The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season has been shaped by more than just wins and consistency. One such shaping was done by a new wrinkle in the points system. Earlier this year, NASCAR added a bonus point for the fastest lap in each race. This was a move designed to inject fresh strategy into events across all three national series. Unlike stage points, this bonus could be earned at any point in the race. This would be regardless of whether a driver was still in contention. The intention was to reward speed, but its ripple effects in the standings have been far more significant than many expected, setting the stage for debate over fairness.

As per The Athletic‘s Jeff Gluck on September 2 on X, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Communications, Mike Forde, confirmed that officials are considering a key revision. “On “Hauler Talk,” @mforde says NASCAR is considering making Fastest Lap point for lead-lap cars only after Josh Berry became the third wrecked car this season to come back out after repairs and get the extra point. Would be an offseason change,” the tweet read.

Notably, this comes after the Wood Brothers Racing driver set the fastest lap (29.038 seconds) at Darlington Raceway despite completing only 239 of 367 laps with a P38 finish. He had reportedly wrecked in the second turn of the race and visited the garage for repairs lasting several dozen laps. “You don’t want a car that’s wrecked, been in the garage, comes back out, puts on a fresh set of tires and gets that point,” Forde explained. He noted that while the system was designed to keep teams engaged after setbacks, the unintended advantage it created has hit home for Cup teams battling at the playoff cut line.

Those ripples became waves when championship contenders began using unusual circumstances to capture the extra point. Kyle Larson returned from the garage at Watkins Glen and Mexico City with fresh tires and no pressure to conserve, while being 15 laps down in 39th and 42 laps down in 36th, respectively. Also finishing with the fastest lap at Circuit of the Americas and Kansas, the four extra points helped the Hendrick Motorsports driver earned four extra points, placing him ahead of Chase Elliott in the regular-season standings while gaining an extra playoff point. “I think that’s some of the conversation in the offseason, nothing’s going to be changing over the next nine races, but that is something we plan to look at as we move forward into 2026,” the executive then explained.

The possible adjustment reflects a deeper concern about competitive integrity. Under the current setup, repaired cars can influence championship standings by scoring points that cars still battling up front cannot realistically challenge for. Restricting the rule to lead-lap cars would align the bonus more closely with on-track competition, rewarding speed where it matters most.

Yet, fans online argue the shift is not needed at all. As NASCAR weighs its options, the conversation has spread across social media, with many fans questioning whether the sanctioning body should have introduced the rule in the first place.

NASCAR rule change disapproved by fans

Many fans feel that the sanctioning body is once again trying to micromanage competition. One fan wrote, “Why does everything need fixing good Lord.”  Others argue that the outrage stems from a very specific case rather than a widespread flaw. As one post put it, “are we being forreal? something kinda cool that they added gets tweaked cause berry god forbid salvages an extra point from his garbage day🤣gimme a break.” Another common theme was the belief that NASCAR should prioritize keeping cars on the track and not discouraging them.

A frustrated fan summarized this idea by saying, “Taking away a reason for rebuilding the car to come back out on track. Why cant nascar just get out of their own way?” Some see the proposed change as misplaced priorities. One fan bluntly put it, “This is the last thing that needs to be changed.” There was also a strong sense that the move felt unnecessarily heavy-handed. A short but sharp response read, “This is so petty of nascar!”  Finally, some fans directed their criticism at NASCAR officials themselves. One cutting remark stated, “Maybe NASCAR should just replace Mike Forde instead.”

Taken together, these reactions show a fan base that values consistency, perseverance, and fairness, but also resents overregulation. While NASCAR considers limiting the fastest-lap bonus to lead-lap cars, many supporters feel the sanctioning body is moving too quickly to adjust a rule that was still in its first year of implementation.