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NASCAR Adds “Stages” To Their Race Format And Replaces The Chase

NASCARannounceschangesfor2017raceformat

NASCAR announced enhancements to the race format and points system for the 2017 season during a press conference Monday evening at the Charlotte Convention Center.

After listening to the fans, industry key stakeholders – teams, drivers and tracks – met to help plan out the new format that is intended to help create more compelling racing early in each race and add additional incentives for competitors during the events.

Format Changes:

•  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.

“Today’s announcement will take NASCAR competition to new levels beginning with Speedweeks,” Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile said. “Race fans will see more can’t-miss moments on the track as every lap of every race is going to impact championships for all three national series. Today’s news is the product of the industry working together as well as listening to the fans.”

The Chase, which was the name for the NASCAR post-season in previous seasons will now be simply known as the playoffs.

One topic that has been brought up numerous times in the past is awarding the points leader at the conclusion of the regular season. This year that will come to fruition as the driver highest in points following race 26 at Richmond International Raceway will get a 15-point seeding bonus to the 2,000-point base reset. The top-10 drivers in regular-season points also will receive playoff points with second place earning 10 points, third place getting eight points, fourth place obtaining seven points, and so on. All playoff points will carry through to the end of the third round of the playoffs (Round of 8).

“I love the fact that the bonus points or the playoff points will carry through the playoffs all the way to the last round,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. ” So everything you do throughout the season is really going to help you throughout the playoffs.  That’s a great change.”

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– story by MRN Staff
mrn.com

 

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