NASCAR has made changes to its damaged car policy that will have its biggest impact at tracks like Daytona and Talladega. Teams can no longer replace body panels in the garage and return to the race. While mechanical repairs can still be made in the garage, body repairs are limited to basic work that can be done on pit road. These new rules mean that a big wreck at the beginning of a race could take any number of racers out of the race with no chance to return. With the new three stage race format and point system, missing a race means losing three opportunities for precious points. While the three stage format promised more aggressive racing, the risk of missing an entire race due to a crash is now higher and could mean a more conservative approach to the beginning two stages of the race.
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