Though he’s out for the remainder of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, Stewart Friesen still might request a waiver to be eligible for the playoffs.
NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde explained during the latest episode of the “Hauler Talk” podcast that there would be a financial incentive to make the 10-driver playoff despite being unable to start a race. Because of injuries sustained in a dirt race last week, Friesen will miss the last two races of the regular season — which would make him ineligible for the Truck playoffs without a waiver from NASCAR.
“If we grant the waiver, he would be in the playoffs, even though he’s not starting any races,” Forde said. “He would be guaranteed to finish 10th and get that 10th-place point fund money. So that’s up to the team if they want to ask for a waiver. And if they do, then it’s up to NASCAR to decide how to handle that situation.”
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NASCAR had a similar situation in 2022 with Kurt Busch, who qualified for the Cup Series playoffs but was sidelined by an injury two months later. When it became evident he’d be unable to return for the 16-driver playoffs, Busch declined to request a waiver, which opened a spot for another driver to contend for the championship.
A major difference is that in the Cup Series’ charter system, the season-ending points fund payouts are based solely on where a car finishes in the team owner standings (Busch’s No. 45 Toyota still finished in the top 16 even though the driver couldn’t).
In the Craftsman Truck Series, there are separate points funds with money distributions based on the team owner points standings and the driver points standings. Regardless of Friesen’s injury, his No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota will finish in the top 10 of the team owner standings (with substitute drivers Christopher Bell and Kaden Honeycutt), but Friesen, who qualified for the playoffs with a victory at Michigan International Speedway, would finish well outside the top 10 in the driver standings without a playoff waiver.
“If he does ask for and is granted a waiver, then there really would be only nine drivers who would be contending for the championship,” Forde said.
If Friesen declined to request or was denied a waiver, Forde said the next highest-ranked driver in points would fill the playoff slot.
Friesen is precluded from requesting a waiver until he misses a race, which will happen Friday at Watkins Glen International. A waiver request would be considered by a panel of NASCAR officials, and their decision would be sent to the NASCAR board of directors for approval.
Other topics covered during the 26th episode of “Hauler Talk,” which explores competition issues in NASCAR:
— Why some teams had problems with staying under the pit-road speeding limit at Iowa Speedway.
— How NASCAR addressed oil on the track during the Xfinity race that caused a late caution flag.
— The likelihood of horsepower changes on short tracks next season.
— The future of Iowa Speedway on the Cup schedule and whether it will include a repaving.
— A new restart zone at Watkins Glen International this weekend.
Click on the embed above to listen or search for “Hauler Talk” wherever you download podcasts to hear it on your phone, tablet or mobile device.
Nate Ryan has written about NASCAR since 1996 while working at the San Bernardino Sun, Richmond Times-Dispatch, USA TODAY and for the past 10 years at NBC Sports Digital. He is a contributor to the “Hauler Talk” show on the NASCAR Podcast Network. He also has covered various other motorsports, including the IndyCar and IMSA series.