"It's only a rule if it's enforced": Joey Logano makes feelings known on NASCAR's new playoff waiver policy

The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano has recently shared his opinion on NASCAR’s big changes to the playoff waiver policy for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. He is weighing in on the new waiver rule, making it clear that enforcement is what truly determines whether this rule holds weight or not.

Following last year’s playoff waiver drama between Kyle Larson and NASCAR, the governing body has updated its waiver policy for 2025. For this season and beyond, if a waiver is granted for a non-medical reason (birth of a child, family emergency, or age restriction) to any driver, then he will lose all playoff points and will start the postseason with zero points. Whereas no playoff points will be removed for medical reasons.

Speaking to FOX Sports’s Bob Pockrass about the new waiver rule, Joey Logano explained that drivers think about the consequences of breaking rules, but the impact depends on how strictly NASCAR enforces this new waiver policy.

In response to recent changes to the waiver rules, here’s what Logano said:

“No, I mean, you definitely think of consequences. I think the big thing about rules is it's only a rule if it's enforced, so if NASCAR is willing to pull the trigger on these rules that are in place and enforce them, then yeah, they're going to have a huge effect, but I think it kind of depends on how that goes, right?”

“I don't want to be the first person to try them out, right? You don't want to test them, but I think a lot of times, just like any other rule, we kind of look and see how it's enforced, and that's the rule, is how it's enforced,” he added.

Logano also gave his two cents on the Clash returning to the Bowman Gray after a prolonged hiatus and the future venue for similar exhibition-style events.

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Joey Logano gives his opinion on NASCAR Clash venue for 2026 and beyond

Joey Logano during practice for the Clash at Bowman Gray at Bowman Gray Stadium - Source: Imagn

The #22 Ford Team Penske driver, who finished fourth in this year’s NASCAR Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, believes that NASCAR should continue to explore new venues for exhibition-style Clash events. The 2025 Clash was held at the 0.25-mile Bowman Gray track.

Sharing his opinion on whether the NASCAR Clash event should return to Bowman Gray in 2026 or move to a new venue, here’s what Joey Logano said:

“It looks good; the energy is real. It's not like you have this ginormous stadium and you get half or three quarters of it full. It’s standing room only; it's a special feel; it's hard to get the ticket. People want what they can't have, right? In the same breath, I would say it's very important for us to move things around. We've seen the success of our sport moving to new racetracks.” [via Bob Pockrass on X]

Fans can watch Joey Logano in action at the Daytona 500 this weekend on FOX.