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. Stage points incentivize racing throughout the race and not just for the win and to offer more passing opportunities during the race. We continue to talk about our stuff and how we can get better, Busch said Saturday at Dover. This creates more drama and crashes while preventing breakaway victories. ARCA * All cars must be equipped with a Race Safe light system. You shouldnt be better positioned to make a playoff run because you were leading a random race on lap 130 of lap 250 or something and ended up 28th while someone who ran 11th in the races early stages gets nothing playoff-wise with a second place finish. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Elton Sawyer, senior vice president of competition for NASCAR, said the move away from stage breaks at road courses was made in collaboration with teams and response from fans. The truth is that every time NASCAR green-flags a restart, there is a good chance of a great pass or a big wreck happening. Initially, only on-track incidents resulted in raising the red flag. Here's a sampling of some of the changes for 2004. Officials believed this was a great way to improve its races. Spend time assessing the needs of those affected by the . Some like the different element stages add during the middle of races, while others consider stages an abomination and will never support the concept. Experts state that there are a few reasons why NASCAR implemented stage racing. This allows for planned breaks around the middle portions of the race which, while generally not as eventful as the start or finish of the race, can have moments that fans dont like missing. 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). The end of the race offers more significant points, and each driver that finishes the race will get at least one point. As far as the playoff points are concerned, leave that for the race wins. 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. Each Cup race with the exception of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (with four) has three stages.2022-02-20. The NASCAR racing stages are very easy to understand once you know how it works. The reasoning behind the change in how the NASCAR races were set up all boils down to one thing. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. Stage racing wasn't always a thing in NASCAR, and is probably one of the newest changes the sport has made over the years. On average, the races have lasted seven minutes longer this season than in 2016. Each stage length is determined well before the race, and each is ended with a green/white checkered. Having points available at predetermined increments during a NASCAR race has changed the way races are run in other ways as well. Stage victories are worth one point, whereas race victories are worth five. The length of stages at Phoenix Raceway will be different than the stage lengths at other major series races like Daytona. A pit road penalty or bad pit stop early has consequences. But Would that still be good? 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. Stage racing means every pit strategy becomes entirely based on the stages. First adopted in 2017, stages in NASCAR effectively break the race up into three mini-races. No reason. Many would say yes. Even if they occasionally occur naturally during the race, there are other moments when the chance isnt there. 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. How NASCAR Stages Work. 65 laps in Stage 2, from Lap 66 to Lap 130, 70 laps in Stage 3, from Lap 131 to Lap 200. Answers to the 8 Most Interesting NASCAR Questions. Since then, the winner of each Duel receives 10 championship points. Driver intros will take place at 11:30 a.m. NASCAR hasnt just captured the imagination of its race fans, but also of much of the wider world through the medium of film. As NASCAR viewership moves to a larger digital spectatorship when compared to trackside fans, the race format has needed to adapt as well. 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. The pending end of a stage. Stage winners and the overall race winner both get playoff points. STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 14. With NASCAR, it is always possible future officials could change course in favor of something new and inventive. The race is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'speedtwitch_com-leader-1','ezslot_18',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-speedtwitch_com-leader-1-0');Stages break the 3-hour single race into 3 mini races, each with its own points and race winners, while helping to keep racers more bunched together during the middle of the race duration. The winner and all other positions are decided in the third and final stage. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. They want it to matter. The third and final stage decides the winner and all other positions. At each stage, you also win awards you playoff points, which are added to your overall postseason score. 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. Furthermore, by vying for highly prized stage points, stages provided NASCAR drivers with additional motivation. The top 10 at the end of a stage score points. 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. Please logout and login again. FORECAST: Weather Underground Mostly cloudy with a high of 59 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the race. 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). Title sponsorship changed the game; it made sense to make sure the sport's biggest stars would be on hand no matter where the series went each week. The split racing format drastically affects the long-winded races and extreme endurance required in NASCARs traditional races. Each of the stages starts and ends with a checked green/white flag, not the traditional end of the race checkerboard. 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. The top 10 finishers in each stage receive points on a 10-1 scale in the NASCAR points standings. Kevin Harvick dominated a 400-mile race Sunday in Las Vegas, leading 214 of 267 laps and comfortably winning both stages and the . 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. The trucks have been racing on dirt since 2013, however this will be their first go at Bristol. 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. The Xfinity and Truck Series stage layouts are similar to those for the Cup Series. STAGE WINNER: @dennyhamlin battles back on the outside to take Stage 2 in The Great American Race! After an early-race crash sparked by Ross Chastain parked Brennan Poole in Mondays Cup race at Dover Motor Speedway, Poole said Chastain probably needs to get his butt whooped.. No longer do young NASCAR racers start at their local tracks and work their way up. Go figure. Some longtime fans and NASCAR purists met the change with skepticism and outrage. Advancing teams carry their playoff points all the way through to the Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway in November. As winners pass the finished line to the green checkered flag that signals the end of the first two stages, the leading 10 drivers will be awarded stage points. Furthermore, the introduction of stages gave NASCAR drivers an extra incentive by competing for highly coveted stage points. ET Monday. and then runs 40 percent of the race in the final stage. When we introduced stage racing we took an element of strategy away from the event, Sawyer. Stage points are only handed out for the first and second stages. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. 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. 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. And certainly a group of fans would shake their heads in disgust. The stage points drivers win can add more energy and excitement to races that used to only have one race winner per event. Safety has always been important to NASCAR. His "Garage Mahal" in Mooresville, NC, was a . Kyle Busch, a two-time winner 10 races into the NASCAR Cup Series season, said communication is good between his team and that of teammate Austin Dillon at Richard Childress Racing. 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. The three most-cited reasons: --Cost of the trip. 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. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Not all, of course, but most. When did NASCAR implement stages? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Stage racing is impossible in 150-mile races; therefore, NASCAR drivers complete all 60 laps without any pauses. These stages act as 2 mini-races and one half-duration race instead of one high-mileage event. But its an unnecessary element of strategy that does nothing to enhance the on-track product. It rewards those who are fast at the beginning of the race. 275 max[] jg90270 max[] jg90270 (bs133hmfg) []np Drivers now earn bonus points by finishing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race. Based on the outcomes of the single-car qualifying event earlier in the week, half of the field competes in each. 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. Apr 20, 2022 12:01 AM. Well, this does in the sense that it sets up who has the best chance to earn points in the first stage. 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. ", Button battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut. It is now somewhat common to see teams gamble with their pit strategies to maximize stage points. NASCAR had a problem in a truck race when the pits were closed under caution but were reopened after the leader had passed the commitment line. Stage 01. NASCAR deemed Stenhouse was in the lead when a caution was called on the final lap of the race.Ross Chastain topped Stage 2, while Brad Keselowski picked up a Stage 1 win. Stage racing was implemented in NASCAR to remove the chance of race domination by single race drivers. 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. NASCAR Sprint Cup formerly used restrictor plates at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Fans get more action, and televised events fit commercials in better than interrupting green flag racing. Even lauding that the fence "did its . Only the final stage is ended with the traditional chequered flag, as that is the end of the race. Stage racing is simply NASCAR's way of bunching the field up a couple. NASCAR: Is shortening race distances really a good thing? "It [not having laps count] would really throw a wrench in the whole strategy game. Not only could that be the difference between making the playoffs or not, it also gives drivers different points variables to play with. 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. A Beginners Guide to NASCAR: 6 Highlights of What NASCAR Is Like. That leads to the question that has been asked since even before the 2017 season began: should NASCAR get rid of stages? #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/N7xf3dX6FD. The 2017 NASCAR season saw the implementation of stage racing. 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. Older fans, however, believe this was a crucial blow to NASCAR's diehard fans. It gives drivers reason not to coast (especially at restrictor-plate races) and fans a reason to watch. They claim that NASCAR just wants more restarts because a certain type of NASCAR fan only tunes in to see big crashes. Table of Contents NASCAR announced the change Tuesday in a session with reporters at the NASCAR R&D Center. 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. Missing an amazing pass or crash in NASCAR due to a dragging ad is just as upsetting as not seeing a touchdown pass in football for the same reasons. However, nothing public has been floated surrounding any imminent stage changes. On February 18, 2001, Dale Earnhardt hit a wall, and American motorsport was forever changed. Some of them are quite surprising. 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. The leaders know they will vie for that stage win and the regular-season points that go with it. There is nothing better than watching a close race from the comforts of your living room, except for maybe a viewpoint from the trackside. As soon as the green flag is raised and the cars accelerate, the final stage most closely mimics an authentic, vintage NASCAR race. Because the cars are coming from the dirt surface to the concrete pit road, NASCAR didn't want drivers trying to maximize their time on. Playoff points are extremely valuable during each 3-race round of the playoffs. Your email address will not be published. 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. Manage Settings That is just the nature of that beast of restrictor plate racing.. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. You also earn playoff points per stage you win, which is added to your postseason total. The reasons NASCAR implemented stage racing is myriad, as outlined in the info that follows. This is the exploratory stage where fundamental questions are answered, such as what will actually be implemented. 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. That's why less people are watching. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. The reason these points were so valuable is that they are tallied up at the end of a race and decide how many points each driver walks away with. Ross Chastain finished third. Each Cup race with the exception of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (with four) has three stages. Stage 2 ends at Lap 29. ET Monday. 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. After all, keeping the pack together leads to more contact and more drama, Dragon Ball Super chapter 81 release time for English translation confirmed. Pole-sitter Kyle Busch is scheduled to lead the field to the green flag at 12:10 p.m. 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 it doesnt happen often, once is enough to piss off a casual fan. Race wins are worth 5 points, while stage wins are worth 1. 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. Fans argue that the planned stage-ending cautions are better than phantom debris cautions, and that much is true. A crew chief may decide a guaranteed 9 or 10 points after stage 1 is worth the unknown that comes with racing in the back of the pack later. At the end of each race stage, points and playoff points are tallied and awarded to the winning drivers. All 3 series use the regular season point and playoff points system, meaning all stage winners receive 10 points and 1 playoff point. DISTANCE: The race is 62 laps (250 miles) on the 4.048-mile road course. 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. The breaks abounded for 4.8 percent of the race. NASCARs equivalent of the home-field advantage found in other sports is playoff points. Race stages also break up speed top-speed races that push cars to their limits for 100s of laps. Some love it, some hate it, but all agree stages are here to stay. 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. Where the Term Came From Whether or not stage racing is good for NASCAR may always be a debated topic for as long as it exists. These points were crucial because they determine how many points each driver receives after a race when they are added together. 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. NASCAR racing did not always include stage racing. 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. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The adjustments primarily involve reducing the number of laps in the third stage to ensure enough . By doing this, they will often trade worse track positions on the next restart to try banking stage points on the front end. The breaks in the middle of races also allow for food runs and snack breaks without any risk of missing exciting green-flag racing. NASCAR has come to accept a lot of artificial excitement into their product, and stage racing is a result of that. But why did NASCAR start stage racing? Bigger changes have happened seemingly out of nowhere. Stages in NASCAR explained First adopted in 2017, stages in NASCAR effectively break the race up into three mini-races. These points, different from the previous stage points, accumulate for a playoff-style race where each stage winner gets one playoff point. But after the first season with stages, Keselowski said I like stage races because there is a reward at the end of each one of them.. Brennan Poole on Ross Chastain at Dover pic.twitter.com/cyj2TBODqL. 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. It all just comes down to excitement and incentive at the end of the day. 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.
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