NASCAR Changes Several Rules Ahead of 2023 Season

by
Peter Stratta
January 31, 2023

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR

Numerous Key Changes Made to NASCAR Rules Before 2023 Season Begins

Many changes were announced Tuesday to NASCAR’s rule book ahead of the 2023 racing season. These new, revised, or clarified rules are all effective immediately and will impact races in the Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck Series. Take a look below at each of these new guidelines, as cars will be on track again this weekend at the L.A. Coliseum.

Playoff eligibility: There is no longer a points element for a driver’s ability to make the postseason. Previously in Cup, this was a top-30 in points rule, and a top-20 rule in Xfinity and Trucks. New for 2023, any full-time race winner shall be Playoff-eligible, as long as they attempt every race or have a NASCAR-issued Playoff waiver.
Road course stages: In NASCAR Cup Series road course events for 2023, there will no longer be cautions at Stage breaks. Corresponding top-10 Stage points will still be granted, but the race will remain green. These rules will not change however for Xfinity and Truck standalone road course races.
Lost wheel penalties updated: What was a four-week suspension for crew chief and pit crew members last season is now a lesser penalty. A lost wheel on pit road under yellow will be a tail-of-the-line penalty. Losing a wheel on pit road under green will result in a pass-through. Lastly, a wheel coming off on-track will be a two-lap penalty and a two-week suspension for two crew members.
Damaged Vehicle Policy updated: The previously six-minute clock for DVP has now been extended to seven minutes. For the Cup Series Playoffs last year, it was lengthened to 10 minutes. Teams are allowed to change toe links, but not to swap out new control arms. Changing a toe link is a roughly six-minute process.
Wall riding outlawed: The infamous ‘Hail Melon’ move made by Ross Chastain last fall at Martinsville for a Championship 4 berth will not be repeated. A similar attempt at a wall-riding move will incur a time penalty. NASCAR did specify that this falls under a pre-existing rule that was not enforced, but a wall-ride will now be ruled as a safety violation.
Lengthened restart zones: At the first five racetracks on the NASCAR schedule, the restart zones will be widened by 50%. This change comes after collaboration with drivers that wanted the leader to have more options on where to fire off. After the first five races, this rule will be reevaluated for future events.
Choose cone rule at superspeedways, dirt tracks: The only tracks without a choose cone now will be road courses. Daytona, Talladega, Atlanta, and Bristol Dirt will now have drivers decide which lane to restart in. This is sure to change the game on superspeedways, especially if multiple teammates are leading.
Wet weather tires on ovals: The following tracks are eligible for wet-weather tires: L.A. Coliseum, Lucas Oil Raceway, Martinsville, Milwaukee, New Hampshire, North Wilkesboro, Phoenix, and Richmond.
Pit Road Judgement call: New for pit road, pit boxes will be flanked by orange boxes. Should a driver hit these boxes on pit entry and be deemed as interfering another team’s pit stop, then they could trigger a penalty.

After Sunday’s Busch Light Clash from the L.A. Coliseum (8:00 p.m. ET on FOX), 2023 will officially kick off for NASCAR at Daytona Speedweek. Trucks, Xfinity, and the Cup Series will all compete at the World Center of Racing Feb. 16-19, ending with the 65th Daytona 500 on Sunday. Some of these new rules will take effect in Daytona, so don’t miss a moment of action.