NASCAR has made numerous changes to the Rule Book ahead of the 2026 season. The list includes eligibility rules for Cup Series drivers wanting to compete in lower series.
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As in past seasons, drivers declared for Cup Series points are not allowed to compete in The Chase events for the Craftsman Truck Series or O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. However, they can now compete in the regular-season finales for these series.
Let's dive into some other significant changes to the NASCAR Rule Book, which include the removal of the word "playoffs" from several sections.
OEM Provisionals
With Ram and Kaulig Racing entering the Craftsman Truck Series season, these two companies could have concerns about rain washing out qualifying for the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. Kaulig Racing may not have any owner points to rely on.
NASCAR has taken steps to address concerns for new OEM partners. The new OEM provisional adds up to four additional positions on the starting grid for the first three events. The entries using this provisional would line up 37th-40th.
They would not earn prize money, but they would earn points to help with qualifying sessions later in the season.
Fastest Lap Bonus Points
Last season, Xfinity and NASCAR introduced a bonus program. The Xfinity Fastest Lap awarded one extra point to the driver with the fastest lap time in each respective race.
Kyle Larson, the reigning champion, won the Xfinity Fastest Lap at Circuit of the Americas, Kansas Speedway, Watkins Glen International, and Mexico City. He did so after his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet sustained extensive damage at Mexico City and lost brakes at Watkins Glen International, which may have contributed to the Rule Book change.
The update notes that if a driver heads to the garage for repairs during a race, they are not eligible to earn the Fastest Lap bonus point once they return to the track. However, they will keep their bonus point if they posted the fastest lap before going to the garage.
This change will prevent teams from working on their car in the garage with the sole purpose of getting back out on the track to post the fastest lap.
Waivers
Last season, NASCAR introduced a rule focused on waivers. If a driver missed a race for a suspension or due to an unapproved absence, they would lose all of their bonus points.
Austin Hill showed this when he missed one race due to a suspension for wrecking Aric Almirola at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He lost all 21 points earned through race wins and stage wins.
With The Chase returning for 2026 and beyond, playoff points no longer exist. Now, the language has changed in the Rule Book.
"If a waiver is granted for reasons other than a NASCAR-initiated and/or approved absence, the driver will begin Championship Event 27 with 2000 points," the updated language says. "NASCAR's waiver determination, including any reseeding decision, is final and non-appealable."
Qualifying Metrics
NASCAR has also updated the process for determining which drivers qualify in which order. In the first section of the season, the performance metrics will be based on two factors.
The first is the owner's finishing position in the previous race. This accounts for 70% of the metric. The second factor is the owner's position in the standings. This accounts for the other 30%.
Once The Chase begins, all of the vehicles/drivers eligible to compete for the championship will qualify last. All of the drivers 17th and below in the championship standings will qualify first based on the performance metric.
Photo credit: NASCAR
