NASCAR Cup Series regular Denny Hamlin and his fellow drivers face the prospect of competing against notable drivers from other racing series because of the governance’s Open Exemption Provisional (OEP). At the pre-race press conference ahead of the 2025 season’s start with The Clash at Bowman Gray, Hamlin criticized the rule, describing it as a sign of desperation.
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Hamlin expressed his skepticism bluntly, saying, “I don’t know. I just think – it reeks of desperation. I don’t know how else to say it. I don’t know how nice you can really say it. It just feels like you are really trying to get any kind of headline you can to be relevant and I don’t love it.”
He expressed his disapproval of the rule by suggesting, “To me, it is a short-term gain, long-term loss.” Hamlin advocated for a traditional approach to establishing credibility within the country’s premier racing series. He argued that the industry should act like the major league it is and compel newcomers to earn their stripes naturally.
With Trackhouse Racing securing a guaranteed spot for Helio Castroneves in the upcoming Daytona 500—ensuring his participation—Hamlin subtly criticized NASCAR’s policy adjustments, implying they might undermine the sport’s integrity. He stated,
“I don’t think it is going to be a big factor anywhere other than Daytona, but just simply put, saying that someone has a name that interests you and that they are going to have an automatic bid in the highest form of motorsports in the US – I don’t love it.”
The provisional rule will also ensure that fans can witness these drivers in stock car racing’s top tier, allowing NASCAR to leverage the heightened attention. However, there is one stipulation: teams must submit their request for the provisional at least 90 days before the event.
Justin Marks shares his perspective on NASCAR’s newly introduced provisional rule
There was a prevailing concern among fans that as NASCAR opened its doors to notable drivers from other racing disciplines, it might sideline its experienced drivers such as Mike Wallace and Jimmie Johnson. At this critical point, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks shed light on the rationale behind NASCAR’s strategy.
He explained that prominent figures could attract more viewers and introduce the sport to new audiences. He posed a hypothetical scenario: “Think of one day if we have Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen or somebody like that comes and races the Daytona 500 and misses a shift on a restart on Thursday and misses the race. It would take a lot of wind out of their [NASCAR] sails.”
However, it was later clarified that the provisional would also be available to non-full-time NASCAR drivers. Should they choose to apply, drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. would be considered by NASCAR, thereby addressing some of the fans’ concerns.
Despite the clarification, concerns still revolve around the ruling, with the fraternity certainly divided over how the controversial ruling will or will not help NASCAR in the long run.
