NASCAR introduced stage racing in 2017 as a way to adapt its traditional long-duration races to a larger digital audience. Stage racing is simply NASCAR's way of bunching the field up a couple of times and trying to create something interesting. Drivers have, on several occasions, finished races well outside the top 10 but still placed top five in total race points due to their stage results, and race winners havent always been the highest scorers pretty strange for a playoff system that supposedly rewards wins above everything. Since 2017, the main three sections of NASCAR (cup cars, XFinity, trucks) all compete in races that have three stages per race, with a fourth stage being added into the longer Coca-Cola 600. So, in a nutshell, stage racing has achieved what NASCAR anticipated: adding interest and strategy to the sport. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Stage racing was implemented in NASCAR to remove the chance of race domination by single race drivers. STARTING LINEUP: Dover Cup starting lineup. Stage 1 is 65 laps long, starting at lap 1. Stages also replace pit stops and give drivers a break they would never have been able to take during the old races. The 2022 event was raced on a short track created inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Race wins are worth 5 points, while stage wins are worth 1. Die-hard track-attending fans are not happy with stage racing implementation since they dont benefit from the onscreen advantages television spectators gain. . The pending end of a stage. Whether or not stage racing is good for NASCAR may always be a debated topic for as long as it exists. A short track built within the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum served as the venue for the 2022 competition. Although these sometimes happen on their own throughout the race, there are other times where the opportunity doesn't present itself. NASCAR Safety Equipment - The Safety Revolution Continues The now-former CEO also cited fan engagement during his announcement, saying stage racing resulted from industry-wide collaborative brainstorming sessions with the ultimate goal being strengthening the sport for our fans. Modern-day NASCAR always strives to put on a great show for fans and is willing to alter tradition to do so, even if the decisions are not always beloved by everyone. To attempt to bank stage points up front, they frequently exchange inferior track positions on the subsequent restart. The split racing format drastically affects the long-winded races and extreme endurance required in NASCARs traditional races. All NASCAR points races now have stages. These points were crucial because they determine how many points each driver receives after a race when they are added together. It helps television with commercials because there is no action missed. Stage racing and the subsequent cautions provide organic commercial breaks during which fans miss nothing. These playoff points are added to the drivers point total at the beginning of the playoffs if they qualify for the 16-car field. I have been good a lot and have won a lot of races (but) not at restrictor plate tracks, Busch said. This is exciting, because we see everyone win or lose on pit road immediately. The driver in first place during these stages will be awarded 10 points, second will get 9, third gets 8, and it continues to count down to the 10th position, which is awarded one extra point. However, this is no longer the case. The end of the race offers more significant points, and each driver that finishes the race will get at least one point. When comparing to the five-year averages of the races from 2013-17, 11 races have exceeded the five-year average, but only three by more than 10 minutes. Until 2017, the races were merely qualifying events that awarded no championship points. By nature, stage racing also creates another unnecessary element that takes away from the competition itself. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Watching a race takes some preparation and rationing of snacks. These points all go towards the playoff points, which either get them into the racing after the primary season or not, depending on actual race wins as well. Stage racing was introduced across NASCAR's three biggest series, the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, before the start of the 2017 season. Now we have a 30 year legacy with the knee-jerk restrictor plate. Even if they occasionally occur naturally during the race, there are other moments when the chance isnt there. NASCAR popularity is plunging - primarily for two reasons The caution laps counting seems kind of right but so wrong. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Lets dig into these reasons a little deeper so you will better understand each of the those given about why NASCAR started stage racing. The Clash is an exhibition race that opens each NASCAR season. The truth is that every time NASCAR green-flags a restart, there is a good chance of a great pass or a big wreck happening. The closer the pack is together, and the more incentives they have to go for the lead, the better the entertainment will be for all the fans. Missing an amazing pass or crash in NASCAR due to a dragging ad is just as upsetting as not seeing a touchdown pass in football for the same reasons. Typically only the winner of the racing venues gets playoff points and is the singular winner of the event. All NASCAR races across the 3 major series have stages because the sport wanted to create a better television product by adding more urgency during the middle portions of a race. Each Cup race with the exception of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (with four) has three stages. The top 10 finishers in each stage also earn regular-season points, which is important because at the end of the regular season, drivers ranked 1 to 10 in overall regular-season points earn additional playoff points on a 15-10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale. It makes the race much more exciting because the drivers are not only pushing their cars to the limit to get the winning points at the end but to gain the extra points they can earn by placing in the top ten of every stage. That's why less people are watching. It all just comes down to excitement and incentive at the end of the day. The Weather Underground forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 60 degrees. But its an unnecessary element of strategy that does nothing to enhance the on-track product. Every NASCAR driver will likely say that hasn't changed. The Evolution of Safety in NASCAR | State Racing What is NASCAR? How it started, grew to today - NASCAR 101 Like, every year. NASCAR has come to accept a lot of artificial excitement into their product, and stage racing is a result of that. Drivers who reel off multiple victories during the season enter the playoffs on much better footing than drivers who point their way into the playoffs with no victories. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This Isn't The Brickyard 400, Anymore - Autoweek We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The total number of laps in the race remains mostly unchanged but how races progress through these laps changes drastically. Racing throughout the years has been exciting and entertaining, but as the technology in the cars improved and the drivers became better, the close racing of the past was lost in the smoke. For some unknown reason of late, when it comes to racing in the rain, NASCAR has decided to go where it has never gone before. How NASCAR points are awarded - NASCAR 101 But that doesnt mean that we dont go to work and try and figure it out and make it better for both of us.. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Be the first one to comment on this story. The average number of cautions per race (9.1) is well ahead of the first 18 races last year (7.5) but not a ton more than in 2015 (8.4). The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Why did NASCAR implement stage racing? A Beginners Guide to NASCAR: 6 Highlights of What NASCAR Is Like. I think he was actually better than me at the Bristol dirt race and had a better long run car than I did. The trucks have been racing on dirt since 2013, however this will be their first go at Bristol. Stage 3 is made up of whatever miles are left over after the initial two stages, which is typically about half of the race. Continuing its tradition of innovation, NASCAR, in collaboration with drivers, teams, and manufacturers, built a new generation of car the NASCAR Next Gen car aimed to further reduce costs. There are still stages during the season finale, but the Championship 4 earns no stage points in that race. This is a key decision-making phase in implementation. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. What things can we look for and try to do. In those races, stage points will be awarded on a designated lap, but there will be no green-and-checkered flag and the racing will continue. The adjustments primarily involve reducing the number of laps in the third stage to ensure enough . By pitting early, they would be behind those who stayed out to collect the stage points. Obviously, we have our ups and downs, and I would say that we have struggled at times for sure, Martinsville being the worst. There are guys that are better at that style of racing than maybe me, but I still think it comes down to certain circumstances at the end where you are, how it all works, how it all happens. NASCAR Sprint Cup formerly used restrictor plates at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. This race has 4 because it is NASCARs longest race, 100 miles longer than the next highest event. Required fields are marked *. I dont know. Some like the different element stages add during the middle of races, while others consider stages an abomination and will never support the concept. This event marks the first NASCAR Cup Series race on the dirt since 1970. But why did NASCAR start stage racing? Another driver, Ryan Blaney, finished third at Pocono and earned himself 38 points. NASCAR has had a set term of race format for almost 100 years, and the premise of stage racing greatly affects established team strategies. Each driver within the top ten of each stage will receive points associated with their placement. Your email address will not be published. Bristol Dirt Format: NASCAR stages, pit stops, lineups Midway through the season -- 18 races down, 18 to go -- it's a smart time to wonder if NASCAR did something right in dividing all of its races into three stages. I think the fans would ultimately lose.". Essentially, the stage racing format in NASCAR is designed to help keep the pack together and not let one driver dominate. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/N7xf3dX6FD. This is peak participation trophy logic and rewards the wrong individuals for focusing on the wrong aspects of racing. First adopted in 2017, stages in NASCAR effectively break the race up into three mini-races. Well, the reality is that there is a strong likelihood that a spectacular pass or a major accident will occur every time NASCAR green-flags a restart. Since then, the winner of each Duel receives 10 championship points. It all just comes down to excitement and incentive at the end of the day. Or four, when talking about the 600-mile race at Charlotte. Stages break the race up and give drivers new ways to strategize using pitstops and other racing necessities to gain more points and do better in each stage. the device limits the power output of the motor and hence slows both the acceleration and the overall top speeds . While there are usually three stages in each NASCAR race, the exception to the rule is the Coca-Cola 600, which is given a fourth stage due to the longer distance. Here's why NASCAR is changing stage lengths for 16 Cup Series races Do fans, especially those watching on television, like these breaks as real breaks when talking about events that often last more than three hours? Shouldn't running up front during a race matter for something? When the mid-point of the race is stopped for a stage change, instead of being the highest speed passing portion, some fans may be a little put-off. DISTANCE: The race is 62 laps (250 miles) on the 4.048-mile road course. The only NASCAR races without stages are 2 non-points races, the Duels at Daytona, and the Busch Light Clash. STAGE POINTS: Drivers finishing first through 10th in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 (and Stage 3 in the Coca-Cola 600) earn bonus points. All the drivers are bunched together, 2-by-2, trying to make the most of their fresh tires and improve track position while they still can. Even lauding that the fence "did its . "And I think that NASCAR is pretty adamant that they want them to count, otherwise the teams would run the cars out of gas purposely on the last lap so they don't have to pace around and waste that energy. With NASCAR, it is always possible future officials could change course in favor of something new and inventive. 06.06.2017. The pending end of a stage. The top 10 finishers in each stage receive points on a 10-1 scale in the NASCAR points standings. Only the final stage is ended with the traditional chequered flag, as that is the end of the race. Stage racing wasn't always a thing in NASCAR, and is probably one of the newest changes the sport has made over the years. The breaks in the middle of races also allow for food runs and snack breaks without any risk of missing exciting green-flag racing. That's OK. Let's just think about the stages themselves. All 3 series use the regular season point and playoff points system, meaning all stage winners receive 10 points and 1 playoff point. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Wins are worth five playoff points apiece. NASCAR is settling with people in the crowd who sustain life altering injuries like it's nothing. There always was a feeling that a driver who dominated but got caught up in someone else's accident or had an engine expire with 10 laps remaining received nothing for those efforts. But NASCAR is, first and foremost, an entertainment entity and recent history has shown its decisions will most often reflect that reality. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Stages change this by turning the single-race competition into 2 mini races and a full race that is half the duration of the total initial race. And coming off pit road under caution after Stage 1, Hamlin made it off pit road first to keep the lead -- just as the left front wheel came off his car and zipped past him at the exit of pit road. Only the final stage of the race ends with the traditional checkered flag signaling not just the end of the 3rd stage but also the finale of the entire event. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Fans argue that the planned stage-ending cautions are better than phantom debris cautions, and that much is true. The regular season point and playoff point systems are used for all three series; thus, each stage winner receives ten regular season points and one playoff point. The third and final stage decides the winner and all other positions. How NASCAR's choose rule works - NASCAR 101 (Chastain). These points add up to positions and advantages in playoff races and continue to accumulate through the first stages of the championship race. USA TODAY Sports asked about 200 fans at tracks, on the phone and on social media who have reduced their racetrack trips to explain why. If any word can define the 2017 NASCAR Cup season, it could be this one: stages. The top 10 during regular season standings also receive a gradation of playoff points. Been in and out of cars of varying speeds since i was a child and sharing what i have learnt here. As far as the playoff points are concerned, leave that for the race wins. Those who do not make the cut are left to prepare for the next racing season. Restrictor plate | Stock Car Racing Wiki | Fandom