How does NASCAR ensure fair competition for all drivers? A look at rules and regulations

Compared to previous NASCAR generations, the current era perhaps has the fairest competition for all drivers. The stock car racing league imposes several rules and regulations to ensure even small teams can compete against the big dogs.

The advancements in technology and decades of competition provide race series officials with knowledge and understanding of how to improve the sport. In turn, fans get to see more wheel-to-wheel action during race weekends.

What are the rules and regulations that keep the competition fair? Let's find out.

Standardizing Car Specs

Perhaps the biggest factor in fair competition is the standardization of race car specifications. The latest version is based on the Next Gen car (seventh-generation) powered by a 5.8-liter pushrod V8 engine.

All teams must comply with the standardized specifications, including the dimensions of their cars.

The power output is regulated for all drivers, with the horsepower rating varying depending on the track. Most races require cars to run 670 hp, while some use a restrictor plate to decrease the power to 510 hp.

The Daytona 500 limits the power output to 510 hp - Source: Getty

Teams can only build their cars with one of three NASCAR-approved OEMs, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota. The league ensures a competitive balance for concerned OEMs through the standardization of parts, though teams are allowed to change the setup and settings.

During race weekends, the series officials inspect the cars using various technologies such as laser scanners to make sure teams don't gain an advantage from running illegal specs.

This brings us to the next point, which is the imposition of penalties.

Penalties

Like any sport, NASCAR race officials penalize drivers for violating the rules and regulations. The penalty depends on the severity of the violation, which can concern failed inspection, safety, and race manipulation, among others.

A 30-second penalty is a common penalty for drivers who violate track limits. Drivers can serve the penalty either after the race or a stop-and-go sequence where drivers would halt in a designated area for 30 seconds before rejoining the race.

Penalties help NASCAR keep the competition fair - Source: Imagn

In turn, drivers would be discouraged from breaking the rules, promoting a fairer competition for everyone.

One of the most significant penalties in recent times was handed in the penultimate race at Martinsville Speedway this year. NASCAR penalized some Toyota and Chevrolet drivers like Bubba Wallace for manipulating the race outcome.

Each violator received a $100,000 fine and docked 50 driver points.

Pit Road Rules

The last factor on this list is the rules on pit road. NASCAR imposes a pit road speed limit of about 40 mph, which varies depending on the track. The rule ensures every driver will run the same speed when pitting, though pit crews still have to get the job done as fast as possible.

Moreover, the speed limit provides safer pit stops for the teams.

Joey Logano came to the pits for new tires at Phoenix Raceway - Source: Imagn

Another rule related to pitting is the DVP, also known as the damaged vehicle policy. This retires cars that cannot drive to their respective pit boxes. It also only gives teams seven minutes to repair their cars or else they get disqualified.

As a result, DVP prevents cars from leaving debris on tracks that can affect the race outcomes of other competitors.