not something we want others to start trying.
Finally, NASCAR extend Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP) meter from six to seven minutes. This seems pretty pointless. If the DVP clock absolutely must exist, it should be at least 10 minutes. This is still not enough time to repair a damaged car.
Overall, though, there’s been little to complain about this year’s rule changes, and there’s a lot to look forward to for the upcoming season. Riders will hit the track for the first time Sunday when they compete in Clash at the LA Coliseum.
