Denny Hamlin reacts after sweeping NASCAR rule changes for 2025 season

The last time Denny Hamlin tweeted something, we were in a different time. It was Dec. 23, 2024, Hamlin reminding NASCAR fans to have a Merry Christmas.

Well, Hamlin made his X return on Friday and left everyone wondering — as he usually does. Hamlin wrote two words, perhaps in response to the massive rule changes NASCAR announced for the 2025 Cup Series season.

Lol. Wow.

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) January 10, 2025

Is Hamlin in favor of the changes? Does he vehemently disagree with them? Nobody knows — for now, but nonetheless, changes were made, and they could have drastic effects on the upcoming season.

According to Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, the Damaged Vehicle Policy is getting a complete makeover. The seven-minute clock will remain. However, instead of being out of the race after those seven minutes on pit road, teams will simply have to go to the garage for repairs. Teams can now go to the garage to make repairs. There will be no DNFs as a result of the Damaged Vehicle Policy moving forward. If a car is unable to drive off the track to pit road or the garage on its own power and needs a tow, it will be towed directly to the garage.

The other significant change involves the playoff waiver policy. If a driver needs a waiver for a non-medical reason, they lose all of their playoff points for the entire season. That includes any playoff points a driver has accumulated up to that point and any they earn in the future. The rule applies to suspensions as well.

NASCAR introduces several new rule changes for 2025 season

Two big changes, yes, but there’s more. NASCAR has also introduced the “open exemption provisional.” 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.

So, for instance, Helio Castroneves in the Daytona 500. It is a big deal for NASCAR to have the four-time Indianapolis 500 champ in the big race. Trackhouse Racing wants him to make it on speed. But what if he doesn’t?

Per Gluck, that would mean an extra spot in the field could be created by NASCAR to allow that special driver to enter the race. A team and driver must request the provisional and NASCAR must approve it before the 41st spot is added. 

The new rules have been put into place just over a month out from the 2025 Daytona 500 on Feb. 16.

On3’s Jonathan Howard contributed to this article.