What is the Choose Rule? NASCAR applies regulations on superspeedway and dirt races

A major rule change that saw NASCAR somewhat revisit its grassroots style of racing was the introduction of the Choose Rule during the 2020 Cup Series season. Specifically aimed at altering driver practices after a race is set to resume after a yellow flag aka the caution period, drivers in each row were allowed to choose their preferred line to restart in, be it the high or the low line.

The Choose Rule has been a staple of the grassroots stock car racing community for quite some time. The highest echelon of the sport adopting it, along with the Xfinity and Truck Series, was greeted with positive reactions when the change was announced. How this rule works is one lap before the restart is due, each leading driver in every single row of the restart order gets to choose his/her preferred lane of choice before a brightly painted V-shape on the track ahead of the start-finish line.

Once the leading driver has chosen his preferred lane, the trailing driver in that row can decide to fall back to the previous row or take up the leftover spot alongside the leading car. Except for Superspeedway and Dirt events, every track had the option of drivers choosing their preferred lane, with that now being updated for the 2023 season. The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season will witness the Choose Rule being applied to both Dirt and Superspeedway events as well.

Drivers will need to be cautious of their efforts while choosing a lane, however, as touching a box within the V or changing position after the V can result in subsequent penalties. If race control decides a single-file restart is necessary due to numerous reasons stated in the NASCAR Rulebook, only the leading car, that is the person in P1 allowed to choose a lane, and the rest of the pack is obligated to arrange accordingly.

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Drivers' reaction to the NASCAR Choose Rule being implemented in 2020

Back in the 2020 NASCAR season, the introduction of the Choose Rule garnered positive reactions from drivers and fans alike, with many onboard with the idea of drivers being responsible for where they choose to start from during a restart. Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott elaborated:

“I think the choose rule’s been needed for a long time, I don’t think there’s really a reason to not have it. There’s no reason to me why you shouldn’t have the choice or you should be automatically told where you’re going to line up when one lane has an obvious advantage, just based on where you come off pit road."

With the 2023 NASCAR season just around the corner, fans will be able to witness the Choose Rule during the 65th run of the Daytona 500 in a couple of weeks.