The designation of a NASCAR rookie has changed again.
Mike Forde, NASCAR’s vice president of racing communications, revealed as much during the latest episode of the Hauler Talk podcast. The conversation centered around whether Corey Heim will be eligible in 2027 as he goes full-time with 23XI Racing.
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The new criteria, per Forde, is that in the Cup Series a driver can have no more than 12 starts prior to the season they want to declare for Rookie of the Year. It is 10 starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and eight in the Craftsman Truck Series.
A driver is not automatically eligible upon entering a new series and running it full-time for the first time. A team must apply for a driver to be a Rookie of the Year contender, and NASCAR will then consider the request.
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Heim has made 15 starts in the Cup Series since 2024. He has four more starts left on his schedule for this season. Forde also revealed that Heim could have competed for Rookie of the Year this season, but did not apply for it.
— Racer —