DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR has announced new rules that will limit Cup Series driver participation in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series beginning in 2017.
Cup Series drivers with more than five years of full-time experience will be limited to a maximum of 10 Xfinity Series races and seven Camping World Truck Series races in 2017. In addition to a limit on the number of starts they can make, drivers with five years of full-time Cup Series experience will not be eligible to compete during the final eight races of the season, including the championship races in either series at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
All drivers earning Cup Series points will not be eligible to compete in the Xfinity or Truck Series championship races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"The updated guidelines will elevate the stature of our future stars, while also providing them the opportunity to compete against the best in professional motorsports," said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "These updated guidelines are the result of a collaborative effort involving the entire industry, and will ultimately better showcase the emerging stars of NASCAR."
I was hoping for tighter limits on Cup participation but a great step forward by @Nascar ??
— Doug Rice (@Riceman61) October 26, 2016
NASCAR also announced that Cup Series drivers with more than five years of full-time experience will not be eligible to compete in the 2017 Dash 4 Cash races for the Xfinity Series.
The rule change is the latest in a step of changes NASCAR has made to help put a brighter spotlight on up-and-coming drivers in the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series. NASCAR announced prior to this season that drivers who qualified for the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup would be ineligible to compete in the championship races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.