NASCAR is making a major change to its policy for races where wet weather tires are available, a change that many crew chiefs have called for.
Videos by FanBuzz
Teams will now have the ability to choose whether to race on slicks or wet weather tires if NASCAR throws the caution for rain. Although they must all start the race on the same tire type.
NASCAR's Updated Wet Weather Policy
- To start the race, all cars must have the same tire type (slicks or wet weather), as determined by NASCAR
- After the green flag to start the race, if NASCAR issues a caution flag for rain and deems the racing surface damp, it will be each team's choice whether to race on wet weather tires or slicks.
- NASCAR may deem pit road as damp. In this case, any yellow-flag pit stops will be non-competitive. Positions will not change on pit road. Cars exiting pit road will be positioned behind cars that stayed out, if applicable.
- Green flag pit stops will remain competitive.
The previously policy took the decision-making out of the teams' hands. If NASCAR told teams to mount wet weather tires on their cars for the start of the race on an oval, they would have to continue using these tires until told otherwise.
NASCAR gave teams more control, but only to a point. In 2024, the sanctioning body allowed the teams to choose when to change from one set of wet weather tires to another.
Even if the track began to dry, the teams would have to wait for NASCAR to throw the caution and tell them which type of tires to mount.
Now, these crew chiefs will have the option to mostly make their own decisions moving forward. This will add some extra strategy into the Cup Series races.
"Honestly I think that's probably a good move," Jonathan Hassler, Ryan Blaney's crew chief, said after a weather-affected race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
"I think it puts a lot in the driver's hands in terms of not abusing their tires, knowing this could be a long run, I could have to save my stuff. Those scenarios put on some pretty good races.
"As far as how we attack the rain, I was certainly happy with we really just maintained. We didn't go forward, we didn't go backwards. We maintained and were able to reset.
It's a huge change. Every time we have the opportunity, we're learning a little bit more about what it takes. You have a car that's good in the dry, what do you need to do in the wet."
