NASCAR to Allow Cup Drivers More Starts in Lower Series in 2026

On Saturday morning, NASCAR confirmed changes to driver eligibility rules for the 2026 NASCAR National Series season. Included were changes to the amount of races that NASCAR Cup Series drivers are allowed to compete in throughout the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

And the sanctioning body also made a tweak to the minimum age requirement for the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts (formerly Xfinity) Series.

Next season, NASCAR Cup Series drivers with three-or-more years of full-time NASCAR Cup Series experience will be permitted to compete in a maximum of 10 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series events, and eight races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Since the rule was instituted in 2020, NASCAR Cup Series drivers have been allowed to compete in only five races per series.

While NASCAR has yet to announce the championship format for the 2026 season, it appears a form of the Playoffs will remain on the docket, as NASCAR has added the designation that full-time Cup drivers will be ineligible to compete in the NOAPS and NCTS regular-season cut-off races, as well as Playoff Races, and the Championship events.

NASCAR will also lower the minimum age requirement for NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series competition at road courses and tracks measuring 1.25-miles in length or less to 17 years old. Prior to the change, drivers were required to be 18 years old to compete in the series.

The minimum age for drivers on any type of track in the NASCAR Cup Series will remain 18 years old, while the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will continue to have a minimum age requirement of 16 years old at road courses and short tracks.

The official announcement from NASCAR confirmed the first report of the changes, which came from RACER's Kelly Crandall.

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