NASCAR officials confirmed the rumor that its’ championship points rules would be substantially changed for the first time in four decades.
Although there had been tweaks, here and there, the stock car body had a system which started in three figures and worked its way down in a complicated fashion.
Starting in 2011 the winner will be awarded 43 points then go down one point for one position until the 43rd finisher. A win will be worth three bonus points, and one bonus point for leading a lap and one additional point for leading the most laps. The maximum points for the weekend will be 48.
NASCAR CEO, Brian France explained "although it's slightly better for a win than the old system, albeit just slightly. What all the models do say is it's going to ‑‑ of course we don't ‑‑ everybody don't know how they're going to race, but they race similar to how they always race, the Chase, the regular season tightens up. Most importantly, though, we didn't make a fundamental change in wins or anything else because there's always a balance. We like that balance.
This is a goal for the ‑‑ the most important reason is simplicity. And this allows us a way to communicate the standings in all motorsports, has complicated formulas to add up to tracking someone's ‑‑ the standings. This is a very, I think, straightforward way to do that."
NASCAR officials will not award a point for to a pole winner.
There will also be a three-point seeding bonus for non-Chase wins which will transfer to the initial calculation for the Chase points.
As for the Chase there still will be 12 drivers transferring into the Chase, but, the calculation is now changed. The top-ten will be based on points, plus the three point bonus for each race win. NASCAR has not established a base figure as of today.
Instead of points the final two spots will be "wild cards" going to the driver with the most wins between 11th and 20th in the points. If there are no wild card winners then the 11th and 12th place in points will be the final qualifiers.
As for points penalties, NASCAR president Mike Helton, said "It will be proportioned similarly. Obviously the numerical number will be different. But it will be similar penalties for similar infractions."
Although there had been tweaks, here and there, the stock car body had a system which started in three figures and worked its way down in a complicated fashion.
Starting in 2011 the winner will be awarded 43 points then go down one point for one position until the 43rd finisher. A win will be worth three bonus points, and one bonus point for leading a lap and one additional point for leading the most laps. The maximum points for the weekend will be 48.
NASCAR CEO, Brian France explained "although it's slightly better for a win than the old system, albeit just slightly. What all the models do say is it's going to ‑‑ of course we don't ‑‑ everybody don't know how they're going to race, but they race similar to how they always race, the Chase, the regular season tightens up. Most importantly, though, we didn't make a fundamental change in wins or anything else because there's always a balance. We like that balance.
This is a goal for the ‑‑ the most important reason is simplicity. And this allows us a way to communicate the standings in all motorsports, has complicated formulas to add up to tracking someone's ‑‑ the standings. This is a very, I think, straightforward way to do that."
NASCAR officials will not award a point for to a pole winner.
There will also be a three-point seeding bonus for non-Chase wins which will transfer to the initial calculation for the Chase points.
As for the Chase there still will be 12 drivers transferring into the Chase, but, the calculation is now changed. The top-ten will be based on points, plus the three point bonus for each race win. NASCAR has not established a base figure as of today.
Instead of points the final two spots will be "wild cards" going to the driver with the most wins between 11th and 20th in the points. If there are no wild card winners then the 11th and 12th place in points will be the final qualifiers.
As for points penalties, NASCAR president Mike Helton, said "It will be proportioned similarly. Obviously the numerical number will be different. But it will be similar penalties for similar infractions."