NASCAR, known for its trackside excitement, has not remained unaffected by this trend and broke up the 3+ hour single races into stages.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'speedtwitch_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',183,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-speedtwitch_com-medrectangle-3-0'); The number and distance of stags per race vary, but the resulting opinions on stage racing have been contentious. No longer do young NASCAR racers start at their local tracks and work their way up. The more heated the race was, the better it was for all the racing fans. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Not only could that be the difference between making the playoffs or not, it also gives drivers different points variables to play with. Add to this stopping mid-way, and the crashes and bumps are sure to increase. 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 . This race has 4 because it is NASCARs longest race, 100 miles longer than the next highest event. But that doesnt mean that we dont go to work and try and figure it out and make it better for both of us.. I have not had a lot of restrictor plate wins and have been lucky enough to get those wins. Why did NASCAR implement 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. Here's why NASCAR is changing stage lengths for 16 Cup Series races I have been good a lot and have won a lot of races (but) not at restrictor plate tracks, Busch said. 7 Changes NASCAR Has Made to Make the Sport Safer The field for the Daytona 500 is determined by the two qualifying events known as the Daytona Duels. Answers to the 8 Most Interesting NASCAR Questions. Stage racing has been controversial among fans but is now a staple of NASCAR competition. NASCAR instituted stage breaks and stage points for the 2017 season and has kept the system in place since. Contrary to Dewars proclamation, not all fans enjoyed the new stage racing format. Max Jg90270 Max Bs133hmfg Np Just look at the differences in the final 2019 championship standings, the standings without playoffs, and the standings without stages. Bill France Jr., former NASCAR president, did too. NASCAR Cup Series: Jimmie Johnson could return in 2021, Broncos' Derek Wolfe to Get MRI on Elbow Injury; Vic Fangio 'Not Optimistic'. Stage racing wasn't always a thing in NASCAR, and is probably one of the newest changes the sport has made over the years. Does NASCAR still race at Rockingham? - Kabuki Each of the stages starts and ends with a checked green/white flag, not the traditional end of the race checkerboard. NASCAR announced that the Dover Cup race has been postponed to Monday because of rain. The top-10 drivers in the first and second stages will qualify for these extra points. All 3 series use the regular season point and playoff points system, meaning all stage winners receive 10 points and 1 playoff point. Formula 1 on the verge of an amazing all-time record in Abu Dhabi, NASCAR: All the facts and figures from year 1 of the new package, NASCAR: Monday Dover race not being broadcast on Fox, NASCAR changes Dover schedule again due to weather. In his free time, you can find him tinkering with his own vehicles, trying to make them faster and more exciting. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Everyone who finishes a stage 11th and after earns no stage points. 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. 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. 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 racing falls exactly in line with this philosophy. This is the exploratory stage where fundamental questions are answered, such as what will actually be implemented. 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. Wins are worth five playoff points apiece. 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. A pit road penalty or bad pit stop early has consequences. NASCAR popularity is plunging - primarily for two reasons However, nothing public has been floated surrounding any imminent stage changes. Racing back to the caution - Wikipedia 1? By nature, stage racing also creates another unnecessary element that takes away from the competition itself. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. To attempt to bank stage points up front, they frequently exchange inferior track positions on the subsequent restart. Ross Chastain finished third. and then runs 40 percent of the race in the final stage. The second stage also makes up 25 to 30 percent of the race. Analysis: NASCAR can't seem to win when racing in the rain - Motorsport Why is stage racing so hated? : r/NASCAR - Reddit Stage points are only handed out for the first and second stages. This event marks the first NASCAR Cup Series race on the dirt since 1970. Or four, when talking about the 600-mile race at Charlotte. But why did NASCAR start stage racing? 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. What is stage racing and why does NASCAR do it. Just uncalled for. As NASCAR viewership moves to a larger digital spectatorship when compared to trackside fans, the race format has needed to adapt as well. Though as of 2023 a race ends under caution with the field frozen if a caution occurs in the final lap of an overtime. The length of stages at Phoenix Raceway will be different than the stage lengths at other major series races like Daytona. This year, seven of the 16 races have taken more than 3 hours, 30 minutes to complete (including red-flag time). 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. Stage racing also creates more restarts, sometimes the most action-filled laps of a NASCAR race at certain tracks. When did NASCAR implement stages? Safety has always been important to NASCAR. NASCAR Sprint Cup formerly used restrictor plates at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Each driver will earn the points above for each stage that is not the final one. When the mid-point of the race is stopped for a stage change, instead of being the highest speed passing portion, some fans may be a little put-off. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. (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. The 2017 NASCAR season saw the implementation of stage racing. There are 3 stages in nearly all NASCAR races. Translation: the drivers are paying for the pleasure of racing. 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 leads to the question that has been asked since even before the 2017 season began: should NASCAR get rid of stages? Now the drivers do get credit for strong starts. Each race is divided into three stages (four for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway), and points are awarded to the. Baker recalled a lengthy meeting with . FORECAST: Weather Underground Mostly cloudy with a high of 59 degrees and no chance of rain at the start of the race. Furthermore, by vying for highly prized stage points, stages provided NASCAR drivers with additional motivation. Knowing when the caution comes out allows teams to choose between finishing well in a stage or possibly putting themselves in a better position to win the race. C'mon, admit it. Sunday Road America Cup race: Start time, weather, TV 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. The obvious reasons why this change was made in 2017 can be blamed on numerous things, starting with the most important. All stage points a driver accumulates are added to this number. 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). This is a key decision-making phase in implementation. Teams now occasionally risk with their pit strategy to increase stage points. The Xfinity and Truck Series stage structures are also much like the Cup Series description listed above. NASCAR Safety Equipment - The Safety Revolution Continues Why Did NASCAR Start Stage Racing? - Motor Sports Racing Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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. Maybe thats just too old school. The breaks in the middle of races also allow for food runs and snack breaks without any risk of missing exciting green-flag racing. How NASCAR Stages Work. 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. 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. Obviously, we have our ups and downs, and I would say that we have struggled at times for sure, Martinsville being the worst. In fact, up until 2017, the race was all-out until you finished. This brings the total laps to 130 and sets the field up for a 70-lap shootout to the end. But NASCAR is, first and foremost, an entertainment entity and recent history has shown its decisions will most often reflect that reality. There are vocal, passionate fans on both sides of the issue. It all just comes down to excitement and incentive at the end of the day. At Phoenix Raceway, the stage breaks lasted for 12 laps, equating to .26 hours or 15.6 minutes. Still, due to circumstances beyond either of their control, way back when, the Cup series left the city. This, in the end, brings in more money for the drivers, the teams, and the racetracks. It gives drivers reason not to coast (especially at restrictor-plate races) and fans a reason to watch. Why Did NASCAR Go To Stage Racing? - SpeedTwitch 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. 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. NASCAR racing did not always include stage racing. By placing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race, drivers may now earn additional points. 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. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Its no surprise that the fanbase has declined in recent years. Bigger changes have happened seemingly out of nowhere. NASCAR now races in stages during Cup, XFinity and Trucks Series races but what actually are stages in NASCAR? At this point, why not just have 50-lap sprint races each week? Stages in NASCAR explained First adopted in 2017, stages in NASCAR effectively break the race up into three mini-races. It is frustrating when green flag racing is interrupted by a commercial break, leaving fans mostly clueless as to what is happening. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". NASCAR - Pros, cons of new stage-racing format in 2017 - ESPN 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. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. placed second. The average number of cautions per race (9.1) is well ahead of the first 18 races last year (7.5) but not a ton more than in 2015 (8.4). Except now, cars flip into the fence with regularity. Restrictor-plate races have been found to cause bunching up of racers which leaves less time to react to race obstacles. Lets dig into these reasons a little deeper so you will better understand each of the those given about why NASCAR started stage racing. 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. Want to know the most dangerous tracks this season? 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. Those who do not make the cut are left to prepare for the next racing season. Analysis: The Time of Stage Breaks - Speedway Digest No reason. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. What NASCAR Track Has the Steepest Banking? Go figure. Stage racing wasn't always a thing in NASCAR, and is probably one of the newest changes the sport has made over the years. At Auto Club Speedway, the stage breaks went for 12 . In the area of fantasy sports leagues and sports betting, these points offer ways to create more action and build a rooster of winning racers. Drivers now earn bonus points by finishing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race. NASCAR: How the L.A. Coliseum was transformed into a track - Yahoo Sports 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. Officials issued the rules bulletin to teams . You also earn playoff points per stage you win, which is added to your postseason total. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. NASCAR has been a common household name for decades. Kyle Larson rolled into the crash area with nowhere to go and slammed into Poole. Let's say Chase Elliott won a race at Pocono Raceway, earning him a total of 40 points. Only the final stage is ended with the traditional chequered flag, as that is the end of the race. Proponents of the changes agree that it is nice that 1st place-driver, 2nd-place driver, and 3rd-place driver, as well as the following several, get some points on a 10-1 scale. 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. Maybe I'm Just Being an Old Guy, But NASCAR Really Sucks Now NASCAR issues Cup Series rules changes for superspeedways | NASCAR Adding stages breaks up these types of leads and brings the audiences attention back to the field every time the next stage of green-flag racing starts. Last year through 18 races, the average number of caution laps was 39.9, but it was as high as 44.2 in 2014. This added intrigue and strategy is exactly what NASCAR hoped stage racing would accomplish. DISTANCE: The race is 400 laps (400 miles) on the 1-mile track. Stage racing was implemented to ensure those things were still part of the sport. Not all, of course, but most. Stage points are awarded to the top 10 finishers after stages one and two. Problems with racing back to the caution Safety Daytona 500 stages: Explaining the format, stage lengths for 2022 A short track built within the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum served as the venue for the 2022 competition. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. ET Monday. Let's also say that he finished fourth in the second stage, earning him seven points, and second in the first stage, giving him nine points. 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. This content is imported from YouTube. Please logout and login again. Now more rewards are given more frequently to racers at each stage, and points and stage endings replace multiple cautions per race techniques. Whoever crosses the finish line first among the final 4 drivers is crowned champion. NASCAR competition officials announced rules changes Tuesday with the intent to slow Cup Series cars by approximately 7-10 mph at superspeedway events. NASCAR has had a set term of race format for almost 100 years, and the premise of stage racing greatly affects established team strategies. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The end of the race offers more significant points, and each driver that finishes the race will get at least one point. NASCAR All-Star Race adds element for pit crews The wreck happened in the first stage of the race, a fact both Larson and Poole pointed out after the crash. 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. Maybe it hasn't. But when I watch NASCAR, I don't get that vibe anymore. A driver who wins the first 3 stages would earn 30 points and 3 playoff points at this race, whereas sweeping stages at any other race only earns the winner 20 points and 2 playoff points. How NASCAR's choose rule works - NASCAR 101 *Added a required . 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 regular season point and playoff point systems are used for all three series; thus, each stage winner receives ten regular season points and one playoff point. '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. Fans explain why they stopped attending NASCAR races - USA Today This is important because it reduces the number of full-screen commercial breaks during green flag racing, something that often irks fans watching from home. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. How would stages make racing more exciting, you might ask? Are NASCAR cars all the same? Confused yet? 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. 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. Those playoff points (including those earned in the playoffs) carry over to each reset playoff round, except for the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. 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. Stage racing was introduced across NASCAR's three biggest series, the Cup Series, the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, before the start of the 2017 season. NASCAR reveals rules modifications for 2023 | NASCAR.com While it doesnt happen often, once is enough to piss off a casual fan. The three most-cited reasons: --Cost of the trip. The driver that passes the finish line first gets 10 stage points, while the 10th-place driver only gets 1 point. By the way, Brad Keselowski had an interesting view on this topic: "The teams are pretty adamant that they want to see the laps count, because they are putting miles on the engines and don't want that to count for nothing," he said. 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. On average, the races have lasted seven minutes longer this season than in 2016. Based on the outcomes of the single-car qualifying event earlier in the week, half of the field competes in each. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Everything You Need to Know about NASCAR's Bristol Dirt Race - Autoweek 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. 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 Weather Underground forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 60 degrees. They want it to matter. The reasons NASCAR implemented stage racing is myriad, as outlined in the info that follows. The main reason is there are no commercial breaks at live race events that can interfere with active racing moments. The Cup garage will open at 9 a.m. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Do All NASCAR Races Have The Same Number Of Stages. Manage Settings The race can end at any time during Stage 3 at NASCAR's discretion . The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. The 150-mile races are too short for stage racing, so NASCAR drivers race all 60 laps with no designated breaks. 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. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". NASCAR stages are competition yellow flags in the middle of the damn race! I mean, just a joke 80-something laps into a race? Although it has caused quite a controversy, stage racing is now a standard feature of NASCAR competition, and its something we all need to deal with. Felt this (change) would bring some new storylines (in an event).. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images). The drivers have something to race for, even when it's just lap 20. If any word can define the 2017 NASCAR Cup season, it could be this one: stages. A brief explanation of stage racing in NASCAR - Sportskeeda No matter which side you fall on, it seems like stage racing is here to stay. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Watching a race takes some preparation and rationing of snacks. 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. Stage racing was implemented in NASCAR to remove the chance of race domination by single race drivers. 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. 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.. There is nothing better than watching a close race from the comforts of your living room, except for maybe a viewpoint from the trackside. Of course, they could do that anyway without the "stages," but this at least gives fans a starting point. Drivers have an opportunity to accrue points in the regular season for qualifying in the championship competition. 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. NASCAR Cup Series' return to Nashville a long, long time coming So, now that you know what and why stages were included in NASCAR, you can enjoy the sport better. Even if NASCAR just shortens the races and doesn't include those laps, it would still seem right. 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. The weather is better for Cup drivers to race Monday at Dover Motor Speedway after rain postponed the event Sunday. 1) Just like all the other major racing series in the world, NASCAR has become a money deal. 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. 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.

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