On October 26, 2016, NASCAR announced plans to limit Cup participation in the lower series starting in 2017. Cup drivers with at least five years of experience in the series would be allowed to compete in up to ten Xfinity and seven Truck Series races, and are banned from racing in the final eight races of the lower series season (regular season finale and Chase races) and the Xfinity Dash 4 Cash races. The number was further reduced to up to seven Xfinity Series races and up to five Camping World Truck Series races in 2018. The new restrictions for 2018 also include an outright prohibition of full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers from the 12 (Xfinity) or eight (Truck) protected races (the seven playoff races, the Las Vegas regular season finale in both series and the four bonus money program races in Xfinity).