NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR: Five Reasons The New Repair Rules Are A Good Thing

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:02 a.m. ET

Fansided, Brian Thornsburg/FanSided via Beyond the Flag

Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

More changes have come to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and it’s not necessarily a bad thing this time. Of course some NASCAR fans will probably disagree with that sentiment and cry afoul about how their favorite driver might not finish the race after taking extensive damage during a wreck, but the new repair rule does have its upsides too!

The new pit road repair rule was introduced Wednesday morning and will require that teams be able to fix their race cars in five minutes or less or be eliminated from the race entirely. The rules main purpose is said to be safety and even includes a deduction clock to account for possible speeding penalties before or after repairs. The rule also eliminates from the race any cars that need to go to the garage for repairs.

With that being said here are five reasons that the new rule change is a good idea and will bring nothing but newfound prosperity for everyone involved! Let us know your thoughts on the subject in the comments below and be sure to tell us who you think the rule will ultimately benefit!

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for NASCAR Safety crews attend to the No. 55 of Mark Martin after an accident on pit road.

High-Pressure Pit Stops

While some will always regard the driver as the face of the race team, there is something to be said about the unsung heroes on pit road. Fortunately for the crew members on each team, they will now be given the spotlight when their driver comes in for repairs after an accident or contact. In fact, their ability to fix damage in under five minutes will determine whether their driver races or not!

Of course NASCAR could decide to scrap the idea in a season or two, especially since they’ve already changed the playoff system three straight years in a row, but crew members will be as responsible for a teams win as the driver usually is. With that in mind, the phrase, a race can be won or lost on pit road, has never been any truer then it is now.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Less Cautions

It’s no secret that fans have been asking NASCAR to do something about unnecessary cautions and while it took a while to do so, it looks like NASCAR finally has answer to the problem. The rule change, which allows teams only five minutes to repair damage after a wreck or Collison, will no doubt help keep slower cars off of the track and take away some of the more preventable cautions during the race.

For example, say that it’s the final race of the season at Homestead Miami and a driver wrecks bringing out the caution in the final 15 laps of the race. When the broadcasters show the replay of the accident they discuss the fact that the driver had been caught up in an earlier wreck. With the new system in place, that driver might not have made in back out on the track and thus couldn’t affect the outcome!

This is also a great rule change for fans that are tired of manufactured excitement, especially since it will prevent the field from being bunched back up too often and not eliminate the long runs in a typical race entirely.

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Safety And Integrity

Your day can be ruined in seconds. That will no doubt be one of the concerns that everyone has with the new pit road repair rule, but it does have its advantages when you look at it in another context. Yes, your day now has the chance to be done after any accident, but there is also the chance that someone else’s day get ruins if they try to retaliate against someone else.

That alone will prevent some of the retaliation that takes place during a typical race day, especially since it could mean more repair time on pit road and ultimately result in the team missing their five minute limit. That’s not the only thing that the new pit road helps however, as reducing the rate of retaliation also means that drivers won’t have their safety at risk during pace laps when everyone is slowed down.

Finally, the rule change prevents drivers from racing in an unsafe car and risking some kind of freak injury, which was said to be a major reason for the new policy.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Increases Unpredictability

Unpredictability has become a very popular thing in NASCAR. It’s what fuels the new championship format and also what has made NASCAR more of a mainstream sport than ever before. Fortunately for NASCAR, the new repair format increases that unpredictability by making every incident more of a do or die situation for a championship contender and making pit road repairs a crucial part of the race.

While it will be upsetting to some to see their favorite driver not make the five minute clock in time to return to the race, it makes every lap exciting, especially since one single lap has more of a chance to make or break your favorite driver’s race.

Feb 18, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Cole Whitt (98) makes a pit stop after a wreck during the Cam-Am Duels at Daytona race one at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Rookies And Smaller Teams Have A Chance

Perhaps the best argument for the new repair policy is the fact that it finally gives the younger crop of drivers (and smaller teams) a chance to win a race (or at least finish better). While this won’t be true at every single track, the new repair policy will force many top drivers to take a backseat to the rookie class. This means that an untimely wreck at places like Talladega, Daytona or anywhere else could give a young driver a win and a spot in The Chase.

That win could be the beginning of a blossoming career and have many monetary benefits to smaller teams as well. Not only that, it also puts the winning rookie driver in the spotlight and could be the beginning of even bigger opportunities for them. It’s now anyone’s race and that’s probably the best thing about all of this!