NASCAR insider puts Open Exemption Provisional rule change on blast: 'Makes you look less than'

In the 2025 season, NASCAR will have an Open Exemption Provisional for famous drivers, not in NASCAR, to enter races automatically. Helio Castroneves and Trackhouse Racing have obtained one of these provisionals for the Daytona 500, and will only have to use it if they fail to make the 40 car field.

The Open Exemption Provisional allows the driver to be added to the field with an extra 41st spot. If Castroneves is not good enough in qualifying and the Duels, it won’t matter, but he won’t take a spot from the other 40 drivers who do qualify for the Daytona 500.

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, is not a fan of the new rule. He wrote a column about it not long ago and on The Teardown podcast, he went after the NASCAR provisional again.

“Now imagine if Kyle Larson had said, ‘Hey, I’m thinking of running the Indy 500, Roger Penske and IndyCar goes, Kyle Larson, he wants to run the Indy 500? Let’s do whatever we can to get him over here, he’s in, he’s in. We’re going to make a spot for the Indy 500.’ Can you imagine?” Gluck asked his cohost Jordan Bianchi. “Can you imagine IndyCar and Indy 500 fans? The absolute meltdown. Because they don’t want, the new charter system that’s coming in, they don’t want ANYBODY to have a guaranteed starting spot, ANYBODY. Let alone, a celebrity famous driver from another series who has never turned a lap in their series.

“All because they say, ‘Oh, we want to come do this.’ ‘You do?! You want to come hang out with us?! Oh, this is cool, let’s make sure you’re in!’ That’s crazy, come on now. That makes you look less than. That’s, I don’t think that’s good for NASCAR. It’s screaming to Lewis [Hamilton] to Max [Verstappen] to Daniel Ricciardo, please come, please come give us attention from the F1 fans.”

Gluck makes a good point. There is no suspense for Helio Castroneves and Trackhouse now. When they line up for qualifying, no pressure. The Duels? Why not just run a few laps and pull of the track? A 41st spot will be waiting for them no matter what.

Not only does this cheapen NASCAR’s product, it cheapens Helio’s attempt. He is good enough to make it. Trackhouse Racing is good enough to give him a car that can make the field. So, why take the easy way out?

Granted, if they use the provisional, there are consequences. However, losing prize money isn’t a big deal for Castroneves. When he shows up to Daytona his only goal is to race in the 500. He will have that handed to him no matter how he performs.