Bob Pockrass raises concerns new rule may 'cheapen' Daytona 500 qualifying

NASCAR introduced this past Friday a new “open exemption provisional,” allowing a 41st spot in races for a world class driver from another series to make the field for a race should they fail to qualify naturally.

Next month’s Daytona 500 will be the first race where the open exemption provisional is at play, as Trackhouse Racing secured one for four-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves to compete. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports chimed in with his thoughts in his latest column, and the NASCAR insider raised the question if the open exemption provisional will “cheapen” qualifying.”

“This rule might cheapen the driver getting into the race, but it does bring eyeballs,” Pockrass wrote Tuesday. “Plus, it sets up a mechanism so when NASCAR races internationally, like it will this year in Mexico City, that a star driver from that country could be guaranteed a spot to compete.”

NASCAR adds special provisional that could expand Cup Series field to 41 cars as soon as Daytona 500

According to Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, this new provisional works much in the same way as a promoter’s provisional. If there is a non-NASCAR driver attempting to make a Cup Series race, officials can expand the field from 40 to 41 cars to allow that driver and team to race. A team and driver must request the provisional and NASCAR has to approve it before adding the 41st spot, as they did with Castroneves. By taking the provisional, a team cannot earn purse money.

In the end, Pockrass is fine with the rule if it helps put more of a spotlight on the sport, which it undoubtedly will having an international superstar wheelman such as Castroneves in the field.

“Whether necessary or not is debatable and certainly wasn’t something that people were clamoring for — so for those questioning why do it, those questions are valid — but if in the end this puts more of a spotlight on the sport, it’s fine,” Pockrass wrote.