Replies to post #11775 on A Monster Energy Nascar Challenge

[Phil(Hot Rod Chevy)]

Pete,

I thought I had read that the point system would be changed for 2007.

I'll check.

Phil

[Phil(Hot Rod Chevy)]

Pete,

Here is the link to the post where it said a new point system would be used this year:

http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=16403292

Phil

[Seminole Red]

'BullNBear52'...is this the system we are useing this year for our contest ????

[BullNBear52]

Changes made to Chase, points system

February 1, 2007
01:20 PM EST

type size: + -DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Race victories will become more important than ever in 2007 as a result of adjustments to the points system and the Chase for the Nextel Cup format announced Monday by NASCAR.

The adjustments are designed to establish more balance between winning and consistency, but there is a new emphasis on the former.

"The adjustments taken put a greater emphasis on winning races," NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said. "Winning is what this sport is all about. Nobody likes to see drivers content to finish in the top 10. We want our sport -- especially during the Chase -- to be more about winning."

The Chase -- consisting of the season's last 10 races -- will further reflect the importance of racing to win, via a variety of adjustments.

During the format's first three years, the top-10 drivers in points after the 26th race of the season qualified for the Chase; in addition, any other driver outside the top 10 but within 400 points of the standings' leader also was eligible.

Starting this season, the 400-point cutoff is eliminated and the top 12 drivers in the points after Race 26 will qualify for the Chase.

All 12 drivers will have their point totals re-set to 5,000; each will then receive a 10-point bonus for each race victory they had during the first 26 races.

The Chase drivers will be "seeded" to start the Chase based on the number of wins amassed during the regular season.

"I like that the points for each of the now 12 drivers in the Chase will be set at 5,000 with an additional 10 for each race win," said team owner Richard Childress, who had two drivers in the 2006 Chase.

In line with the Chase adjustments, wins throughout the season will be more valuable.

Race winners throughout the 36-race season will now receive 185 points, a five-point increase.

"I'm happy to see NASCAR increase the points for winning a race," Childress said. "It makes winning that much more important. ... After all, winning is what this sport is all about."

Counting the five-point bonuses available for leading at least one lap and leading the most laps, a race winner now can earn a maximum of 195 points, creating a possible maximum of 25 points between first- and second-place finishers.

"Will it help us at the gate? Time will only tell, but if No. 11 and No. 12 are Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon -- or in last year's case two-time series champ Tony Stewart -- obviously the answer is a definite 'yes,' " said Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway. "This is a good move by NASCAR for the speedways hosting the 10 races in the Chase.

"Long term, NASCAR has to make sure that they don't go too far and water down the playoff field like we have seen in other sports. Water cooler talk -- even the debate over whether this is good or not -- is important to the sport."

The 2006 season of Kasey Kahne provides a dramatic illustration of the adjusted Chase format's implications.

Kahne qualified for last year's Chase, but started it in 10th place -- despite having won a series-high five races. Under the new format, Kahne would begin the Chase in first place, with 5,050 points.

"These changes should make the Chase for the championship even more exciting for the race fans and more competitive for the teams," Childress noted.

http://www.nascar.com/2007/news/headlines/cup/01/22/chase.changes/index.html


How the NASCAR point system works
Turner Sports Interactive January 30, 2004
3:11 PM EST (2011 GMT)

The biggest barometer of how a NASCAR team determines its success or failure during a season is the number of series points it earns.

The winner of each NASCAR race receives 180 points. The runner-up in each event scores 170. From there, the point total declines in five-point increments for places two through six, points awarded drop four points per driver for positions seven through 11 and three-point increments separate drivers' points for finishers in 12th place or lower.

The 43rd, or last-place driver, gets 34 points.

There are also bonus points up for grabs at each event. Drivers receive five points for leading a lap and an additional five points for leading the most laps.

In Nextel Cup racing, following the 26th race of the season, all drivers in the NASCAR Top 10 and any others within 400 points of the leader will earn a berth in the "Chase for the Championship."

All drivers in the "chase" will have their point totals adjusted. The first-place driver in the standings will begin the chase with 5,050 points; the second-place driver will start with 5,045, etc. Incremental five-point drops will continue through the list of title contenders.

Owners are rewarded in the points race in much the same fashion but, unlike drivers, they earn points for merely attempting to make a race. If an owner shows up with a pair of drivers, and one fails to qualify, the owner still receives points for the non-qualifying effort.

The fastest non-qualifier on race day earns 31 points for his owner, three down from the 43rd-place points. The scale continues downward from there for all non-qualifiers, with the lowest possible point(s) awarded being one.

Manufacturers have a points race of their own. The car maker who has a driver take first place in a race earns nine points for that race. Second-best performance by a manufacturer gets six points, third place earns four points and fourth place, three points.


http://www.nascar.com/2004/news/headlines/cup/01/30/points_system/index.html


How NASCAR Points Are Awarded
From Steve McCormick,
Your Guide to NASCAR Racing.

A thorough explanation of how points are awarded In NASCAR
The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series stars race every week towards the year-end championship. But how do they determine who the Champion is at the end of the year?

Every race on the schedule is worth the same amount of NASCAR points (except the Budweiser Shootout and the NEXTEL All-Star race in Charlotte which are not worth any points at all).

Winning the Daytona 500 scores exactly the same number of points that winning in Watkins Glen does. This is why it is so important for the racers to run hard every week, there are no "unimportant" races during the season.

After every race points are assigned per the table at the bottom of this page.

The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup

As of the 2004 season NASCAR points are tallied after 26 races and the top ten are locked into the final ten race Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

These ten drivers have their points manually set. The point leader automatically gets 5,050 points, the second place driver gets 5,045 and so on, five points per position through the top ten.
For the last ten races, NASCAR points are still assigned the same way as the rest of the season to determine the champion.

NASCAR Bonus Points

Bonus points are awarded as follows:

Five bonus points are awarded to any driver that leads any lap. An additional five bonus points are awarded to the driver that leads the most laps.

Example #1

The most points a driver can earn in a single race is 190. If you win the race and lead the most laps you would receive 180 for winning, five bonus points for leading a lap and five bonus points for leading the most laps.

Example #2

If you win the race but do not lead the most laps you would receive 185 points, 180 for winning and five bonus points for leading a lap (since you must have lead at least the last lap). While the most the second place driver could earn is 180 points. 170 for second, five bonus points for leading and five additional bonus points for leading the most laps.

It used to be possible for the first and second place finishers to earn the same number of points. As of 2004 NASCAR has fixed that by giving the race winners an extra five points to bring it to 180 instead of the previous 175 points.

NASCAR Points Awarded

Finish Points
1st 180
2nd 170
3rd 165
4th 160
5th 155
6th 150
7th 146
8th 142
9th 138
10th 134
11th 130
12th 127
13th 124
14th 121
15th 118
16th 115
17th 112
18th 109
19th 106
20th 103
21st 100
22nd 97
23rd 94
24th 91
25th 88
26th 85
27th 82
28th 79
29th 76
30th 73
31st 70
32nd 67
33rd 64
34th 61
35th 58
36th 55
37th 52
38th 49
39th 46
40th 43
41st 40
42nd 37
43rd 34

http://nascar.about.com/od/standings/a/nascarpoints.htm

And new for 2007...

Inside the Numbers
Points Comparison
2006 2007

Race win 180 185
Lead a lap 5 5
Most laps led 5 5
Maximum points 190 195

CHASE ADJUSTMENTS
• 400-point cutoff eliminated
• Top-12 drivers qualify
• Point totals adjusted to 5,000
• Drivers "seeded" by wins
• 10-point bonus for each win