NASCAR is talking about raising the age limit for entry into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to 21. The current age restriction is 18 years old and (from what I can find) was inked into NASCAR law at the end of the 2001 season.
Not happy news for 17-year old Joe Gibbs Racing Development driver Joey Lagano.
Scene Daily has a great article from 2002 on how the age limit change affected Kyle Busch.
That article has some interesting quotes:
“…he (Kyle Busch) was so very young and he had so little experience that it’s hard to say that in two years he won’t be further ahead from having the ASA experience that Mark (Martin) and Matt (Kenseth) had that was very good in building their foundations (as drivers).” – Jack Roush
“I understand that they did it for (legal reasons), but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. There are some kids that aren’t ready for it prior to 18. There are some that are.” – Mark Martin
Way back in NASCAR history, all it took was a valid driver’s license in the state of your residence to be able to compete in a NASCAR Series race.
Looking back at the average age of the NASCAR Rookie of the Year winners, it has consistently been a relatively older group of drivers winning that honor.
- 2000′s: 26
- 1990′s: 31
- 1980′s: 33
- 1970′s: 29
- 1960′s: 29
Although notables like Kyle Bush (20), Ricky Rudd (21) and Richard Petty (22) have been the young standouts over the years.
The last few years, the NASCAR team mindset was to get the youngest, most good-looking kids you could find. The ‘Young Guns’ as they are called. That was the sponsorship clincher.
This year it’s all about the former road racing stars. The new NASCAR money machine focus where every rookie contender has a foreign accent.
What effect will this have on NASCAR going into 2009? Is it possible that ‘old timers’ like: John Andretti, Mike Bliss, Ward Burton, Ricky Craven, Jeff Green, Tony Raines, Johnny Sauter, Kenny Schrader, David Stremme and Kenny Wallace will have more opportunities to get rides?
How about an age limit? If a 16 – 18 year old doesn’t have the experience to race Cup, how about the declining reflexes of the older guys?
And where the hell does this leave Warren Wallace? It’s back to the Karts for you kid!
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