why did nascar implement stages

Stage racing and the subsequent cautions provide organic commercial breaks during which fans miss nothing. This race has 4 because it is NASCARs longest race, 100 miles longer than the next highest event. Stage victories are worth one point, whereas race victories are worth five. ", Button battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut. The move comes in. This content is imported from YouTube. Stage racing is impossible in 150-mile races; therefore, NASCAR drivers complete all 60 laps without any pauses. At the end of the year, the drivers at the top of the points leaderboard move on to the playoffs, when wins are taken into account. ET Monday. The two events, the Busch Light Clash and the Duels at Daytona, are the only races in NASCAR that do not have stages. Spend time assessing the needs of those affected by the . 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. The NASCAR racing stages are very easy to understand once you know how it works. Who wants to waste laps running under caution? Sure, I understand that the top ten get points for each stage. While the new points system that accompanies the new race format will come more into focus once the playoffs start, every week there is talk about how stages will play into that weekend's event. The obvious reasons why this change was made in 2017 can be blamed on numerous things, starting with the most important. Officials issued the rules bulletin to teams . 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. That's why less people are buying tickets. Important racing question: Can NASCAR race in the rain? 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). I thought Austin did an awesome job with what we had at Martinsville, running 12th there, that was good. *Added a required . No longer do young NASCAR racers start at their local tracks and work their way up. The Weather Underground forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 60 degrees. Stages consist of dividing the race into smaller segments, allowing for commercial breaks and creating more suspense and action for the audience. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. More viewers mean more money for the owners of the cars, which in turn gives them more money to secure top drivers in their classes, which means more wins and more points. Stages help the most in preventing breakaway leaders in the first few laps of the race. Go figure. The split racing format drastically affects the long-winded races and extreme endurance required in NASCARs traditional races. Restrictor-plate races have been found to cause bunching up of racers which leaves less time to react to race obstacles. NASCAR back on dirt at Bristol with revamped Easter night race Here's why NASCAR is changing stage lengths for 16 Cup Series races Then-NASCAR president Brent Dewar talked about stage racing and its effect on television viewership in 2017, saying our fans are eating it up.. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The longest stage of the race is always the final one. Problems with racing back to the caution Safety 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. NASCAR is settling with people in the crowd who sustain life altering injuries like it's nothing. TV/RADIO: Qualifying coverage on CNBC begins at 11 a.m. Pre-race . Confused yet? Instead of a long 100 or more lap race that requires endurance and only slows down for yellow flag laps and or caution flags, NASCAR decided to add 2 more stages to each race. Many would say yes. 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. 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. The reasoning behind the change in how the NASCAR races were set up all boils down to one thing. Felt this (change) would bring some new storylines (in an event).. By placing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race, drivers may now earn additional points. Your login session has expired. While it doesnt happen often, once is enough to piss off a casual fan. The points for the race are all added together to give the driver and their team an earned amount of points for the race. Dover Cup Series race rained out, moved to Mon. This added intrigue and strategy is exactly what NASCAR hoped stage racing would accomplish. The drivers have something to race for, even when it's just lap 20. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. All Cup races have stages now, and every Cup race has at least 3 stages. NASCAR has had a set term of race format for almost 100 years, and the premise of stage racing greatly affects established team strategies. Why did NASCAR implement stage racing? Stage 2 ends at Lap 29. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Earnhardt was a legend. The trucks have been racing on dirt since 2013, however this will be their first go at Bristol. Often winners of stages and winners of the overall race are not the same, which also creates more action for sports betting, a very lucrative attraction NASCAR offers. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Even some drivers were skeptical about the pending changes, wondering aloud if stages would negatively impact races. DISTANCE: The race is 400 laps (400 miles) on the 1-mile track. If there was a wild wreck or two, it was even better. A Beginners Guide to NASCAR: 6 Highlights of What NASCAR Is Like. The Cup garage will open at 9 a.m. NASCAR has faced questions from fans and competitors about stage breaks during road course races because those breaks alter strategy in a more defined manner than on most ovals. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. How NASCAR Stages Work - Ultimate Beginner's Guide NASCAR instituted stage breaks and stage points for the 2017 season and has kept the system in place since. The 2022 event was raced on a short track created inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. You also earn playoff points per stage you win, which is added to your postseason total. 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. Great for the drivers, but for me personally as a fan (and . 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. 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. Daytona 500 has three stages: What are stages in NASCAR? Full highlights and race results from the 2023 Daytona 500 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.. The sport of NASCAR may not be as rich as the multi-billion-dollar NFL, but that doesnt mean its poor, either. Busch Series cars had 2001 Restrictor plate package? : r/NASCAR - Reddit the device limits the power output of the motor and hence slows both the acceleration and the overall top speeds . To the fans who've stuck with us today, we say thank you.Let's enjoy this #DAYTONA500 on FOX! NASCAR stated there will be no stage breaks in the Cup road course events at Circuit of the Americas (March 26), Sonoma (June 11), Chicago street course (July 2), Indianapolis road course (Aug. 13), Watkins Glen (Aug. 20) and Charlotte Roval (Oct. 8). 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 Xfinity and Truck Series stage layouts are similar to those for the Cup Series. Some longtime fans and NASCAR purists met the change with skepticism and outrage. Sometimes this gamble pays off and other times it backfires greatly. The Daytona Duels are 2 qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500. What stages are in the NASCAR Cup Series and how they work - HITC 1991 Yes, stage racing adds the element of strategy. So, for all those long-time NASCAR fans who dont quite get the race these days, heres your chance to get up to speed on why NASCAR implemented stages. In nascar what is a competition caution? - sur.afphila.com The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. Stage 01. Similar complaints have been levied about the various playoff formats NASCAR has used to crown its champion since abandoning the season-long format after the 2003 season. Despite the fact that NASCAR prioritizes driver safety in some cases, on some superspeedways, things can actually become more dangerous. 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. A profound loss of a racing icon changed the way NASCAR viewed safety. "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. On February 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt hit a wall, and American motorsport was forever changed. So, its kind of pathetic. This applies to all top 3 levels of NASCAR competition: the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Truck Series. The first 2 stages of a race are usually between 25 and 30 percent of a races total laps each, with some variation depending on the length of a race and the track itself. The caution laps counting seems kind of right but so wrong. Stage points for the top 10 drivers are awarded at the conclusion of stages 1 and 2. This is because only the finishing order matters in determining a NASCAR champion. 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. It rewards those who are fast at the beginning of the race. I know it used to be, but nowadays, its like its almost not even necessary. But why did NASCAR start stage racing? The adoption of stages in NASCAR races has generated mixed reactions, with some drivers and fans finding it a positive change while others do not. NASCAR now races in stages during Cup, XFinity and Trucks Series races but what actually are stages in NASCAR? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Half the field competes in each one based on the results from single-car qualifying held earlier in the week. What is NASCAR? How it started, grew to today - NASCAR 101 Stage racing falls exactly in line with this philosophy. We continue to talk about our stuff and how we can get better, Busch said Saturday at Dover. The more entertaining the races are, the more viewers they will get. The total number of laps in the race remains mostly unchanged but how races progress through these laps changes drastically. Required fields are marked *. However, a Duel win does not count toward advancing to the playoffs. The breaks abounded for 4.8 percent of the race. 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. Table of Contents Driver intros will take place at 11:30 a.m. 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. It certainly should be. As NASCAR viewership moves to a larger digital spectatorship when compared to trackside fans, the race format has needed to adapt as well. While there are plenty of logical and lucrative reasons to implement seasons of stage racing, not everyone is completely sold on it. Answers to the 8 Most Interesting NASCAR Questions. NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono results: Chase Elliott declared winner Regardless, love them or hate them, NASCAR stage races are here to stay. 65 laps in Stage 2, from Lap 66 to Lap 130, 70 laps in Stage 3, from Lap 131 to Lap 200. 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. To attempt to bank stage points up front, they frequently exchange inferior track positions on the subsequent restart. Here's How the Latest NASCAR Points System Works - FanBuzz Advancing teams carry their playoff points all the way through to the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway in November. NASCAR Should Give The Hook To Its New Gimmick - Forbes NASCAR announced Tuesday changes to the stage lengths at 16 Cup Series races for the 2020 season. And current drivers seem to have quickly grown accustomed to stage racing and accepted it. ET Monday. But while stage racing likely isnt going anywhere following its first three seasons in the sport, you really have to wonder why its here, what purpose it serves, and above all, whether or not NASCAR should just do away with it. Stage racing is one of many controversial topics in NASCAR, and there are certainly things that NASCAR needs to fix before stage racing. These stages act as 2 mini-races and one half-duration race instead of one high-mileage event. Playoff points are also distributed to the top-10 finishers in the regular season standings on a sliding scale. 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. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. 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. 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. Stage 3 is made up of whatever miles are left over after the initial two stages, which is typically about half of the race. Do All NASCAR Races Have The Same Number Of Stages. Bobby Allison flipped into the fence in 1987 and nascar flipped its shit. 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. 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. (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 - Pros, cons of new stage-racing format in 2017 - ESPN Essentially, the stage racing format in NASCAR is designed to help keep the pack together and not let one driver dominate. Caution periods and pitstops were the only breaks teams could count on from the rigors of the endurance race, and teams had to strategize accordingly. (Chastain). By all public indications, leadership is happy with the increased urgency during the middle portions of the race and the different strategies which come from them. Based on the outcomes of the single-car qualifying event earlier in the week, half of the field competes in each. Or four, when talking about the 600-mile race at Charlotte. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Stage points are only handed out for the first and second stages. 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. The top-10 drivers in the first and second stages will qualify for these extra points. The three most-cited reasons: --Cost of the trip. Stage 1 makes up roughly the first quarter of the race, though this can vary depending on the track. Just look at the differences in the final 2019 championship standings, the standings without playoffs, and the standings without stages. 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Still, due to circumstances beyond either of their control, way back when, the Cup series left the city. 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. The main reason is there are no commercial breaks at live race events that can interfere with active racing moments. ET Monday to begin the 400-lap race on the 1-mile concrete oval. Brennan Poole on Ross Chastain at Dover pic.twitter.com/cyj2TBODqL. The adjustments primarily involve reducing the number of laps in the third stage to ensure enough . It is almost always the longest stage, often 40 to 50 percent of a races total length. Stage racing has been controversial among fans but is now a staple of NASCAR competition. Playoff points are awarded to stage winners and the ultimate winner of the race. How NASCAR points are awarded - NASCAR 101 It is also less exciting because there is less chance of someone quietly nailing the strategy in the background to emerge the winner in the last pit cycle. But NASCAR is, first and foremost, an entertainment entity and recent history has shown its decisions will most often reflect that reality. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Those events will keep stage breaks because they have non-live pit stops where the field comes down pit road together and positions cannot be gained or lost provided the stop is completed in the prescribed time by NASCAR. NASCAR: Dover Cup race not being broadcast on Fox. Stages 1 and 2 offer extra points for each driver, and the Coca-Cola 600, stage 3 also gives the same points. Fans explain why they stopped attending NASCAR races - USA Today NASCAR also had a an issue when it red-flagged a stage at Pocono after the pits were closed and then issued a one-lap, green-flag dash to the end of the stage, which didn't allow time for drivers who possibly had driven through debris a chance to pit. NASCAR instituted stages prior to the 2017 season in a dual effort to create closer competition on the track and make a better television product for fans watching from home. 30% for Stage 1 would be 110 laps, so it would be 110, 110 and 147, which makes Stage 3 pretty short relative to Stage 1 and Stage 2. But why did NASCAR start stage racing? Stage points incentivize racing throughout the race and not just for the win and to offer more passing opportunities during the race. At this point, why not just have 50-lap sprint races each week? The final stages decide the races placement, giving them even more points. These points were crucial because they determine how many points each driver receives after a race when they are added together. 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. ASA * Requires a second dash bar in the car's centersection. "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. Stage winners and the overall race winner both get playoff points. 7 Changes NASCAR Has Made to Make the Sport Safer Can You Go To A NASCAR Race While Pregnant? Another driver, Ryan Blaney, finished third at Pocono and earned himself 38 points. The pending end of a stage. Even lauding that the fence "did its . 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. It all just comes down to excitement and incentive at the end of the day. 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. 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. Shouldn't running up front during a race matter for something? The Xfinity and Truck Series stage structures are also much like the Cup Series description listed above. To ensure ad space buyers and fans of fixed commercial spots that guarantee interruption-free green flag racing. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. But its an unnecessary element of strategy that does nothing to enhance the on-track product. For almost all of its history, the only time a caution flag flew was because of an incident on track. That's why less people are watching. NASCAR Is Ruining Stock Car Racing, One Rule Change At A Time Be the first one to comment on this story. 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race: How the New Format Works - Sportscasting 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. . NASCAR, traditionally an endurance sport, relies on racers staying focused and alive for 3+ hours while sitting in a 140-degree F cockpit and hurtling along a trick at 200 MPH. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. How has NASCAR safety changed over the years? - MassInitiative The final stage goes off the points listed above. The soul of NASCAR was a bunch of drivers go toe-to-toe and laying it all on the line for one specific reason to win the race. 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 . They could round to 90 and then it would be 95, 95 and 187 - which makes Stage 3 pretty long. 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 weather is better for Cup drivers to race Monday at Dover Motor Speedway after rain postponed the event Sunday. Translation: the drivers are paying for the pleasure of racing. NASCAR hasnt just captured the imagination of its race fans, but also of much of the wider world through the medium of film. The race is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. The winner earns 10 points plus 1 playoff point and each subsequent finisher earns 1 fewer point. Only the final stage is ended with the traditional chequered flag, as that is the end of the race. This is exciting, because we see everyone win or lose on pit road immediately. 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 is simply NASCAR's way of bunching the field up a couple of times and trying to create something interesting. There are 3 stages in nearly all NASCAR races. 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. 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. Why did NASCAR implement stage racing? There is a 1% chance of rain for the start of the 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. These numbers are all added together to give the number of points each driver has gained from the race. The second stage also makes up 25 to 30 percent of the race. Stages split NASCAR races into 3 segments and afford the opportunity for more points if a driver runs well all race. 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. This is true for the Truck Series, Xfinity, and the Cup Series, considered the top three tiers of NASCAR racing. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The top 10 at the end of a stage score points. 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. 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.

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