NASCAR may limit all Cup Series drivers to 5 XFINITY Series races

The days of drivers effectively running both of NASCAR’s top series at the same time could be coming to an end.

NASCAR has always walked a delicate line when it comes to the XFINITY Series. Ban Cup Series drivers altogether and it makes fans and sponsors unhappy. Allow them to run too many races and it means the stars of tomorrow are constantly overshadowed in what should be their own series.

The current compromise limits Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers with at least five years experience at that level to 10 races a season, while less experienced competitors can run an unlimited amount. That means drivers like Ty Dillon have essentially been doing double duty all year (with only a few races as exceptions). However, according to NBC Sports, NASCAR is considering cutting those numbers way back for everyone.

The idea being kicked around would limit anyone running for points in the Cup Series to just five XFINITY Series races a year, regardless of experience. The series’ managing director, Wayne Auton, hinted that an announcement for the 2018 season could be made soon.

"“We have been in talks with teams about even limiting the number of races more or stay where we’re at. Those conversations are ongoing. Stay tuned. I think some announcements will be coming out here pretty soon on what the garage area has asked us to look at.’’"

Interestingly, Cup Series drivers are against the change. Both Kyle Busch and Kevn Harvick told NBC Sports that they were in favor of continuing with the status quo, and while Busch pleaded the fifth when asked why, Harvick said that sponsorship was a big factor.

"“I just think we need to be very, very careful about cutting all the Cup ties to the series out of the (Xfinity) Series because there is a lot of sponsorship that really probably won’t show up until you get two, three or four years down the road, when these sponsors say, ‘Well, if I can’t have Kyle (Busch) in the car, I’ll put the money in the Cup car. We’ll just use the Cup car and that will be it because that is what will happen because the price point is becoming increasingly closer as we go through the years from one series to another.’’"

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While Harvick certainly makes a strong case, there’s no question that further limits on Cup Series participation would allow the XFINITY Series drivers to do one thing more often: visit Victory Lane. Through 17 XFINITY races in 2017, series regulars managed to claim just four wins: two by William Byron and one each by Justin Allgaier and Ryan Reed.

That reality makes wins insanely valuable in the XFINITY Series playoff system, which while desirable, probably doesn’t need to be true to the degree it is right now. The question is whether cutting back on Cup Series drivers too much would have an overall detrimental impact, and the only way we’re going to know is if NASCAR does it and finds out.