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Report: NASCAR Considering Major Rule Change that Cup Drivers Actually Want
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- Report: NASCAR Considering Major Rule Change that Cup Drivers Actually Want
Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
Divers have made it clear that their input isn't considered when the NASCAR schedule is created each year. However, there is one rule change that Cup Series drivers have called for that NASCAR is reportedly now considering for the future.
According to Adam Stern of the Sports Business Journal , NASCAR is considering changing its rules to allow Cup Series drivers to compete more frequently in the Xfinity and Truck Series in future seasons.
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Related: NASCAR Standings for Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series
Under current NASCAR rules , full-time Cup drivers with more than three years 'of premier series experience will be limited to racing in just five Xfinity or Craftsman Truck Series races in a season. Any lower-level races they compete in must occur before the regular-season finale and the NASCAR Playoffs.
In April, during an appearance on Kevin Harvick's Victory Lap , Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson said he liked doing races in the Xfinity Series because he wants to "embarrass" both the young drivers at that level and NASCAR. As Hamlin and others have stated, the talent gap between Cup drivers and the lower level is so massive that Xfinity drivers can overestimate their abilities compared to premier drivers.
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"In Xfinity, I do get motivated — and this is going to come across like very cocky — but I want to embarrass them, honestly. I want to embarrass NASCAR a little bit because they just don't let Cup guys run anymore. The kids, they probably think they're in a good spot, and they don't know where the bar is really at. So I like to go run those Xfinity races and get 10-second leads to let them realize that they've got a lot of room to improve, and I think that's only better for our sport."
The limitations put in place by NASCAR had good intentions, not wanting Cup drivers to completely dominate the Xfinity or Truck Series races regularly. Depending on the field size, it could also limit the number of regular Xfinity drivers who would qualify for a race.
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However, the talent gap between the series has become even more evident when the top Xfinity drivers become full-time Cup drivers for the first time. Ty Gibbs is one of the latest examples. As a 19-year-old, he won seven races during the 2022 Xfinity Series season and took home the championship that year. Since becoming a full-time driver for Joe Gibbs Racing at the Cup level, he hasn't had a single win in 109 races.
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Giving Cup drivers more opportunities to race at the lower levels could help the development of some of the top NASCAR prospects . The likes of Corey Heim , Kaden Honeycutt , Brent Crews , Corey Day , Jesse Love and Christian Eckes could learn from the best drivers in the sport by racing against them more often.
While limited details have emerged on the specifics of a rule change, NASCAR could potentially increase the limit from five races to seven or eight while ensuring that full-time Cup drivers remain ineligible for the playoffs in the lower levels. Having the likes of Larson and Kyle Busch race in the lower levels could also help improve the television ratings, too.
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