(photo credit Leon Hammack)

NASCAR announced a bevy of rulebook updates across its top three national series Friday, including a revamp of the eligibility for the Xfinity Fastest Lap of the race in the Cup Series.

After multiple instances last year in which damaged cars returned to set the fastest lap of the race (and earn a bonus point), drivers now will be disallowed from a reward for being fastest once their car has been repaired in the garage.

If 19 of 20 lug nuts are safe and secure, teams will lose pit selection for the next race. If 18 lug nuts are secure, it’s a fine ($5,000 in O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, $2,500 in the Truck Series) and a one-race crew member suspension. If there are four missing lug nuts, it’s a race disqualification in both series. In the past, the fines started at one missing lug nut ($5,000 for NOAPS), and crew chiefs also would be suspended for multiple missing lug nuts. Teams successfully lobbied NASCAR that the punishments were too harsh.

NASCAR will hold a potential four additional spots for OEM provisionals in this season’s first three Craftsman Truck Series races as Ram makes its return to NASCAR. If any of the manufacturer’s entries fails to make the 36-truck field on qualifying speed at Daytona, EchoPark Speedway or the street race at St. Petersburg, Florida, the vehicle would be added to the rear of the starting lineup, leading to a maximum 40-truck field if necessary.

NASCAR also lowered the minimum age for competing on 1.25-mile and shorter tracks in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series to 17 years old, which is between the 16-year-old minimum for trucks and 18 for Cup.

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!