In that 2015 season, the average number of caution laps through 18 races was 47.1 -- two more than the average this year (45.1). The top-10 drivers in the first and second stages will qualify for these extra points. Required fields are marked *. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There will be no stage breaks for Xfinity races at Circuit of the Americas (March 25), Sonoma (June 10), Chicago street course (July 1), Indianapolis road course (Aug. 12), Watkins Glen (Aug. 19) and Charlotte Roval (Oct. 7). The more entertaining the races are, the more viewers they will get. Why did NASCAR implement stage racing? Those playoff points (including those earned in the playoffs) carry over to each reset playoff round, except for the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. They claim that NASCAR just wants more restarts because a certain type of NASCAR fan only tunes in to see big crashes. The only road course events that will have stage breaks will be Xfinity standalone races at Portland (June 3) and Road America (July 29) and the Truck standalone race at Mid-Ohio (July 8). Often a couple of racers can gain an intimidating lead that, unless crashes or car trouble occurs, will be maintained all three hours. Another driver, Ryan Blaney, finished third at Pocono and earned himself 38 points. Is it really too old school or too much to ask for a race to be run without scheduled breaks that create manufactured strategy for which planning for the entire race generally becomes much simpler? The Xfinity and Truck Series stage structures are also much like the Cup Series description listed above. How has NASCAR safety changed over the years? - MassInitiative Stage 2 consists of roughly the second quarter, and Stage 3 makes up the remaining second half. You shouldnt be better positioned to make a playoff run because you were leading a random race on lap 130 of lap 250 or something and ended up 28th while someone who ran 11th in the races early stages gets nothing playoff-wise with a second place finish. It also encourages a mix in the field of drivers on different pitting and tire strategies, which should lead to more passing and action. The drivers have something to race for, even when it's just lap 20. The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only NASCAR race that does not have 3 stages. Busch will start on the pole and Dillon in the last starting spot in Sundays Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway after qualifying was cancelled Saturday. As with any new rule, NASCAR is learning as it goes when cautions near the end of the stage mess up plans to close the pits once the leader hits the start/finish line with two laps left in the stage. To ensure ad space buyers and fans of fixed commercial spots that guarantee interruption-free green flag racing. Some would say this change ruins the racing experience. TV/RADIO: FS1 will broadcast the race at 12 p.m. Performance Racing Networks radio coverage begins at 11 a.m. and also will stream at goprn.com. The only NASCAR races without stages are 2 non-points races, the Duels at Daytona, and the Busch Light Clash. The main reason is there are no commercial breaks at live race events that can interfere with active racing moments. Older fans, however, believe this was a crucial blow to NASCAR's diehard fans. MORE: NASCAR outlaws Ross Chastain Martinsville move, MORE: Hendrick Motorsports president says no changes in driver policy. Busch Series cars had 2001 Restrictor plate package? : r/NASCAR - Reddit Safety has always been important to NASCAR. While this is nice for fans that like a little of this kind of action, it is contrary to the intended goal of keeping drivers from crashing through NASCAR official policies. This brings the total laps to 130 and sets the field up for a 70-lap shootout to the end. Yeah, we get it. Despite the fact that NASCAR prioritizes driver safety in some cases, on some superspeedways, things can actually become more dangerous. 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. A Beginners Guide to NASCAR: 6 Highlights of What NASCAR Is Like. Each driver will earn the points above for each stage that is not the final one. It all just comes down to excitement and incentive at the end of the day. Do All NASCAR Races Have The Same Number Of Stages. There are still stages during the season finale, but the Championship 4 earns no stage points in that race. Just look at the differences in the final 2019 championship standings, the standings without playoffs, and the standings without stages. They could round to 90 and then it would be 95, 95 and 187 - which makes Stage 3 pretty long. This race had heat races to set the field but did not have stages during the main event. Bristol Dirt Format: NASCAR stages, pit stops, lineups 'I belong here': R. Truex wins first NASCAR race, Hendrick to drivers after injuries: Take it easy, Bowman out at least 3 races after sprint car crash, Busch barely makes finish in OT win at Talladega, Burton wins Xfinity Series crash-fest at Talladega, Hamlin claims first superspeedway pole at Dega, Harvick was once NASCAR's punk kid. Adding stages breaks up these types of leads and brings the audiences attention back to the field every time the next stage of green-flag racing starts. The shorter portions of races create different race day strategies that tend to make for a more explosive and action-packed race. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The racers in the lead change more frequently, which makes the races and, therefore, the season closer in points and more suspenseful for fans. Stages consist of dividing the race into smaller segments, allowing for commercial breaks and creating more suspense and action for the audience. and then runs 40 percent of the race in the final stage. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. TV/RADIO: Qualifying coverage on CNBC begins at 11 a.m. Pre-race . Everyone who finishes a stage 11th and after earns no stage points. All with the aim of making racing both closer and more exciting a spectacle. Kyle Larson rolled into the crash area with nowhere to go and slammed into Poole. However, a Duel win does not count toward advancing to the playoffs. Each Cup race with the exception of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (with four) has three stages. NASCAR's Lucky Dog Rule Explained - LiveAbout START: Actor, director, author and podcaster Kevin Smith will give the command to start engines at 12:01 p.m. The green flag is scheduled to wave at 12:10 p.m. PRERACE: Cup garage opens at 9 a.m. Driver introductions at 11:30 a.m. Dan Schafer, pastor of Calvary Assembly of God in Heightstown, New Jersey, will give the Invocation at 11:53 p.m. JAGMAC will perform the national anthem at 11:54 p.m. The 150-mile races are too short for stage racing, so NASCAR drivers race all 60 laps with no designated breaks. DISTANCE: The race is 400 laps (400 miles) on the 1-mile track. Why Did NASCAR Start Stage Racing? - Motor Sports Racing Even some drivers were skeptical about the pending changes, wondering aloud if stages would negatively impact races. Stage racing also creates more restarts, sometimes the most action-filled laps of a NASCAR race at certain tracks. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/N7xf3dX6FD. The top 10 during regular season standings also receive a gradation of playoff points. LAST YEAR:Chase Elliott won last years race. Initially, only on-track incidents resulted in raising the red flag. Depending on the course, the first stage can be anywhere from 25 to 30 percent of the races overall duration. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The piece highlighted several factors explaining why stock car racing has yet to recover from the slump caused by the 2008-09 economic crash: A less affluent audience base than other major. Table of Contents These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Stage racing is impossible in 150-mile races; therefore, NASCAR drivers complete all 60 laps without any pauses. NASCAR Should Give The Hook To Its New Gimmick - Forbes Now we have a 30 year legacy with the knee-jerk restrictor plate. Fans argue that the planned stage-ending cautions are better than phantom debris cautions, and that much is true. Then-NASCAR president Brent Dewar talked about stage racing and its effect on television viewership in 2017, saying our fans are eating it up.. A stage winner also receives one playoff point to their tally. NASCAR needs fan viewership to remain a viable product in the crowded sports and media landscape, so it opted to make drastic changes to its race format in an attempt to do so. How would stages make racing more exciting, you might ask? NASCAR popularity is plunging - primarily for two reasons How often do fans moan about qualifying? But Would that still be good? Maybe it hasn't. But when I watch NASCAR, I don't get that vibe anymore. His "Garage Mahal" in Mooresville, NC, was a . No longer do young NASCAR racers start at their local tracks and work their way up. ARCA * All cars must be equipped with a Race Safe light system. But that doesnt mean that we dont go to work and try and figure it out and make it better for both of us.. By pitting early, they would be behind those who stayed out to collect the stage points. Driver intros will take place at 11:30 a.m. Maybe I'm Just Being an Old Guy, But NASCAR Really Sucks Now NASCAR earlier this month announced the stage lengths for those 36 Cup Series races in 2020, beginning with Sunday's 200-lap Daytona 500. Continue with Recommended Cookies. NASCAR Safety Equipment - The Safety Revolution Continues Generally, the first two stages are a quarter of the total race distance each, and the third stage is the remaining half, although that exact split is usually not that easy per existing track lengths. Spend time assessing the needs of those affected by the . In nascar what is a competition caution? Explained by FAQ Blog The move comes in. What is stage racing and why does NASCAR do it. NASCAR vs IndyCar: What are the 4 main differences? 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. These points are different from playoff points and help with qualifying and other track position reward in future races. As NASCAR viewership moves to a larger digital spectatorship when compared to trackside fans, the race format has needed to adapt as well. Stages help the most in preventing breakaway leaders in the first few laps of the race. However, nothing public has been floated surrounding any imminent stage changes. Who will air Nascar in 2022? - Trackanya Does NASCAR still race at Rockingham? - Kabuki This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I think the fans would ultimately lose.". The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. NASCAR issues Cup Series rules changes for superspeedways | NASCAR Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Brennan Poole: Ross Chastain probably needs his butt whooped, Monday Cup race at Dover: Start time, TV info, weather, I feel like I just got ran over, Poole said. NASCAR Cup Series' return to Nashville a long, long time coming This year, seven of the 16 races have taken more than 3 hours, 30 minutes to complete (including red-flag time). Now, you may wonder how stages increase the excitement of racing. ET Monday to begin the 400-lap race on the 1-mile concrete oval. The breaks abounded for 4.8 percent of the race. When did NASCAR implement pit road speed limits? That's why less people are buying tickets. Instead of the field being strung out halfway through a race, the leaders are suddenly brought back together, creating more intensity. 20 in 2018, Keselowski: Current car design not up to par. NASCAR announced that the Dover Cup race has been postponed to Monday because of rain. What is NASCAR? How it started, grew to today - NASCAR 101 It appears as an artificial way to bunch up the field and give teams extra time to make adjustments. Fans. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. But why did NASCAR start stage racing? The race was Pooles first Cup start of the season. Rockingham Motor Speedway will begin a new life as a dedicated used car storage centre for the owner of Cinch and WeBuyAnyCar. Please logout and login again. Stage 2 ends at Lap 29. Stage racing and the subsequent cautions provide organic commercial breaks during which fans miss nothing. Problems with racing back to the caution Safety 2023 Daytona 500 cheat sheet: Everything you need to know - ESPN Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The final stages decide the races placement, giving them even more points. First adopted in 2017, stages in NASCAR effectively break the race up into three mini-races. Why Did NASCAR Go To Stage Racing? - SpeedTwitch Based on the outcomes of the single-car qualifying event earlier in the week, half of the field competes in each. It wasnt uncommon for many teams to elect to pit before the first stage in a road course race and eschew points to put themselves in better track position for the final two stages. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There are vocal, passionate fans on both sides of the issue. Officials believed this was a great way to improve its 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. Each stage length is determined well before the race, and each is ended with a green/white checkered. In the area of fantasy sports leagues and sports betting, these points offer ways to create more action and build a rooster of winning racers. Cars would pit when they could, hoping to get a caution so they could come in and get some fuel and new tires. Drivers now earn bonus points by finishing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race. Stage points are available at the end of stages 1 and 2 for the top 10 drivers. Contrary to Dewars proclamation, not all fans enjoyed the new stage racing format. I mean, just a joke 80-something laps into a race? Though as of 2023 a race ends under caution with the field frozen if a caution occurs in the final lap of an overtime. At Phoenix Raceway, the stage breaks lasted for 12 laps, equating to .26 hours or 15.6 minutes. Playoff points are NASCARs version of home-field advantage seen in other sports: they are a way to reward regular season success in the playoffs. Felt this (change) would bring some new storylines (in an event).. 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. It seems one common trend in sports and entertainment has been to try and make traditional live spectator sports better adapted to a digital audience. Larson returned to the track after repairs. There is a 1% chance of rain for the start of the race. The leaders know they will vie for that stage win and the regular-season points that go with it. The formula for NASCAR has been pretty simple in terms of race format. Those who do not make the cut are left to prepare for the next racing season. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Want to know the most dangerous tracks this season? Joe is the owner and creator of this website. Bill France Jr., former NASCAR president, did too. The field for the Daytona 500 is determined by the two qualifying events known as the Daytona Duels. STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 120. Until 2017, the races were merely qualifying events that awarded no championship points. However, this is no longer the case. The three most-cited reasons: --Cost of the trip. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Fortunately for the sport, a lot of younger fans seem to dig into the Saturday night dirt heat feel of the race stages, and aren't turned off by it. By placing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race, drivers may now earn additional points. The NASCAR racing stages are very easy to understand once you know how it works. It also has the added strategy of teams pitting during a stage by dividing the length of that stage in half or thirds, depending on the number of pit stops anticipated during the stage. But it is one part of the system that just seems a little too foreign, riding around waiting for the pits to open until television coverage comes back from commercial breaks. It usually takes about 40 to 50 percent of the whole races duration, making it nearly invariably the longest stage. He is a huge fan of fast cars and motorcycles and has always been drawn to the excitement and thrill of motorsports. Exploring & Preparing. Restrictor-plate races have been found to cause bunching up of racers which leaves less time to react to race obstacles. Your email address will not be published. A crew chief may decide a guaranteed 9 or 10 points after stage 1 is worth the unknown that comes with racing in the back of the pack later. Restrictor plates are devices installed between the carburetor and intake manifold that restrict the amount of air and fuel entering the engine's combustion chamber. A brief explanation of stage racing in NASCAR - Sportskeeda A short track built within the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum served as the venue for the 2022 competition. The end of the race offers more significant points, and each driver that finishes the race will get at least one point. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Stage 1 is 65 laps long, starting at lap 1. I think 100 laps turned out to be a nice compromise. There will be no stage breaks for the Craftsman Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas (March 25). "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. The stage winner is awarded 10 points, the second-highest driver earns 9 points, down to the 10th-place finisher, who earns one additional bonus point. NASCAR: Just how good is Bubba Wallace at superspeedways? Most first and second stages make up about 25 to 30 percent of the total distance while the final stage is 40 to 50 percent of the total distance. Even lauding that the fence "did its . 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. Apr 20, 2022 12:01 AM. 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. The pending end of a stage. Most NASCAR races are broken down into three stages. Playoff points are extremely valuable during each 3-race round of the playoffs. Your email address will not be published. It helps television with commercials because there is no action missed. The final stage often accounts for between 40% and 50% of the entire distance, whereas the first and second stages typically make up roughly 25% to 30%. NASCAR: Dover Cup race not being broadcast on Fox. 06.06.2017. Stage racing was implemented in NASCAR to remove the chance of race domination by single race drivers. Last year through 18 races, the average number of caution laps was 39.9, but it was as high as 44.2 in 2014. While it is true that 10 points for winning a stage is nowhere near 40 points for winning a race and sacrifices are often made, such as not making a late pit stop, to finish stages in the top 10, those point totals still add up. They want it to matter. Because the sport intended to improve the broadcast product by introducing greater urgency during the middle sections of a race, all NASCAR races in the three major series feature stages. The winner earns 10 points plus 1 playoff point and each subsequent finisher earns 1 fewer point. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Now he's molding its future, Sports leagues unite to set limits on betting ads, Kaulig Racing has points restored by NASCAR, Larson races past Logano to win at Martinsville, Nemechek holds off Smith for 2nd Xfinity win, Preece claims pole at Martinsville; Elliott 24th, Elliott vows to keep snowboarding after accident, NASCAR star Elliott set to return at Martinsville, Zane Smith to drive in place of suspended Ware, NASCAR's Ware arrested on assault charges, Dirt-racing star Bell tops Reddick to win Bristol, Bowman, Byron penalized for postrace violations, Hamlin's penalties for hit on Chastain upheld, Team owners' feud with NASCAR gives fans excuse to tune out -- again, Owners skip NASCAR meeting over revenue talks, Jones replaces Kenseth in JGR's No. Full highlights and race results from the 2023 Daytona 500 . NASCAR competition officials announced rules changes Tuesday with the intent to slow Cup Series cars by approximately 7-10 mph at superspeedway events. But some drivers say it makes superspeedways even more dangerous; lets look at why NASCAR started stage racing and what the stage racing format is. A profound loss of a racing icon changed the way NASCAR viewed safety. 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. I dont know. The stage points drivers win can add more energy and excitement to races that used to only have one race winner per event. Stage racing has been controversial among fans but is now a staple of NASCAR competition. Why Do NASCAR Races Have Stages? - FLOW RACERS As soon as he ran into me, I just kind of got shoved into the corner, like way too deep, and then I was just immediately turned around. There were heat races to select the field for this race, but there were no stages for the main event. The Xfinity and Truck Series stage layouts are similar to those for the Cup Series. (Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, which has an extra stage) These stages are not equal in length in miles and are divided based on the total length of the track and the mile goal of the event. NASCAR typically divides the opening 60% of the race into the first two stages to determine stage length. 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. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. placed second. In fact, up until 2017, the race was all-out until you finished. The Decline and Fall of NASCAR - The American Conservative Dillon was instrumental in convincing his grandfather, team owner Richard Childress, to bring Busch into the fold at RCR. NASCAR isn't quite ready for that, aside from the Busch Light Clash, so in 2017 the sanctioning body came up with the ideas of breaking up races into three stages. The top 10 finishers in each stage receive points on a 10-1 scale in the NASCAR points standings. Sometimes stages work out as a 40/60 split, with 30% each for the first and second stages and the remaining 40% representing the final and longest stage. The reasons that the stages were added to NASCAR racing all boil down to one thing. I have been good a lot and have won a lot of races (but) not at restrictor plate tracks, Busch said. These changes are a far cry from the original spirit of NASCAR races but are working to bring in a younger audience base and provide better value to sponsors. What things can we look for and try to do. For new fans of the sports, stages have been a welcome addition. No reason. Second place gets 35 points, third gets 34 points, fourth gets 33 points, until 36th-40th . So, the 2nd-place driver earns 9 stage points, the 3rd-place driver earns 8, and so on. Of course, they could do that anyway without the "stages," but this at least gives fans a starting point. ET Monday. CONCORD, N.C. NASCAR will do away with stage breaks in all six Cup road course races and select Xfinity and Truck races this season, but teams will continue to score stage points. 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. A crew chief can determine that after stage 1, a guaranteed 9 or 10 points outweighs the uncertainty of racing later in the pack. The obvious reasons why this change was made in 2017 can be blamed on numerous things, starting with the most important. Dover Cup Series race rained out, moved to Mon. NASCAR instituted stage breaks and stage points for the 2017 season and has kept the system in place since. The driver that passes the finish line first gets 10 stage points, while the 10th-place driver only gets 1 point. Here's a sampling of some of the changes for 2004. Now, they buy their way in. Daytona 500 stages: Explaining the format, stage lengths for 2020 NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono results: Chase Elliott declared winner
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