NASCAR announced Wednesday afternoon a major shift in its wet-weather policy concerning teams changing tires. Starting this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR will no longer mandate tire changes from dry to wet or wet to dry. Teams can make those choices at their discretion. On Ovals…

NASCAR will retain one decision: whether the race starts under wet-weather conditions, but after the green flag drops, it will step back. Under yellow, NASCAR will determine if pit stops will be non-competitive based on how wet pit road is at the time. Green flags will always remain competitive.

NASCAR stated that they have listened to both fans and teams alike to make this decision. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell stated, “… (the new choice) is another example of how we’re working to improve and put on the best possible show for our fans.”

The change for short ovals is a major step for NASCAR in terms of loosening the reins on the teams and drivers. How do you, as a fan, feel about this change?

Image Credit: Julian Wayne Seriously Fast Motorsports