12 NASCAR Rules from the Past That Would Never Fly Today
These outdated NASCAR rules from back in the day would be total chaos if they were still around now.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
NASCAR’s early days were wild, and so were some of the rules that governed the sport. From creative shortcuts to sketchy safety policies, it was a different world where anything went—as long as you were fast. Today’s stricter standards would never allow these outrageous, dangerous, and just plain weird rules to make a comeback.
1. Drivers Could Repair Cars During Red Flags
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Back then, if the race was paused, crews could still work on cars—totally unfair by today’s standards. This meant some teams got an edge while others were parked helpless.
2. No Mandatory Safety Gear
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Believe it or not, drivers once raced without full-fire suits, proper helmets, or even seatbelts in some cases. Safety was left to personal choice, which led to tragic consequences. Modern NASCAR wouldn’t dream of letting drivers suit up without regulation gear.
3. Racing Back to the Caution Flag
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Until 2003, drivers were allowed to race to the caution flag even after a crash. This was incredibly risky as cars would barrel toward wrecks just to gain a position.
4. Teams Could Change Engines Mid-Race
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Swapping engines during a race? It was totally allowed decades ago. If your motor blew, your crew could slam in a new one and get back on the track.
5. No Speed Limit on Pit Road
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Until the early ’90s, pit road was basically the Wild West. Drivers would roar through at full tilt, endangering crew members left and right.
6. Running Unapproved Fuel Additives
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Back in the day, crews would slip all kinds of performance-boosting brews into their fuel tanks. There were barely any checks, and some mixtures were downright dangerous.
7. Using Passenger Cars Right Off the Lot
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In NASCAR’s earliest days, drivers could race literal showroom stock vehicles—seat cushions and all. These “stock cars” had minimal modifications and often still carried radios and rearview mirrors.
8. Swapping Cars Mid-Race
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If a car broke down early, drivers could actually take over a teammate’s or backup car mid-race. It created confusion over scoring and undermined the idea of one driver, one machine.
9. No Limit on Test Days
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Teams once tested endlessly, burning through tires, engines, and budgets just to gain an edge. It gave big-money teams a major advantage over smaller ones.
10. Drivers Could Light Up a Cigarette During Cautions
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It’s hard to picture now, but drivers used to smoke while circling under caution laps. It was totally normal to see a puff of smoke in the cockpit during downtime.
11. Rolling Starts from the Infield Grass
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If a car spun and stalled, drivers would sometimes fire it up and merge right back into the race from wherever they landed—grass, apron, you name it. No caution, no penalty. Today, strict re-entry rules and safety protocols prevent chaos like that.
12. No Set Limit on Crew Size
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There was once no cap on how many people could jump over the wall to service a car. Teams would swarm like ants, making pit stops chaotic and even dangerous.