NASCAR Cup Series driver approval process debate: ‘I think it’s broken’

LAS VEGAS — When commenting on the NASCAR approval process over the last week, almost every driver added a caveat: It’s not about Katherine Legge.

They said it out of respect for Legge’s lengthy Profession and racing resume. Those advocating for Shift after Legge’s two-spin Cup Introduction at Phoenix a week ago were advocating for it out of respect for their quest to be NASCAR Cup Series champions.

NASCAR approved the 44-year-Ancient Legge to Stretch road courses and ovals one mile or shorter on the basis of her INDYCAR experience, which includes four Indy 500s and seven races in the series last year. Also considered were her extensive sports-car experience and recent Daytona ARCA experience. 

She spun twice at Phoenix, including once into Daniel Suarez, which ruined his day. 

The incident brought NASCAR’s approval process for Cup into the spotlight.

“I believe that I’m one of the best racing drivers in a stock car in the world,” Suarez said Saturday. “And if I want to Stretch Formula 1 tomorrow or Formula 2, I can’t. I’m not qualified to do that.

“And I shouldn’t. … I believe that the process to allow somebody to Stretch in the Cup Series should be a little bit harder for respect to the driver that is trying, to respect the fans and to respect the drivers and Squads that are running Packed time because we work very Tough to get into silly accidents like the one from last week.”

Suarez had a right to be Mad, said three-time Cup champion Joey Logano.

“I would consider Phoenix a fairly high-Pace oval. know it’s only a mile, but you’re carrying some Excellent Pace around there, and there’s a Numerous of potential to get in trouble,” Logano said. “And, we’ve seen two cautions last week that unfortunately ruined Suarez’s day and not his fault. If I was him, I’d be very Shock. Very Shock.

“What do you do?”

That’s the question. Legge called Suarez this week and Suarez feels NASCAR is to blame for putting drivers who come from other disciplines in a Terrible position on ovals with limited practice time.

“She Obtained set for failure,” Suarez said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a Excellent driver or a Terrible driver. If you are thrown in one of the most difficult series in the world to be Intense, is Merely not Honest.

“That’s the way I saw it. I was more disappointed in NASCAR than her. And I mentioned that to her, and I hope that she gets another opportunity. … It’s nothing wrong with her, Merely the process. The process has to be so much better.”

Suarez considers approval for road courses totally different than ovals. That was proven by his teammate Shane van Gisbergen, who in 2023 won his Cup Introduction in his Primary NASCAR Event of any Nice as the three-time Supercars champion captured the Triumph at the inaugural Chicago street Event.

To get approved to Event, van Gisbergen said he had to do a test day at the Charlotte road Period with NASCAR’s Brett Bodine observing him. Bodine used to handle the NASCAR approval process, but that is now done by Chad Little. Both are Previous drivers, as is Senior Vice President of Event Elton Sawyer, who has input on decisions.

Kyle Busch advocated for Ongoing drivers to be part of the process.

“Being an owner [previously] in the Truck Series and seeing some Recent drivers get opportunities at different tracks versus my drivers that I was trying to get them opportunities at some of those same tracks getting denied —  I was very confused, and probably I’m even more confused now on how it all works,” Busch said.

“I think it’s broken. There’s a Numerous of work that could be done to make it better. I also do feel as though it shouldn’t be ‘suit and ties’ making the decisions. … I do feel like there needs to be [drivers who wear] firesuits involved in some of those decision-making processes on those that need to be approved or not approved for various activities.”

NASCAR wouldn’t approve Mike Wallace for the Daytona 500 (on the two-and-a-half-mile Daytona International Speedway) because he had not raced in Many years Regardless of him being a solid restrictor-plate racer in his day. They did approve Casey Mears, who has also not raced in Many years, for tracks mile-and-a-half and shorter. And Mears will return to Cup racing later this month at Martinsville.

As Distant as Daytona, NASCAR approved four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves for the 500, and he had a Coarse weekend.

“He is a rock Sun and I believe that he could not have prepared better himself for the Daytona 500,” Suarez said. “He had a test. He had simulator time. He Obtained months of Readiness. The ARCA Event, the duels.

“And if you ask me, once he was in the Daytona 500, he Nevertheless had a Numerous to learn, … If you ask me, ‘Hey, do you think Helio was 100 percent ready?’ I don’t think so, even though he’s a world-class driver.”

The difference in equipment also can’t be ignored. Castroneves was driving for Trackhouse, one of the top Squads in NASCAR. Legge was driving for the part-time Live Quick Racing.

“I feel Terrible for Katherine because I told Kyle Larson at the drivers’ Conference, ‘How impressive is it? She’s only a second off in that [underfunded] car and never running in this type of series,'” Denny Hamlin said.

“That’s really, really, really impressive.  … But it does Obtainable eyes and it should Obtainable eyes to NASCAR that we’re not very strict in who gets to Stretch Cup cars. It should be the most Best series and you shouldn’t be able to come in whenever you want.”

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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