NASCAR Announces Rule Changes for All Road Courses

Getty Cup Series drivers race at Circuit of the Americas.

NASCAR has announced a rule change that will affect all of the road courses on the 2023 Cup Series schedule. The choose rule will now be part of every single race.

The sanctioning body announced the news ahead of the weekend in Phoenix with a press release. The rule, which allows drivers to choose their preferred lane for restarts after cautions, will now go into effect at road courses.

This rule change will take effect at Circuit of the Americas on March 26, and it will continue with the rest of the road courses on the schedule.

The list of events also includes Sonoma Raceway, the Chicago Street Course, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Watkins Glen International, and the Charlotte Roval.

NASCAR Introduced the Choose Rule in 2020

GettyAJ Allmendinger (left) and Ross Chastain (right) race at Circuit of the Americas.

NASCAR originally introduced the choose rule during the 2020 season. It went into effect in August during the trip to Michigan International Speedway. Though it made its unofficial debut during the All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

However, the only races where NASCAR used the choose rule were those that took place on certain ovals. The choose rule was not implemented on road courses, dirt tracks, and superspeedways.

The situation changed before the 2023 season as NASCAR issued an update to the Rule Book. A January 31 press release unveiled several rule changes, a list that included the removal of stage breaks at road courses.

One prominent example stated the choose rule would be used at superspeedways and dirt events during the 2023 season. The road courses remained out of the equation until March 9 when NASCAR issued another update to the Rule Book.

The Drivers Originally Applauded the Choose Rule

GettyNASCAR drivers choose their preferred lane during a 2021 race.

When NASCAR originally unveiled the choose rule in 2020, there were questions about how teams would respond to this pre-restart wrinkle. They quickly provided an answer by applauding the decision.

As several drivers told NBC Sports in 2020, they were big fans of having a choose rule. They no longer had to count other cars coming off pit road while trying to figure out the best spot in the lineup. Instead, they could just choose their favorite lane.

“I think the choose rule’s been needed for a long time,” Chase Elliott said after the All-Star Race in 2020. “I think it should be that way every week. 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.

“Life ain’t fair I guess, but just makes way more sense to put it in our hands and it either works out for you or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t work out, then it’s your own fault and not luck of the draw and where you come off pit road.”

Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick had similar comments after their first time testing out the choose rule. The 2014 champion, in particular, said that the new rule took away “funny business” during the All-Star Race.

With the choose rule now coming to the road courses, there will now be more questions about its reception. The drivers will have an opportunity to provide answers after competing in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix on March 26.