NASCAR issued a bulletin Tuesday containing various updates to the Rule Book.
The changes include a reduction in how many sets of tires a team can have for Sprint Cup races at Martinsville, Dover, Pocono, Michigan, Sonoma, Kentucky, New Hampshire Indianapolis and Watkins Glen. NASCAR cut the number of sets by one at each track for those races.
Teams will be allowed 10 sets of tires for Sunday’s race at Martinsville. They’ll have nine sets of race tires available at Dover, Michigan, Kentucky and Indianapolis. Teams will have eight sets of tires for both Pocono races with seven sets available at New Hampshire’s July race and five race sets at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.
With a set of tires costing about $1,900, having to buy one less set will save teams teams about $20,000.
NASCAR also reduced how many sets of tires teams are allowed for practice and qualifying by one set at Talladega (now allowed three sets), Daytona (three), Sonoma (four), Watkins Glen (four) and the August Bristol event (four). This reduction will save teams about $10,000.
NASCAR has not set the limits for tires for the races starting with Richmond in September through the end of the season. Those races could provide teams more savings.
NASCAR also clarified to teams that any driver entered in the Xfinity or Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year program is eligible for two additional tests at any track during the calendar year.
Each test can be no longer than two days. Multiple drivers can participate but all drivers must meet the definition of a rookie in that series. The tests can take place at a NASCAR-sanctioned track or any other track. Veteran drivers will be allowed to “shake down” each primary vehicle used for testing but must do so in a limited number of laps.
Drivers in the Xfinity Series who are competing for Rookie of the Year program include Darrell Wallace Jr., Daniel Suarez, Cale Conley, Ross Chastain, Harrison Rhodes and Josh Reaume.
Drivers in the Camping World Truck Rookie of the Year program include Austin Theriault, Ray Black Jr., Korbin Forrister, Spencer Gallagher, Daniel Hemric, Justin Boston, Cameron Hayley, Cody Ware and Wendell Chavous.