NASCAR's Enhances On-Track Product Featuring a Stage-Based Race Format

Playoff Points, Regular Season Champion Incentives Highlight Updates

NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O'Donnell

speaks on stage about competition changes to the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup
Series at Charlotte Convention Center on January 23, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Before the Daytona races commence, this is just a quick reminder of the enhancements NASCAR, in collaboration with industry stakeholders, announced last month.  The enhanced competition format will be implemented in all three of its national series – the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The enhanced format consists of the following:

• Races will now consist of three stages, with championship implications in each stage.
• The top-10 finishers of the first two stages will be awarded additional championship points.
• The winner of the first two stages of each race will receive one playoff point, and the race winner will receive five playoff points. Each playoff point will be added to his or her reset total following race No. 26, if that competitor makes the playoffs.
• All playoff points will carry through to the end of the third round of the playoffs (Round of 8), with the Championship 4 racing straight-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the title.
• Championship points following the first two stages will be awarded on a descending scale, with the stage winner receiving 10 points, second receiving 9 points, and so on.
• The race winner following the final stage will now receive 40 points, second-place will receive 35, third-place 34, fourth-place 33, and so on.

“Simply put, this will make our great racing even better,” said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. “I’m proud of the unprecedented collaboration from our industry stakeholders, each of whom had a common goal – strengthening the sport for our fans. This is an enhancement fully rooted in teamwork, and the result will be an even better product every single week.”

NASCAR also announced a playoff bonus structure that will see the regular season points leader honored as the regular season champion, earning 15 playoff points that will be added to the driver’s playoff reset of 2,000. In addition, the top-10 drivers in points leading into the playoffs will receive playoff points, with second place receiving 10 playoff points, third place will earn 8 points, fourth place will receive 7 points, and so on.

All playoff points will carry through to the end of the Round of 8.

NASCAR drivers and executives sit on stage during a press conference
outlining the changes to the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
at Charlotte Convention Center on January 23, 2017 in Charlotte.

“These are enhancements that the NASCAR fan has long sought, and the entire industry has worked hard to develop a better racing format for our fans,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “This format puts a premium on every victory and every in-race position over the course of the season. Each point can eventually result in winning or losing a championship.”

Photos by Chris Graythen/Getty Images