Martin Truex Jr. brands new OEP rule as “a slap in the face”
The 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. has shared his feelings about the Open Exemption Provisional.
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Martin Truex Jr. (Via IMAGO)
The 2025 Cup season has started with the Daytona 500 Speedweeks, with drivers completing the first practice session on Wednesday. NASCAR made some significant changes to rules books, including the addition of the Open Exemption Provisional, which gives the elite drivers from other series an free starting spot.
Trackhouse Racing’s Helio Castroneves is set to become the first racer to use the OEP rules, as the four-time Indy 500 will make his Daytona 500 debut on Sunday. 2017 Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. shared his feelings about the rules, which he can’t take advantage of, ahead of his Daytona race with Tricon Garage. He sees it as a slap in the face.
It’s a bit of a slap in the face, no question. I put 20 something years in this sport. It gave me a lot too but I’m just saying I’ve been here doing the grind and still wanting to do it. Yeah, I don’t know. Depends on what side you’re looking at it from.
Martin Truex Jr. said via The Teardown podcast.
Though he agrees with the fact that the provisional is good for the sport, when looked into it from a driver perspective it’s not a good feeling. He then highlighted how Jimmie Johnson would have felt terrible about the OEPs.
It’s good for the sport, I agree. If I was Jimmie Johnson, would I be pissed? Yep. Seven-time champion, we don’t care. You got to make the race but a new guy don’t have to. So, it’s a little weird to me but I don’t make the rules, I just come play.
Martin Truex Jr. added.
Martin Truex Jr. wished he knew OEP rules before
In the same podcast, Junior pointed out that he would have loved to know about the rule earlier. He then highlighted how Trackhosue Racing and Justin Marks used the opportunity as soon as they got the wind of it, showing how sharp he is as a team owner.
Yeah, that would have been nice. That would have been nice to know. [Trackhouse Racing owner] Justin Marks obviously did pretty quick. He read that early on and was like, ‘OK, gonna go find somebody to drive my car.’ He’s pretty sharp on that one, pulled a fast one.
Martin Truex Jr. said.
The comments from the ex-Joe Gibbs Racing driver really shows he is really disappointed with the new rule change and how NASCAR announced it. It would be interesting to see how Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson will perform against Castroneves, who would use OEP.
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