Xfinity Fastest Lap: ‘In February this year, NASCAR announced that a race point will be awarded to the driver and owner of the car with the fastest lap during the race, regardless of finishing position.’

Last season, Kyle Larson raced five fastest laps, but he still lost the regular season title by just one point to Tyler Riddick. This season, though, the Hendrick Motorsports driver was in luck with the new rule. In the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event in Mexico City, Larson’s race was marred by a multi-car incident on lap 8, leaving him with substantial damage and relegating him to 36th, 42 laps down. Despite the setbacks, Larson’s team made extensive repairs, and he returned to the track, setting the fastest lap of the race. So far, he has used the rule to his advantage for four points. The rule, however, is now under harsh scrutiny.

In the playoff season opener at Southern 500, Josh Berry crashed on the second turn of the opening lap and spent several dozen laps in the garage. When he returned, Berry set the fastest lap of the race with 29.038 seconds on the 1.366-mile oval, earning a bonus point. However, he completed only 239 of 367 laps for a 38th-place finish. Naturally, eyebrows were raised. But Larson, for obvious reasons, doesn’t mind having the rule around.

Speaking to Frontstretch, Kyle Larson didn’t seem to be that bothered by the rule. He said, “I mean, I would prefer them to keep it how it is. I mean, you know, it gives you a reason to repair your car and chase something that can benefit you. And I think it obviously benefited us, you know, with more playoff points and stuff. So, I think it’s good. I think it’s a storyline, and I don’t see the harm in it. So, I don’t know.”

Of course, Kyle Larson prefers the rule. He has leveraged the NASCAR fastest lap bonus to his advantage this year, earning four additional points that significantly boosted his playoff positioning. Similar to Mexico, Larson has claimed bonus points at Watkins Glen, Kansas Speedway, and COTA.

NASCAR’s introduction of a fastest lap bonus across all its national series has added a strategic twist to the season of opportunity, rewarding more than just finishing position. It’s a game-changer that injects extra drama and tactical depth; teams now have an incentive to fight back from setbacks and capitalize on every second, not just every position.

However, NASCAR officials are looking into changing this rule. Mike Forde, NASCAR’s Managing Director of Racing Communications, revealed that the officials are exploring a significant tweak to the roof. On the Hauler Talk podcast, Forde stated, “I think that’s some of the conversation in the offseason, nothing’s going to be changing over the next nine races, but that is something we plan to look at as we move forward into 2026.

“Fans of Kyle Larson came out to watch him, and they want to continue seeing him strive and compete for something when you’re double- or triple-digits laps down,” Forde said. “So there are good reasons to keep it in there. “I imagine if you ask the teams, they probably are for it. They’re competitors, and it gives them something to race for … no one’s knocking down the doors of the hauler to gripe about it.”

The adjustment would limit the bonus to the driver on the lead lap, directly addressing concerns that the current system rewards cars that have already fallen behind due to earlier issues. He explained that the rule was originally designed to promote engagement throughout the race, but he admitted it has unintentionally created an advantage for certain teams, especially for those hovering near the playoff cut-off. The revamp will possibly roll out in 2026.

For now, Larson needs to find his fire again before the playoffs roll deeper. Because in this championship hunt, good isn’t going to cut it; only the real Kyle Larson will. And with the fastest lap advantage changing any minute, it’s best to be ready for anything.