If you closely examine the final points standings in any given year, there’s usually some small moment or relatively unnoticed occurrence that winds up having major consequences in the end. There have been times where a long pit stop here or getting in the right line of the draft there has meant the difference between seventh or eighth in points. Most famously, the 1992 championship was decided by Alan Kulwicki leading one more lap than Bill Elliott in the final race, creating a 10-point swing that lives forever in NASCAR history.
A single lap, oddly enough, could also wind up having major consequences for the present day’s championship battle. While most were focused on Chase Briscoe’s dominance of Sunday’s Southern 500, Josh Berry — rendered an afterthought by a lap 1 crash — rejoined the race after extensive damage repairs. And with little left to salvage after enough laps had elapsed to ensure that he would finish last, the No. 21 pursued the Xfinity Fastest Lap, which they earned, to give Berry one bonus point that allowed him to only fall to 19 points below the cut line, a development which could prove pivotal if he winds up in a tight points battle to make the Round of 12 by the final laps at Bristol.
Allowing drivers well out of contention to still give their race meaning has been a feature of the Fastest Lap Award, which NASCAR began handing out in all of their national series this season. But evidently, there has been some discussion as to whether this isn’t a feature so much as it is a bug.
Berry earning the Fastest Lap point with a wrecked race car well out of contention, as well as the previous example of Kyle Larson doing the same — and eventually improving his regular season points position and playoff position as a result — have apparently spurred talk among NASCAR officials as to whether or not the award needs to be modified for 2026. During this week’s episode of Hauler Talk, NASCAR’s Mike Forde noted that the topic of Berry’s fastest lap was discussed in a Tuesday competition meeting among officials.
“The fastest lap point and how we award that did come up,” Forde said. “Short conversation, it was just one of those things where ‘hey, maybe this is something we do look at.'”
The merits of keeping the fastest lap award as is were then outlined, as it gives teams the opportunity to work towards something and fans something to cheer their driver on towards, even on days when something takes them out of a chance to contend. However, altering the rule to have it limited to cars that either finish on the lead lap or set the fastest lap while they were on the lead lap, apparently has been in the realm of conversation among NASCAR’s decision makers.
The very idea of changing the Fastest Lap Award’s criteria instantly elicited strong opinions when it made its way to social media. After all, why wouldn’t it? And while some of the discourse around competition matters is always a little much, it’s worth pointing out how the Fastest Lap bonus point, regardless of who earns it and how, has been a plus of the 2025 season so far.
Now, let’s tie this back to another rule change: After addressing a highly flawed rule that rendered perfectly fine cars unable to compete if they had to go back to the garage after being involved in any kind of accident, no matter how minor, NASCAR returned to allowing teams to fix damaged cars in the garage area and send them back out in order to make laps and salvage what they could out of the day. Traditionally, the incentive to do so was always to pick up spots over other cars that had dropped out of the race. But in today’s NASCAR, where cars and equipment have become so durable that it’s not uncommon for all but maybe one or two cars to be running at the finish, there isn’t nearly as much opportunity to ride around and pick up spots — and points — as there once was.
Given that, as well as other considerations from both a competitive and entertainment standpoint, it’s difficult to see exactly why there would be a need to change the Fastest Lap Award or anything it’s brought to NASCAR this season. If anything, it adds an extra layer to Berry’s attempt to recover from his Southern 500 misfortunes, and it could wind up having major consequences if Berry manages to claw his way back into the next round of the playoffs by the final laps at Bristol. Which, surely, would tickle the sensibilities of those who enjoy the playoff system and the dense situational intrigue it provides as is.
In fairness, Hauler Talk did espouse the benefits of the way the Fastest Lap Award is currently structured, suggesting that any proposal of modifying who can earn it and how is merely an idea as opposed to something NASCAR is actively seeking.
“I imagine if you ask the teams, they probably are for it,” Forde said of the current Fastest Lap Award rules. “They’re competitors, and it gives them something to race for.”
Berry’s team taking advantage of the Fastest Lap Award illustrates the benefits of the rule as it is, and how it gives even the most broken of cars a chance to fix their days from a total loss into what may amount to something. Hopefully, NASCAR recognizes this and doesn’t try to fix something that isn’t broken the way it is right now.
