NASCAR removes 100% rule, adds race manipulation language

For the 2025 NASCAR season, there have been a number of rule changes. The 100% rule has been changed and replaced with different wording. Following last year’s debacle of a race finish at Martinsville in the playoffs, the sanctioning body has stepped in and changed the language of the rules.

NASCAR has changed the rule book. No longer is the “100%” language mentioned. Officials have done away with that specific wording along with drivers “artificially alter the finishing positions” to read as drivers that “manipulate the outcome” of a race.

Last year, that Martinsville race sent the sport into a frenzy. No one knew what the right answer was. There was a lot of talk about “race manipulation” and what that meant. “Artificially alter the finishing positions” can be a bit subjective. Manipulation feels more clear.

Here are the changes as they appear in the rule book. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports has the marked-up versions of the new and old way NASCAR worded this rule in particular.

Plus 100% rule no longer includes 100%. It is about manipulation. pic.twitter.com/DMhWcXrCvR

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 10, 2025

William Byron advanced to the Championship 4 while Christopher Bell was disqualified for wall-riding. Ultimately, NASCAR didn’t make a “manipulation” ruling until after the race weekend with a slurry of fines and suspensions to crew members. Chevy and Toyota were accused of manipulation

Let’s also note that NASCAR has changed other rules. The sport can now punish manufacturers for manipulation. Why this wasn’t a rule before is beyond me, but Chevy, Toyota, and Ford can all face consequences for telling drivers what to do on the track.

NASCAR makes rule changes to DVP clock

Today NASCAR released a flurry of new rule changes ahead of the 2025 Daytona 500. Among them was the newly redone Damaged Vehicle Policy. Fans will like this one.

Jeff Gluck of The Athletic reported on the several rule changes coming up. From his reading of the change, 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 seven-minute clock and the automatic tow to the garage and out of the race last year caused issues. Now teams will have more opportunities to keep racing after wrecks.