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. 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. 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). Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Only the final stage is ended with the traditional chequered flag, as that is the end of the race. I think he was actually better than me at the Bristol dirt race and had a better long run car than I did. Experts state that there are a few reasons why NASCAR implemented stage racing. Please logout and login again. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. The move comes in. What things can we look for and try to do. And each time it does, it has seen the very predictable consequences . The obvious reasons why this change was made in 2017 can be blamed on numerous things, starting with the most important. Now more rewards are given more frequently to racers at each stage, and points and stage endings replace multiple cautions per race techniques. It gives drivers reason not to coast (especially at restrictor-plate races) and fans a reason to watch. This year, seven of the 16 races have taken more than 3 hours, 30 minutes to complete (including red-flag time). Felt this (change) would bring some new storylines (in an event).. Why Are There 2 Qualifying Races Before the Daytona 500? - Sportscasting This is especially true of teams near the playoff bubble as the season progresses because they know every single point matters. Are NASCAR cars all the same? NASCAR Sprint Cup formerly used restrictor plates at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. If there was a wild wreck or two, it was even better. Maybe it hasn't. But when I watch NASCAR, I don't get that vibe anymore. When NASCAR races first began, there were no required interruptions during all of the action. I could go on the short run, but not the long run. If any word can define the 2017 NASCAR Cup season, it could be this one: stages. 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. The main reason is there are no commercial breaks at live race events that can interfere with active racing moments. What NASCAR Track Has the Steepest Banking? If a driver is pegged back every 65 laps or so as is the case at the Daytona 500 it will ensure they cant get to far away. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 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. NASCAR Stage Racing: Pros and Cons - Beyond the Flag How NASCAR points are awarded - NASCAR 101 That's why less people are watching. STARTING LINEUP: Dover Cup starting lineup. 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%. Why Did NASCAR Go To Stage Racing? - SpeedTwitch They claim that NASCAR just wants more restarts because a certain type of NASCAR fan only tunes in to see big crashes. The higher the rank, the more points they earn, which is reason enough for most drivers to race hard.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'motorracingsports_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-motorracingsports_com-banner-1-0'); Al lifelong Motor Racing Fan, with a particular love of NASCAR and IndyCar racing. There have been eight races this season that have been more than 10 minutes longer than last season (not including red-flag time) and four that have been at least 10 minutes shorter. The Evolution of Safety in NASCAR | State Racing How often do fans moan about qualifying? The breaks in the middle of races also allow for food runs and snack breaks without any risk of missing exciting green-flag racing. The adjustments primarily involve reducing the number of laps in the third stage to ensure enough . The final race wins are worth 5 points for the playoff, so a driver that wins both stages and the overall race can leave with 67 playoff points. Although it has caused quite a controversy, stage racing is now a standard feature of NASCAR competition, and its something we all need to deal with. Last year through 18 races, the average number of caution laps was 39.9, but it was as high as 44.2 in 2014. A racer that gets an early start will most likely not be ahead the entire race as race conditions change and the race stops and starts at least twice more. Driver intros will take place at 11:30 a.m. The points for the race are all added together to give the driver and their team an earned amount of points for the race. This race had heat races to set the field but did not have stages during the main event. What is NASCAR? How it started, grew to today - NASCAR 101 Stage racing is simply NASCAR's way of bunching the field up a couple. NASCAR back on dirt at Bristol with revamped Easter night race Important racing question: Can NASCAR race in the rain? Bristol Dirt Format: NASCAR stages, pit stops, lineups Joe is the owner and creator of this website. There was no doubt that the stages changed how people raced and how crew chiefs approached the season-opener, but I don't think we can blame the stages for the unusual amount of carnage, which. For almost all of its history, the only time a caution flag flew was because of an incident on track. There is nothing better than watching a close race from the comforts of your living room, except for maybe a viewpoint from the trackside. Every NASCAR driver will likely say that hasn't changed. Officials issued the rules bulletin to teams . You might be wondering why NASCAR races now have stages. "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. Each three-race playoff round is a crucial time to earn playoff points. When we introduced stage racing we took an element of strategy away from the event, Sawyer. Stage 2 consists of roughly the second quarter, and Stage 3 makes up the remaining second half. And certainly a group of fans would shake their heads in disgust. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Despite the fact that NASCAR races typically include three stages, the Coca-Cola 600 is the exception to the norm because of its extended distance. It helps television with commercials because there is no action missed. That decision was no doubt aided by a thrilling NASCAR Xfinity Series race that took place on the road course last season as a sort of test for what was to come. If the driver is selected for the 16-car field, these playoff points are added to their overall point total at the start of the playoffs. All stage points a driver accumulates are added to this number. Apr 20, 2022 12:01 AM. This is the exploratory stage where fundamental questions are answered, such as what will actually be implemented. Why did NASCAR implement stage racing? So, the 2nd-place driver earns 9 stage points, the 3rd-place driver earns 8, and so on. 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 cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. NASCAR Has Lost the Plot, and Fans Aren't Coming Back This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. With NASCAR, it is always possible future officials could change course in favor of something new and inventive. Fans explain why they stopped attending NASCAR races - USA Today NASCAR's Lucky Dog Rule Explained - LiveAbout Dillon was instrumental in convincing his grandfather, team owner Richard Childress, to bring Busch into the fold at RCR. NASCAR - Pros, cons of new stage-racing format in 2017 - ESPN Stages also replace pit stops and give drivers a break they would never have been able to take during the old races. NASCAR has been a common household name for decades. In nascar what is a competition caution? Explained by FAQ Blog Having points available at predetermined increments during a NASCAR race has changed the way races are run in other ways as well. A short track built within the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum served as the venue for the 2022 competition. Ever since i got in my pedal powered car 40 or so years ago I have been a lifelong fan of all motor racing, particular NASCAR and Indy, so this site is made to help share the answers to those questions that pop up mid race! Stage racing was implemented to ensure those things were still part of the sport. It's also an incentive to race as hard as you can, no matter what lap it is, which has made for some good racing in the past. The shorter portions of races create different race day strategies that tend to make for a more explosive and action-packed race. Stage racing was implemented in NASCAR to remove the chance of race domination by single race drivers. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Then-NASCAR CEO Brian France addressed the media upon announcing stage racings implementation and was confident the leadership group made the correct decision. I mean, just a joke 80-something laps into a race? It rewards those who are fast at the beginning of the race. Bobby Allison flipped into the fence in 1987 and nascar flipped its shit. 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). Earnhardt was a legend. Since then, the winner of each Duel receives 10 championship points. 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. 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. Stage racing is impossible in 150-mile races; therefore, NASCAR drivers complete all 60 laps without any pauses. NASCAR introduced stage racing in 2017 as a way to adapt its traditional long-duration races to a larger digital audience. They talk about giving points for qualifying. Restrictor-plate races have been found to cause bunching up of racers which leaves less time to react to race obstacles. Sunday Road America Cup race: Start time, weather, TV The 150-mile races are too short for stage racing, so NASCAR drivers race all 60 laps with no designated breaks. We also participate in other affiliate programs which compensate us for referring traffic. After a near-miss between drivers Casey Mears and Dale Jarrett at the Sylvania 300 in 2003, NASCAR opted to implement the rule to halt all racing whenever there was an incident on the track, and the beneficiary rule allowed slower cars to catch up. 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. 25% for Stage 1 would be 92 laps. It all just comes down to excitement and incentive at the end of the day. Lets dig into these reasons a little deeper so you will better understand each of the those given about why NASCAR started stage racing. Max Jg90270 Max Bs133hmfg Np Your email address will not be published. AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway on November 10, 2019 in Avondale, Arizona. Stage racing is one of many controversial topics in NASCAR, and there are certainly things that NASCAR needs to fix before stage racing. Even some drivers were skeptical about the pending changes, wondering aloud if stages would negatively impact races. MORE: NASCAR outlaws Ross Chastain Martinsville move, MORE: Hendrick Motorsports president says no changes in driver policy. Sure, I understand that the top ten get points for each stage. Even if NASCAR just shortens the races and doesn't include those laps, it would still seem right. Baker recalled a lengthy meeting with . But Would that still be good? The first two-thirds of 35 of 36 Cup races feel all but irrelevant. Stage racing is simply NASCAR's way of bunching the field up a couple of times and trying to create something interesting. Although there are caution laps and times when racing is under a yellow flag, it can be difficult to time commercials perfectly and still give clients the required airtime. NASCAR: Is shortening race distances really a good thing? NASCAR stages are competition yellow flags in the middle of the damn race! In a stunning development, NASCAR announced Sunday evening that Chase Elliott has been declared the winner of the M&M's Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway after both Denny Hamlin and Kyle . "Considering feedback from teams, drivers and fans, NASCAR has implemented these changes to enhance competition," NASCAR senior vice president of competition Scott Miller said last year after. Second place gets 35 points, third gets 34 points, fourth gets 33 points, until 36th-40th . These numbers are all added together to give the number of points each driver has gained from the race. Along the way, some yellow or red flags may follow, but essentially the race was one long event with no scheduled stoppages, aside from pit-stops. Poole left the race. Now, they buy their way in. The Weather Underground forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 60 degrees. By the way, Brad Keselowski had an interesting view on this topic: "The teams are pretty adamant that they want to see the laps count, because they are putting miles on the engines and don't want that to count for nothing," he said. Those who do not make the cut are left to prepare for the next racing season. 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. NASCAR Cup Series' return to Nashville a long, long time coming Furthermore, by vying for highly prized stage points, stages provided NASCAR drivers with additional motivation. 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. They want it to matter. And what's not to like? The Daytona Duels are 2 qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500. The last stage is always the longest distance of the entire race, and usually involves a pitstop as well. Stage racing also creates more restarts, sometimes the most action-filled laps of a NASCAR race at certain tracks. Should NASCAR get rid of stage racing? - beyondtheflag.com Full highlights and race results from the 2023 Daytona 500 Every NASCAR season begins with an exhibition race called The Clash. 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. The organization didn't implement the idea of stage racing until 2017 in an attempt to make racing more exciting and award teams stage points. There are still stages during the season finale, but the Championship 4 earns no stage points in that race. Typically only the winner of the racing venues gets playoff points and is the singular winner of the event. Yeah, we get it. There are vocal, passionate fans on both sides of the issue. Simply put, this will make our great racing even better, France said. For new fans of the sports, stages have been a welcome addition. The reasons NASCAR implemented stage racing is myriad, as outlined in the info that follows. The top 10 during regular season standings also receive a gradation of playoff points. The top 10 at the end of a stage score points. Stage 1 makes up roughly the first quarter of the race, though this can vary depending on the track. It is almost always the longest stage, often 40 to 50 percent of a races total length. I think a lot of that is going to come into play this weekend and next weekend, so I am optimistic and hopeful that we will have some really strong runs at Dover and Kansas. Based on the outcomes of the single-car qualifying event earlier in the week, half of the field competes in each. 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. Playoff points, typically coveted and only available when a racer finishes the full race, are available at the ends of stages. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Through 18 races, the races have been a total combined 80 minutes longer -- 4.4 minutes a race -- than the five-year averages for those events. These points were crucial because they determine how many points each driver receives after a race when they are added together. NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono results: Chase Elliott declared winner When did NASCAR implement pit road speed limits? The televised racing experience was also a key factor in NASCARs decision to alter the framework of its races. This is exciting, because we see everyone win or lose on pit road immediately. The race is split into four 100-lap stages. Kevin Harvick dominated a 400-mile race Sunday in Las Vegas, leading 214 of 267 laps and comfortably winning both stages and the . 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Be the first one to comment on this story. In fact, up until 2017, the race was all-out until you finished. NASCAR awards a playoff point to the stage winner along with 10 points. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Or four, when talking about the 600-mile race at Charlotte. Daytona 500 stages: Explaining the format, stage lengths for 2020 The Stage 1 winner will start on the pole for the final stage - if that driver finishes 15th or better in Stages 2 and 3. In nascar what is a competition caution? - sur.afphila.com The top-10 drivers in the first and second stages will qualify for these extra points. 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. 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. These stages act as 2 mini-races and one half-duration race instead of one high-mileage event. Here is the all-aluminum 2017 F-250 Super Duty, Tune-Only Challenger Hellcat puts down 705WHP, Behind the scenes: Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 SV (Superveloce) promotional video. The three most-cited reasons: --Cost of the trip. That leads to the question that has been asked since even before the 2017 season began: should NASCAR get rid of stages? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The more entertaining the races are, the more viewers they will get. The field for the Daytona 500 is determined by the two qualifying events known as the Daytona Duels. ET Monday. The total number of laps in the race remains mostly unchanged but how races progress through these laps changes drastically. According to The Times, Constellation Automotive is purchasing the decommissioned racing track Midlands racing track, which was Europe's quickest banked oval racing circuit, for 80m. The final stages decide the races placement, giving them even more points. How do they work in Cup Series races, and why did NASCAR opt to bring them in in the first place? NASCAR currently has no plans to get rid of stage racing in favor of a traditional, unsegmented race format. NASCAR races were once run start-to-finish with no mandated breaks in the action. TV/RADIO: Qualifying coverage on CNBC begins at 11 a.m. Pre-race . Not only could that be the difference between making the playoffs or not, it also gives drivers different points variables to play with. 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. These points, different from the previous stage points, accumulate for a playoff-style race where each stage winner gets one playoff point. The playoffs start better for drivers with a string of triumphs than those who have to work their way through the regular season with no wins. Shouldn't running up front during a race matter for something? At each stage, you also win awards you playoff points, which are added to your overall postseason score. Formula 1 on the verge of an amazing all-time record in Abu Dhabi, NASCAR: All the facts and figures from year 1 of the new package, NASCAR: Monday Dover race not being broadcast on Fox, NASCAR changes Dover schedule again due to weather. (Chastain). 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. 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. All with the aim of making racing both closer and more exciting a spectacle. 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. Why Did NASCAR Start Stage Racing? - Motor Sports Racing Larson returned to the track after repairs. What was previously compared to the endurance required of top athletes and marathon runners has been effectively halved, making it far less impressive when a racer flies across the finish as the checkered flag flies. link to Is NASCAR Racing Profitable for Teams? Furthermore, the introduction of stages gave NASCAR drivers an extra incentive by competing for highly coveted stage points. After all, keeping the pack together leads to more contact and more drama, Dragon Ball Super chapter 81 release time for English translation confirmed. Why did NASCAR implement stage racing? What stages are in the NASCAR Cup Series and how they work - HITC Race stages also break up speed top-speed races that push cars to their limits for 100s of laps. Its no surprise that the fanbase has declined in recent years. It seems to be something (Chatain) does a lot recently. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- It is time for the 65th running of the Daytona 500, NASCAR's biggest event on its biggest stage, kicking off what many believe could be one of the sport's biggest seasons . When did NASCAR implement stages? Stages split NASCAR races into 3 segments and afford the opportunity for more points if a driver runs well all race. ", Button battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut. After racing back to the caution was eliminated, the green-white-checkered rule was implemented to help avoid a race from finishing under caution, particularly in the middle of a lap.