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. 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. 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. 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. '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. Wins are worth five playoff points apiece. This quirk technically makes the Coca-Cola 600 the most valuable points race in NASCAR because it has 1 extra stage worth of points available. How NASCAR Stages Work. 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. 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. The stages add playoff benefits and a new point system that encourages racers to push hard like they would during qualifying races and other big events. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The organization introduced Stage racing in 2017, hoping to increase excitement and provide teams with stage points. 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. This bet occasionally pays off, but it can also have disastrous results. Just uncalled for. 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. 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. Each of the stages starts and ends with a checked green/white flag, not the traditional end of the race checkerboard. Are NASCAR cars all the same? The last stage is always the longest distance of the entire race, and usually involves a pitstop as well. Furthermore, the introduction of stages gave NASCAR drivers an extra incentive by competing for highly coveted stage points. The NASCAR racing stages are very easy to understand once you know how it works. "It [not having laps count] would really throw a wrench in the whole strategy game. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 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. 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. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The reasoning behind the change in how the NASCAR races were set up all boils down to one thing. 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. Stage racing means every pit strategy becomes entirely based on the stages. DISTANCE: The race is 400 laps (400 miles) on the 1-mile track. 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. 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. Even some drivers were skeptical about the pending changes, wondering aloud if stages would negatively impact races. 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. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. The breaks in the middle of races also allow for food runs and snack breaks without any risk of missing exciting green-flag racing. If there was a wild wreck or two, it was even better. It rewards those who are fast at the beginning of the race. 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. 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. Table of Contents Again, isnt the goal to win races? Regardless, love them or hate them, NASCAR stage races are here to stay. The racers in the lead change more frequently, which makes the races and, therefore, the season closer in points and more suspenseful for fans. Experts state that there are a few reasons why NASCAR implemented stage racing. 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. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/N7xf3dX6FD. 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. There were heat races to select the field for this race, but there were no stages for the main event. The length of stages at Phoenix Raceway will be different than the stage lengths at other major series races like Daytona. NASCAR All-Star Race adds element for pit crews Even if they occasionally occur naturally during the race, there are other moments when the chance isnt there. If fans plan ahead, they can figure when to start eating certain snacks. (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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Stage winners and the overall race winner both get playoff points. 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. This brings the total laps to 130 and sets the field up for a 70-lap shootout to the end. Dr. Diandra: Fact-checking Kyle Buschs statement about late-season rank changes, Kyle Busch: Team communication working well at RCR, Friday 5: Changes lead Cup drivers to moonlight in other forms of racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. latest added to NASCARs list of 75 Greatest Drivers, Dr. Diandra: Dont dismiss Trackhouse Racing or anyone else after only 10 races, Alex Bowman fractures vertebra in sprint car crash; out 3-4 weeks, NASCAR Power Rankings: Kyle Busch moves into top spot. This applies to all top 3 levels of NASCAR competition: the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Truck Series. 06.06.2017. Once the checkered flag flies, normal points are distributed throughout the field based on finishing order. 1991 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 2 consists of roughly the second quarter, and Stage 3 makes up the remaining second half. The race is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. However, the older lot might still reminisce about the old days prior to these additions. Typically only the winner of the racing venues gets playoff points and is the singular winner of the event. 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The formula for NASCAR has been pretty simple in terms of race format. FORECAST: Weather Underground Mostly cloudy with a high of 59 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the race. Except now, cars flip into the fence with regularity. 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. 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. There is a 1% chance of rain for the start of the race. In its press release, NASCAR termed stage racing competition format enhancements. NASCAR hopes viewers will be more engaged in watching miniature races within the framework of a traditional race. Brennan Poole on Ross Chastain at Dover pic.twitter.com/cyj2TBODqL. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. But why did NASCAR start stage racing? Some love it, some hate it, but all agree stages are here to stay. That's OK. Let's just think about the stages themselves. Not all NASCAR races have the same number of stages. And each time it does, it has seen the very predictable consequences . NASCAR awards a playoff point to the stage winner along with 10 points. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. But Would that still be good? 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. Stage points incentivize racing throughout the race and not just for the win and to offer more passing opportunities during the race. The main reason is there are no commercial breaks at live race events that can interfere with active racing moments. 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. Spend time assessing the needs of those affected by the . and then runs 40 percent of the race in the final stage. TV/RADIO: Qualifying coverage on CNBC begins at 11 a.m. Pre-race . Well, this does in the sense that it sets up who has the best chance to earn points in the first stage. 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). 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 . It essentially breaks each race. Stage racing and the subsequent cautions provide organic commercial breaks during which fans miss nothing. When did NASCAR implement stages? Larson returned to the track after repairs. 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. As far as the playoff points are concerned, leave that for the race wins. 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. One example of this would be the Daytona 500. which consisted of two 65-lap stages. Stage racing wasn't always a thing in NASCAR, and is probably one of the newest changes the sport has made over the years. 20 in 2018, Keselowski: Current car design not up to par. These numbers are all added together to give the number of points each driver has gained from the race. Now they can make banging snacks and still follow their teams perfectly. Exploring & Preparing. A pit road penalty or bad pit stop early has consequences. Stage points will still be awarded at the stage-ending lap, but the green-checkered flag will not be displayed and there will not be a caution period to interrupt the action. Introduced in 2017, NASCAR stages were considered a needed change to the long-standing single-stage race event that the sport was known for. 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. Race wins are worth 5 points, while stage wins are worth 1. 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.. 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. No matter which side you fall on, it seems like stage racing is here to stay. The Xfinity and Truck Series stage structures are also much like the Cup Series description listed above. And it gave Ricky Stenhouse Jr. a reason to bump-and-run to get back on the lead lap, costing Kyle Busch a stage win. Safety has always been important to NASCAR. Playoff points, typically coveted and only available when a racer finishes the full race, are available at the ends of stages. 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. NASCAR has had a set term of race format for almost 100 years, and the premise of stage racing greatly affects established team strategies. On February 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt hit a wall, and American motorsport was forever changed. Second place gets 35 points, third gets 34 points, fourth gets 33 points, until 36th-40th . When did NASCAR implement pit road speed limits? To determine stage length, NASCAR usually splits the first 60 percent of the race between the first two stages. 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 could go on the short run, but not the long run. STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 120. I think he was actually better than me at the Bristol dirt race and had a better long run car than I did. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The final stage most closely resembles a traditional, old-school NASCAR race, as there are no more mandated cautions once the green flag flies and drivers hit the gas. "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. Most NASCAR races are broken down into three stages. 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 cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The crew chief and pit strategies teams need to incorporate stage endings into their race plans, and with stage structures, stage wins can matter as much as race wins for the championship competition. The top-10 drivers in the first and second stages will qualify for these extra points. Then-NASCAR president Brent Dewar talked about stage racing and its effect on television viewership in 2017, saying our fans are eating it up.. First adopted in 2017, stages in NASCAR effectively break the race up into three mini-races. 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. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images). STARTING LINEUP: Dover Cup starting lineup. That's why less people are watching. Stage points incentivize racing throughout the race and not just for the win and to offer more passing opportunities during the race. Driver intros will take place at 11:30 a.m. There are points assigned to each stage, and then the points at the end of the race are added in. The 150-mile races are too short for stage racing, so NASCAR drivers race all 60 laps with no designated breaks. ET Monday to begin the 400-lap race on the 1-mile concrete oval. Poole left the race. At each stage, you also win awards you playoff points, which are added to your overall postseason score. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Stages are currently present in all NASCAR point races. There are 3 stages in nearly all NASCAR races. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The winner earns 10 points plus 1 playoff point and each subsequent finisher earns 1 fewer point. 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. There is nothing better than watching a close race from the comforts of your living room, except for maybe a viewpoint from the trackside. The more entertaining the races are, the more viewers they will get. Stage points for the top 10 drivers are awarded at the conclusion of stages 1 and 2. He got the finish he deserved, and I didnt do a good enough job to get the finish that we needed out of that one (Dillon was third, Busch 32nd). 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. By placing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race, drivers may now earn additional points. By pitting early, they would be behind those who stayed out to collect the stage points. Race stages also break up speed top-speed races that push cars to their limits for 100s of laps. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. Last year through 18 races, the average number of caution laps was 39.9, but it was as high as 44.2 in 2014. Translation: the drivers are paying for the pleasure of racing. This is the exploratory stage where fundamental questions are answered, such as what will actually be implemented. Baker recalled a lengthy meeting with . It usually takes about 40 to 50 percent of the whole races duration, making it nearly invariably the longest stage. Your email address will not be published. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Stage 2 ends at Lap 250. Playoff points are also distributed to the top-10 finishers in the regular season standings on a sliding scale. Do fans, especially those watching on television, like these breaks as real breaks when talking about events that often last more than three hours? NASCARs equivalent of the home-field advantage found in other sports is playoff points. Bobby Allison flipped into the fence in 1987 and nascar flipped its shit. So, I think it was the No. Some would say this change ruins the racing experience. The top 10 finishers in each duel do earn stage points in the same manner as every other race. They talk about giving points for qualifying. 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. (Chastain). NASCAR has transformed the football field at the Coliseum into a quarter-mile track and hopes Sunday's race attracts football fans who wouldn't normally watch racing. NASCAR is heading to the dirt track on March 27-28, 2021. 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. Ross Chastain finished third. Stages consist of dividing the race into smaller segments, allowing for commercial breaks and creating more suspense and action for the audience. At Phoenix Raceway, the stage breaks lasted for 12 laps, equating to .26 hours or 15.6 minutes. Even if NASCAR just shortens the races and doesn't include those laps, it would still seem right. Only the final stage is ended with the traditional chequered flag, as that is the end of the race. Wave them off with a green flag, and about three hours later, see them in with a chequered one. 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. Here's a sampling of some of the changes for 2004. Stage racing is one of many controversial topics in NASCAR, and there are certainly things that NASCAR needs to fix before stage racing. 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. The sport of NASCAR may not be as rich as the multi-billion-dollar NFL, but that doesnt mean its poor, either. Go figure. There are still stages during the season finale, but the Championship 4 earns no stage points in that race. The winner and all other positions are decided in the third and final stage. Everyone who finishes a stage 11th and after earns no stage points. Maybe it hasn't. But when I watch NASCAR, I don't get that vibe anymore. That's why less people are buying tickets. The second stage also makes up 25 to 30 percent of the race. Shouldn't running up front during a race matter for something? A stage is a division of the total race duration into usually three or occasionally four parts. Why did NASCAR implement stage racing? kingsley napley partner salary, how to access mickey's of glendale, marana police reports today,