In the top-level NASCAR Cup Series, that kicks off Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The lineup will be reset according to the frozen running order for the restart. NASCAR star Ross Chastain took some heat on Monday during the Wrth 400 at Dover International Speedway as he appeared to cause a crash in the first stage of the race. Gone are the days where drivers raced to the start-finish line just once after a predetermined number of laps. The top-10 drivers in the first and second stages will qualify for these extra points. Stages in NASCAR explained First adopted in 2017, stages in NASCAR effectively break the race up into three mini-races. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Since stage racing makes it tougher for a handful of drivers to pull away from the pack and dominate the race, it allows for more drivers to contend for wins. However, the NASCAR season is a grueling marathon. Under the charter system that was established in 2016, NASCAR Cup Series events can have up to 40 cars in the field. The first two stages are called "practice" and "qualifying." Chase Elliott missed so many races because of a broken leg that NASCARs most popular driver likely needs to win one just to make the playoffs. Which driver Kyle Busch or Ryan Blaney will have the better finish at the end of Stage 2 and by how many positions? I dont feel like it impacts me in the car at this point. Below are the distances and stages for all of the races currently confirmedon the Cup Series schedule. After Stage 2: Theentire field will be inverted. He has been in a feud with Denny Hamlin after incidents at Gateway and Atlanta last season. Below are the details of NASCAR's new procedure for competition cautions, which will take place in "the early portions of the race": The competition caution for the first Darlington race on May 17 arrived at Lap 30. Why does Daytona 500 have different stages? A guide to NASCAR - MSN The longest stage before that was 10 laps in 1997. Eventually, just four drivers will still be alive for the Championship 4 race at Phoenix. Daytona 500 stages: Explaining the format, stage lengths for 2020 NASCAR season-opener. When NASCAR released the lengths of stages for all of its Cup Series races last week, it was clear the lengths of the first two segments were designed to avoid fuel mileage racing within the segments. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Before stage racing, if a driver blew a tire or if they hit the wall at the fault of an opposing driver, they often fell out of contention early. Most races have three stages, while the Coca-Cola 600 has four. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM, The #15 Millennium Jet Card Ford, driven by Brennan Poole, is towed after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series Wrth 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 1, 2023 in Dover, Delaware. Per NASCAR.com, the setup is used on superspeedways. Pit selection for the May 20 Darlington race will be determined by the finishing order of the May 17 race. Below is all you need to know about the format changes for NASCAR races as the sport navigates an unprecedented challenge. In the above section, we stated that there are no bonus points handed out following Stage 3 in a race. Here's How the Latest NASCAR Points System Works - FanBuzz The Daytona 500, which consists of two 65-lap stages, is an example of this. The table depicting the points the top 10 drivers earn following a races final stage apply following Stage 4 in Charlotte. Of the roughly 40-car fields, 16 drivers make it into the first playoff round, and those not going for the title often use the playoff stretch to get their cars ready for the next season. The All-Star Open will again precede the All-Star Race and will again produce three of the final four starters in the field, which this year will be 21 cars. Dover will hold a Monday race for the fifth time in 105 career Cup races but third time since 2109. The main difference between the first two stages and the dash stage is that during the dash stage drivers can make any number of pit stops in order to change tires, repair damage, or just refill their fuel tanks. A typical race lasts three hours and covers 236 miles. Its been a year since weve been here and obviously a lot can happen in that amount of time, Elliott said. This year's Open will roll off sometime after 6 p.m. How NASCAR Stages Work - Ultimate Beginner's Guide Kyle Busch stole the win at Talladega after a double overtime restart, staying . A race win during the regular season almost guarantees a driver a spot in the playoffs, aside from a couple of rules to insure that someone doesnt win the first race of the year and then park their car until September. WWE star Braun Strowman, who sports the catchy nickname, did at least get to flex his pythons and pose with the Miles the Monster trophy. The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs consist of four rounds: the Round of 16, the Round of 12, the Round of 8 and the Championship 4. NASCAR has reached the playoff stage of the 2021 Cup Series season. In fact, this weekend'sWrth 400 on FS1is so massive that we enlisted the help ofMichael Waltrip two-time Daytona 500 champion and FOX NASCAR analyst to help us dissect why Dover is so daunting. The 2020 Cup Series schedule already has been through a whirlwind of change as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that shut down live NASCAR racing for two months. Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. That's why drivers need to stop frequently during the dash stage. NASCAR introduced stage racing in 2017 as a way to make the sport more competitive and to better resemble the other major American sports. DAYTONA 500 UPDATES: The latest from the 2023 Daytona 500, LONGSHOTS: 5 likeliest longshots to win the Daytona 500, Daytona's honorary race official:WWE's Charlotte Flair opens up about WrestleMania feud with Rhea Ripley, at Daytona 500. Fans critical of stage racing also believe that, because it brings the field together following a pre-planned competition caution, it rewards drivers who make errors early in the race, such as hitting the wall. In the event that the finish of the Daytona 500 (or any race) is threatened by bad weather, the race is official upon the conclusion of Stage 2. Drivers will simply restart from where they finished that stage. However, when you look at probabilities, drivers who race for the best teams in NASCAR often find themselves ahead in the pack anyway. the inherent flaws of a one-race title system, A parachutist could hit a contending race car, how playoff points differ from regular points, Modern NASCAR races have stages, each broken up with a green-and-white checkered flag and a caution period where. Brennan Poole was racing Austin Dillon on the backstretch into the turn when Chastain got into the back of Poole and appeared to send him up the track, collecting Kyle Larson in the process. It's Dover. Understanding modern NASCAR can be difficult for anyone trying to get into it. The move has since been banned. 1 seed in the playoff field. It was time.. This stage is used primarily when there is very little passing opportunities during normal race hours. NASCAR then adds the bonus points the drivers earned during the regular season: for race wins (five points per win), stage wins (one point per stage win) and finishing in the top 10 in the regular-season standings (15 points for first place, nine points for secondplace and, finally, down to one point for 10th place). He made waves last year at Martinsville, where he inched into the Championship Four with what is now known as the "Hail Melon." It consists of three 90-minute periods of racing, with a mandatory two-hour break between each period. None of them are straightfoward, so here's an attempt. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. I woke up the other morning and I was just kind of tired of eating breakfast and having to clean it off, Elliott said. Which driver Martin Truex Jr. or Chase Elliott will have the better finish at the end of Stage 2 and by how many positions? Manage Settings This is when most accidents happen because drivers do not have time to react to other cars around them. Below is the points payout for the top 10 finishers of the first two stages. Which of these drivers Ross Chastain or Denny Hamlin will have the fastest lap by the end of Stage 2 and how many yellow lapswill there be? Stage lengths: Each race is typically comprised of three stages (Stage 1, Stage 2 and the Final Stage; the Coca-Cola 600 has four stages). But he's a guy who's on the verge of breaking through.". Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wins 2023 Daytona 500: 5 Takeaways from NASCAR race Three years ago, the Daytona 500 ushered in a new era for NASCAR and its three major series. But, again, were talking about the basics here, so well stick to the top level. New fans to racing might be asking: Wait, what are stages in NASCAR? That effectively turns the final race of the year into a pure match race, as whichever Championship 4 driver has the best finish in the season finale wins the NASCAR Cup Series championship.. NASCAR's 2020 Cup Series schedule beyond June 21 is unclear. How does NASCAR stage racing work? The exact number will be determined by a random draw. Brad Keselowski won Stage 1 of the 2023 Daytona 500 by a nose thanks to a late pass. The regular season wrapped up Saturday, Aug. 28, with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. How to Understand the Daytona 500 and NASCAR in 2019 - Jalopnik These bonus points apply to the weekly standings. This is not the case for the Coca-Cola 600. For those no longer going for points or a title in the playoffs, that will be a factor. Every race is divided into 3 stages: Stage 1, Stage 2, Final Stage. The Monster Among Men had his scheduled pace lap at the Monster Mile rained out. Elliott would like to join him on that list. NASCAR Xfinity Series - 12 drivers, three rounds - Playoffs begin at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Sept. 26) - Scheduled cutoff races, where four drivers are eliminated from the playoffs: Charlotte. Each stage has a length before it ends. 10 Regular Season Points + 1 Playoff Point, 40 Regular Season Points + 5 Playoff Points, 35 of the 36 NASCAR races have three stages, Stages 1 and 2 make up roughly the first two quarters of a NASCAR race, Stage 3 makes up the second half of the race, The Coca-Cola 600 has four 100-lap stages, Drivers who finish in the top 10 in Stages 1 and 2 receive bonus points for the regular season standings, Drivers who win Stages 1 and 2 receive a bonus playoff point, A competition caution marks the end of Stages 1 and 2 at most races, and also Stage 3 at the Coca-Cola 600. Stage 2 also is 25-30 percent of the race, with Stage 3 made up of whatever mileage is left after the first two stages, usually roughly half. Stages. These are the same distances used by the IndyCar Series and Formula One Grand Prix. The last spot in the 21-car All-Star Race field will be determined by a fan vote. As with any new innovation in NASCAR, controversy will always follow changes that are made. Teams that do not beat the pace car off pit road will lose a lap and restart at the tail of the field; teams that pit more than twice or outside of their designated pit window will also restart at the tail of the field. This despite mixed reviews from fans through three full seasons of stage racing. NASCAR Stages Explained NASCAR races are divided up into different stages, and points are awarded to the top drivers at the end of each stage. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. NASCAR is using multiple methods to reshuffle the field after Stages 1-4. The lineup for the Darlington race on May 20, scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Larson expressed his unhappiness with Chastain to his team on the radio. Drivers would not have enough time to plan their moves ahead of time. Explaining NASCAR race stages, qualifying, points standings & more In the previous decade, there was plenty of chatter about bringing more action to NASCAR racing, since many (most?) The length of the first stage of each race varies depending on the track, but it's approximately 25-30 percent of the race's total length. The addition of stages at Atlanta Motor Speedway will have an impact on how teams prepare for the races. Many speculated that these cautions were simply thrown towards the end of the race to artificially make the racing more exciting at the finish by bunching the pack up. Modern NASCAR races have stages, each broken up with a green-and-white checkered flag and a caution period where laps count. The 40 cars weresplit into four groups based on points, and there was a random draw for starting position within each of those groups. It usually lasts about 30 minutes and involves several laps of a specific section of the track. The NFL and NBA have four quarters while the NHL has three periods, with intermissions for each half in the NFL and NBA, and after each period in the NHL. And Ross Chastain edged Alex Bowman to claim Stage 2. Elliott picked up the win on a Monday last season at Dover Motor Speedway and hell get another shot this year after rain again postponed Sundays race. Since there are so few corners at most tracks, many drivers prefer to save their energy for when there is more action on the track. The winners of Stages 1 and 2 will exit the Open and begin preparing for the All-Star Race. 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.. (AP Photo/Jason Minto), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, missed six races with a broken left tibia, FIFA warns Europe of Womens World Cup broadcast blackout, Unsigned in major leagues, Bauer gets big welcome in Japan, Dodgers go deep 4 times in 13-4 victory over Phillies, Harden hits late 3, 76ers defeat Celtics in semifinal opener, Tatis cheered in Petco Park return, Kim homers as Padres win, Nikola Jokics 39 points leads Nuggets past Suns 97-87, SDSU loses special advisor Sam Scholl to Big Sky Conference school, Ha-Seong Kim, Blake Snell help make Padres winners in Fernando Tatis Jr.s return to Petco Park, Parker pushes win streak to 14 in Lions Premier final, Russ Washington, member of Chargers Hall of Fame, dies at 74, Youve just got to keep adapting: Padres closer Josh Hader has changed his arsenal to stay one step ahead, From boats to a basilica, Padres dive into baseball part of unforgettable Mexico City trip, Padres Daily: Xander Bogaerts approach to hitting adds up; Fernando Tatis Jr.s Petco Park return, Suns guard Chris Paul leaves Game 2 with groin tightness, Yankees put Aaron Judge on injured list with hip strain, lvarezs double helps Mets split doubleheader with Braves, Verdugo homers for 3rd walk-off hit; Red Sox beat Blue Jays, Harden scores 45, hits late 3 as 76ers down Celtics 119-115. NASCAR playoffs, explained: Final race schedule, format for 16 drivers For the same reason NASCAR ditched qualifying for most of the races on its modified Cup schedule, there will be no practice sessions ahead of any of the events. I know how hungry he is, and I know how talented he is. I ended up winning races as an owner and as a driver on the track at the same time, which is really unique.". Picking a champion under the current NASCAR rules system is near impossible, as the entire season ends with one race, four drivers on an even field, and the potential for anything to happen. ", "I won there in 1988 and 1990 in the Busch car, and believe what I'm saying it's the biggest thrill ride in NASCAR.". The choose rule for restarts will be in effect. Bristol has been the longest stage of each race since it started using a round-by-round points system in 2004. If a driver wins Stages 1 and 2 but crashes out in the final stage and finishes 36th, they still collect decent points. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. At the Coca-Cola 600, all 4 stages account for one quarter of the race. Chase Elliott likely to get NASCAR playoff waiver after breaking leg Which manufacturer Chevrolet or Ford will have the most cars in the top 20 at the end of Stage 2 and how many will they have? The race's results finalized the 16-driver field and determined the starting order for the opening Round of 16. They'll need to make the call before reaching the commitment arrow on the track. The last spot in the field will again come from an online fan vote. Him and I had been racing for position and, I mean, youre side-by-side theres not like a whole lot of room," Poole explained. Why does Daytona 500 have different stages? A guide to NASCAR stage racing The driver who sets a new track record gets the top spot on the grid for that particular race. 5 Takeaways: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. clips Joey Logano to win longest Daytona 500 in NASCAR history. In celebration of NASCAR's 75th anniversary, this exhibit allows fans to revisit some of the coolest moments from Monster Mile history with 16 historical signs near the Grove Stage and Monster . The fastest driver in practice will be declared the early leader. Even in todays landscape, where the cars are more alike than ever before, larger teams have more funds to attract better sponsorships, and therefore hire a more experienced and talented team around the driver. NFL Draft stage, explained: How Kansas City's 2023 - Sporting News NASCAR Race Lengths: 2023 (Stages) - Racing News Good luck! 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. So, stage racing provides more benefit to the smaller teams and lesser experienced drivers, giving them a better chance to place higher, or to even earn bonus regular season points for high finishes following each stage. The race can end at any time during Stage 3 at NASCARs discretion, often because of inclement weather or, at some tracks, a lack of lighting. The Championship 4 is a one-race, four-drivershowdown for the NASCAR Cup. This season, the top 10 drivers who qualified for the playoffs have won a race and the bottom six have not. No other drivers receive bonus points. Download and play today! NASCAR Cup Series fields can be a maximum of 40 teams, with the 36 Chartered teams guaranteed a position in every race. None of them are straightfoward, so here's an attempt at a translation: NASCAR won't mess with the field after Stage 5. The shortest distance ever raced is 20 yards (18 meters) during a NASCAR exhibition event in 1951 at Daytona Beach International Raceway. On top of one playoff point, the winner of the first two stages gets 10 points; second gets nine points, third gets eight points and so on. The starting lineup for theMay 27 race at Charlotte, though, will be set by the same procedure NASCAR will use to set the field for the second Darlington race an inversion of positions 1-20, then positions 21-40 remain the same from the Coca-Cola 600 results. NASCAR playoffs guide: Explaining the Cup Series' championship format