NASCAR Weighs Removing Shock-Limiter Rule for 2027

NASCAR is considering dropping the shock-limiter rule from Cup Series Next Gen cars and changing how it inspects cars during race weekends.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Motorsports

Expressive editorial sports illustration of a red and white stock car with lowered ride height cornering hard on a banked oval track in warm golden light. — NASCAR is considering dropping the shock-limiter rule from Cup Series Next Gen cars for the 2027 season, a change that would let teams run lower ride heights. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

NASCAR is considering removing the shock-limiter rule from Cup Series Next Gen cars for the 2027 season, a change that would let teams lower their ride heights without the current limiter restriction. The rumored move has not been officially confirmed by NASCAR as of November 5.

Why it matters

Lower ride heights would let teams run cars closer to the track, which can increase potential aerodynamic advantage. The change could also lead to more aggressive setups and a higher risk of underbody damage.

The rumored change would take effect in the 2027 season and would remove the internal limiters that Cup Series spec shocks use to keep cars from bottoming out. The rule change has not been confirmed by NASCAR as of November 5, 2026.

The players

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is the sanctioning body that governs the Cup Series and writes its technical rules, including the Next Gen car specifications.

Steve O'Donnell

Steve O'Donnell is NASCAR's president, who has publicly discussed opening up certain areas of the car, including suspension and shocks, to greater team development.

Rudy Fugle

Rudy Fugle is a crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports, one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history, who has favored giving teams more freedom under the Next Gen rules.

The details

The rumor was shared by the NASCAR Rumors and Nostalgia account and describes a shift from inspecting cars on struts to inspecting them on shocks throughout the race weekend. NASCAR president Steve O'Donnell said in 2025 that the sanctioning body was considering opening up certain areas of the car, including suspension and shocks, and Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Rudy Fugle favored allowing teams more freedom under the Next Gen rules.

2025: Motorsport.com explained how internal shock limiters affect suspension loads, and O'Donnell discussed opening car areas to teams.
2027 season: The rumored removal of the shock-limiter rule would take effect.
November 5, 2026: NASCAR had not confirmed the rule change.

Roadmap

The possible removal of the shock-limiter rule would loosen one of the spec constraints written into NASCAR's Next Gen rulebook, which was designed to control chassis development across teams. It would mark a shift toward giving teams more suspension freedom than the platform originally allowed.

If NASCAR removes the shock-limiter rule, teams could run lower ride heights in 2027, which would change setup strategy across the Cup Series. Fans following fantasy rosters or team performance would see how the change affects qualifying speeds and damage rates.

The takeaway

Track the official NASCAR rulebook updates before drawing conclusions about the rumored shock-limiter change. Confirmation from the sanctioning body would signal how much suspension freedom teams will have when the 2027 season begins.