Ahead of the upcoming NASCAR race at the Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR has implemented some changes. It seems that every race weekend, there have been some new rules in place. On the back of the Talladega race, which was not very well received by fans because of two disqualifications of top-5 finishers, Ryan Preece (2nd) and Joey Logano (5th), the sport has tabled some new regulations mid-season.

These regulations largely pertain to testing in the middle of the season, with some of them delving into technical infractions. As it happens, in-season testing is broken down into different kinds of sessions, depending on the objective. This includes vehicle testing, tire testing, organization testing, and so much more. Some regulations have been added, and others have been significantly updated for the 2025 season and beyond.

Hopefully, for everyone’s sake, these regulations do something to improve the sport. After all, nothing would be worse than a test session that ultimately does not lead to anything beneficial.

What do these NASCAR regulations entail for everyone?

Recently, IMSA crew member Bozi Tatrevic broke down what those regulations are and explained what teams have to obey. He wrote on X, “Unless otherwise authorized, it is strictly prohibited for any team, OEM, driver, or affiliate to privately rent, lease, or use a National Series track for testing, practice, or other on-track purposes.” In a way, this rule does make sense, as it can be perceived as a team or OEM trying to gain an unfair advantage over any rivals.

It is also interesting to note the protocol if NASCAR schedules a tire test during the playoffs or at a playoff racetrack. On that occasion, only teams that have qualified for the playoffs will be eligible to take part. This is a far cry from the previous rule where playoff drivers were barred from participating in tire tests at playoff tracks. That being said, those qualified teams and drivers are also restricted to one tire test.

NASCAR then spoke of ‘New Organization Testing’, which refers to new teams that enter the sport. In other words, these tests are strictly limited to brand-new teams entering NASCAR for the first time. The idea is for new organizations to establish themselves competitively. That being said, what constitutes a ‘new organization’? According to the official rules, a team will be considered a newcomer if they have participated in no more than 3 races in its tenure.

Previously, the limit was 20 races, or a minimum of two seasons. Meanwhile, the sport also declared that an organization that has not competed in the Series for three or more years may be considered ‘new’. The limit had been lowered from five years to 3 years. So, for example, Team Penske last competed in the Xfinity Series in 2021, so they would be considered as a new team if they wanted to run an Xfinity ride this season, and would receive the testing benefits accordingly.

Among other rules, NASCAR also insisted that test sessions have to play out for a maximum of two consecutive days. As per their reasoning, the goal is to prevent the organization from splitting the days across a long period. The idea may be to try and stop teams from gaining an advantage over their rivals by having more time to assimilate their data.

Trending

1

“RIP” – Brad Keselowski and Racing Family Joined in Mourning After the Loss of Close Confidant

2

Denny Hamlin Appeals to Joe Gibbs for a Move Away From the Cup Series Amid Declining Quality

3

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Recalls How Chase Elliott’s Father Antagonized the Intimidator Even Off the Track

4

Team Owner Joe Gibbs Roasts His NASCAR Rising Star Over Shocking Dallas Cowboys Confession

5

Denny Hamlin’s Bizarre Texas Prep Leaves NASCAR Community Stunned: “TF”

Series-specific rule changes

NASCAR also came out with regulations for specific series. For example, in the Truck Series, all body panels have to be securely mounted in order to prevent deflection. They also insisted that the Truck splitters, splitter extension panels, and secondary panel attachment hardware have to be securely fastened during the weekend. This is likely because the sport does not want teams to find ways to gain an aerodynamic advantage.

NASCAR added a regulation where the rear springs have to be in contact with the upper and lower mounting plates on all tracks. Prior to that, this rule was only specific for superspeedways, but has now expanded to include all tracks. This is an aero-related change that was for drafting tracks only, as having a detached rear spring while pulling out of the draft would make the cars lighter and reduce the drag, allowing the cars to get up to speed much faster.

These changes seem to be a hasty response to the recent disqualifications around the national series and the backlash received from Talladega’s racing product. Now, we all have to wait and see whether these regulations improve the quality of racing in the playoffs and reduce the DQs across its series. What do you think of the latest changes? Let us know in the comments!