“It left out our own.” This is how NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick reacted to the Open Exemption Provisional rule. This rule allows one “world-class driver” from another racing series to receive a guaranteed 41st entry to the Daytona 500, bypassing the usual qualification process. On the surface, this might seem like a great move to increase the viewership by guaranteeing the spot of a motorsports veteran, but doesn’t it neglect the homegrown heroes of the sport?
Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves will drive the Project 91 car for Trackhouse Racing at the Daytona 500, while 7-time Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson has to go through qualifying. This clearly upset Harvick, and now, 2017 Cup Series Champion Martin Truex Jr. has spoken out against the same.
Martin Truex Jr. is just here to race
The Daytona 500 has always been a spectacle. From controversies to wrecks, it has lived up to its ‘Great American Race’ tag. However, the newly introduced Open Exemption Provisional rule continues to frustrate fans and drivers alike. Denny Hamlin said it “reeks of desperation” while Jeff Gordon called it a “popularity contest”. As we inch closer to the Daytona 500, Truex Jr. slammed NASCAR for such a move and called it weird.
The 2017 Cup series champion openly questioned why a non-NASCAR driver like Helio Castroneves got a free pass while Jimmie Johnson didn’t. “I really don’t understand it, you know. I don’t see a reason why, you know, he should be in the race and Jimmie Johnson shouldn’t be. So, it’s a little weird to me, but I don’t make the rules, so I just come here and race,” Truex Jr. tells the media.
Truex Jr.’s words weren’t just about personal frustration. His comments highlighted the ongoing debate in the NASCAR community. Many ask why wasn’t Jimmie Johnson given the same level of respect as Castroneves. This becomes more important when considering Johnson’s struggles. Since his return to NASCAR in a part-time role with Legacy Motor Club, he has failed to deliver with the Next Gen car. He is yet to post a top-25 finish in the Next-Gen car and barely scraped by J. J. Yeley in 2024 during the Duels to qualify for the Daytona 500. Quite similarly, Castroneves has not picked up an IndyCar win since 2022 as well, despite tasting success at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2023.
I asked @MartinTruex_Jr if he thought it was unfair he still had to race his way into the #DAYTONA500 and Helio Castroneves didn’t:
“I have to say yes. I don’t really get it. I don’t see why he should be in the race and Jimmie Johnson shouldn’t be.”@Frontstretch pic.twitter.com/3Cr99hQQVJ
— Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT) February 12, 2025
However, Helio Castroneves’ entry into the Daytona 500 is surely based on his stature and merits. The 49-year-old Brazilian star will make his NASCAR debut with Trackhouse Racing after dominating IndyCar for years. He has four IndyCar runner-up finishes to go with his four Indy500 wins and if that wasn’t enough, he has won the 24 Hours of Daytona three times in a row! Only four other drivers can match his tally of four Indianapolis 500 victories, and none of them did it in the 21st Century. Despite such a resume, many feel that NASCAR granted him direct entry unfairly.
Speaking about the rule, Truex Jr. added that had he known about the provisional earlier, he might have approached things differently. “That would have been nice to know. Justin Marks obviously did pretty quickly. 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,” Truex Jr. said on The Teardown podcast.
Notably, Marks, owner of Trackhouse Racing, was the only team owner who took advantage of the OEP rule. As a result, Castroneves became the only driver eligible for the provisional spot. Truex Jr.’s comments highlight the growing frustration among drivers over NASCAR’s tendency to change rules without clear communication. Many feel that the OEP was a last-minute addition that benefited only those who were quick enough to take advantage of it. NASCAR veteran Jeff Gordon even asked the sanctioning body to clarify the details of the rule.
Justin Marks exposes Jeff Gordon’s concerns!
Amid the ongoing debate, the four-time Cup Series champion has raised important concerns about the OEP rule. While speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Gordon asked NASCAR to clarify the criteria of selection. “What I’m questioning, or what I need more answers to, is what’s the criteria that dictate who gets in and who doesn’t? Does it just become a popularity contest, and what again is the popularity based on?” Gordon says.
Gordon’s comments reflect a major issue with the rule, i.e. it lacks clear guidelines. While NASCAR claims the OEP is meant for “world-class drivers,” there is no defined system to determine who fits that category. This ambiguity has led to frustration among teams and drivers who feel left out of the process. However, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks revealed that the rule was part of the charter, and anyone could have utilized it.
“So, I understand the philosophy behind it. You know, that was what showed up in the charter agreement. Everybody read it. I think we were the only ones to put our hands up. Everybody could, but we did,” says Marks. His statement suggests that NASCAR teams may have missed an opportunity by not requesting the exemption for their drivers. However, it also raises another question—why wasn’t there more transparency about the rule?
Fans and drivers like Martin Truex Jr. got to know about the rule when NASCAR publicly announced it. Had others been more aware of the rule, they could have applied for the exemption and potentially secured a guaranteed spot. However, now drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. have to qualify for the main race to participate in the iconic event. What do you think? Will Johnson and Truex Jr. qualify for the Great American Race?
The post Martin Truex Jr. Throws Shade at NASCAR’s Injustice Against Jimmie Johnson for ‘OEP’ Star Entry appeared first on EssentiallySports.