Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not a fan of new NASCAR Open Exemption Provisional rule

The new NASCAR Open Exemption Provisional has been controversial, to say the least, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t a huge fan, either. The provisional allows a driver to secure a backup 41st starting spot in a race should they fail to qualify on speed alone.

Drivers who qualify are anyone notable who is not a full-time NASCAR driver currently. It is mostly meant for drivers, like Helio Castroneves, from outside of the sport. Any team that uses the provisional upon failing to qualify will forfeit all prize money and points in exchange for the 41st spot.

So, there is no weight to Castroneves and Trackhouse Racing going into Daytona. Nothing of consequence until Sunday. If he messes up in qualifying or the Duels, who cares? He’s racing anyway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is torn on the provisional.

“Since it’s that far out [90 days prior to the race], it kind of makes it less cheesy to me. Because it’s then not like this sort of last minute, oh, we want a free pass. This is something that they had planned out. Trackhouse was like, we’re going to put this deal together, we’re requesting this exemption,” Earnhardt said on the Dale Jr. Download this week. “We’re going to spend the next several months preparing a car and getting ready. So, it does raise a lot of questions.”

Seeing Trackhouse use the exemption is a bit disappointing. They are good enough, and Helio is good enough, to qualify on speed. But losing that money is also a big deal, even if it doesn’t feel right.

“I am a bit surprised though because I think Trakckhouse is competitive enough to qualify in. And it’s a lot of money to finish last. If you’re just looking at, hey man, what’s it cost to start the race? It’s a lot of money. So, to forgo that possibility is pretty significant for a team.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. worried about future of provisional

Dale Earnhardt Jr. went on in the podcast about the provisional. Throughout the segment, he almost talked himself into liking the rule. Still, there is something that bothers him.

It doesn’t seem like a big deal if only a few open cars are trying to qualify for a big race like Daytona. But what if more cars enter in the future? This year the number went up to nine open cars. Could 2026 or 2027 have even more?

“I’ve got a thought about this, so, when this rule was probably developed in the minds of whoever at NASCAR, there’s not eight or nine open cars trying to attempt to make the race [every year],” Earnhardt said. “It really was only coming down to a battle between one or two, two or three guys. So, adding a 41st spot to the Daytona 500 and saying, ‘You’re not going to get any prize money, you won’t get any points, you’re just out there.’ Fine. I can get on board with that.

“But, now we have eight or nine open cars. So, the optics of that is a little less comfortable or acceptable, right? Like, ‘Wow, there’s all these guys that are going to show up and try to make this race, but there’s this one that’s also trying to make the race that’s got a free pass.’ Imagine if the amount of open cars were to double next year, right? And you’ve got 18 or 16 open cars trying to take four spots, four spots, but this one guy has this exemption. Then it becomes a little more hard to accept or swallow. Especially if you’re one of the open teams.”

As far as Helio Castroneves specifically, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is excited to see him. I mean, who isn’t excited?

“I’m kinda excited about it and I like the idea of him coming and racing.”