Stage racing is impossible in 150-mile races; therefore, NASCAR drivers complete all 60 laps without any pauses. Implementation Stages | Implementation 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. Wave them off with a green flag, and about three hours later, see them in with a chequered one. Stage points for the top 10 drivers are awarded at the conclusion of stages 1 and 2. Whether or not stage racing is good for NASCAR may always be a debated topic for as long as it exists. If there was a wild wreck or two, it was even better. It helps television with commercials because there is no action missed. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. On average, the races have lasted seven minutes longer this season than in 2016. Officials believed this was a great way to improve its races. The driver in first place during these stages will be awarded 10 points, second will get 9, third gets 8, and it continues to count down to the 10th position, which is awarded one extra point. Stage points are available at the end of stages 1 and 2 for the top 10 drivers. Stages, like the playoffs themselves among other changes NASCAR has made over the years, have been criticized as being gimmicky, and they certainly dont fit the mold of what youd expect from a sport that thrives off its grassroots fanbase. Problems with racing back to the caution Safety All stage points a driver accumulates are added to this number. 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. As NASCAR viewership moves to a larger digital spectatorship when compared to trackside fans, the race format has needed to adapt as well. (Chastain). Or four, when talking about the 600-mile race at Charlotte. And each time it does, it has seen the very predictable consequences . Do fans, especially those watching on television, like these breaks as real breaks when talking about events that often last more than three hours? NASCAR Sprint Cup formerly used restrictor plates at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Table of Contents STAGE WINNER: @dennyhamlin battles back on the outside to take Stage 2 in The Great American Race! All 3 series use the regular season point and playoff points system, meaning all stage winners receive 10 points and 1 playoff point. The winner of Stage 2 will start second for the final stage provided that driver finishes 15th or better in Stage 3, and the Stage 3 winner will start third in the final stage. The length of stages at Phoenix Raceway will be different than the stage lengths at other major series races like Daytona. Why Do NASCAR Races Have Stages? - FLOW RACERS The final stage goes off the points listed above. Pole-sitter Kyle Busch is scheduled to lead the field to the green flag at 12:10 p.m. It is frustrating when green flag racing is interrupted by a commercial break, leaving fans mostly clueless as to what is happening. Race stages also break up speed top-speed races that push cars to their limits for 100s of laps. Contrary to Dewars proclamation, not all fans enjoyed the new stage racing format. 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. 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. Just look at the differences in the final 2019 championship standings, the standings without playoffs, and the standings without stages. The reasoning behind the change in how the NASCAR races were set up all boils down to one thing. AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway on November 10, 2019 in Avondale, Arizona. The third and final stage decides the winner and all other positions. That's why less people are buying tickets. I did not mean to do that at all, Chastain told his crew via radio. They talk about giving points for qualifying. 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. Some of them are quite surprising. The top 10 during regular season standings also receive a gradation of playoff points. Earnhardt was a legend. The playoffs start better for drivers with a string of triumphs than those who have to work their way through the regular season with no wins. Kevin Harvick dominated a 400-mile race Sunday in Las Vegas, leading 214 of 267 laps and comfortably winning both stages and the . Analysis: How the addition of stages affected the Daytona 500 - Motorsport These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. By placing in the top 10 at the end of the first and second stages of a race, drivers may now earn additional points. Watching a race takes some preparation and rationing of snacks. NASCAR popularity is plunging - primarily for two reasons Except now, cars flip into the fence with regularity. NASCAR currently has no plans to get rid of stage racing in favor of a traditional, unsegmented race format. NASCAR doesn't have pit crews for the race at Bristol. To ensure ad space buyers and fans of fixed commercial spots that guarantee interruption-free green flag racing. 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. 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. I could go on the short run, but not the long run. Then-NASCAR CEO Brian France addressed the media upon announcing stage racings implementation and was confident the leadership group made the correct decision. 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. Your email address will not be published. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". At Phoenix Raceway, the stage breaks lasted for 12 laps, equating to .26 hours or 15.6 minutes. At the end of each race stage, points and playoff points are tallied and awarded to the winning drivers. The main reason is there are no commercial breaks at live race events that can interfere with active racing moments. Ever since i got in my pedal powered car 40 or so years ago I have been a lifelong fan of all motor racing, particular NASCAR and Indy, so this site is made to help share the answers to those questions that pop up mid race! There are 3 stages in nearly all NASCAR races. A brief explanation of stage racing in NASCAR - Sportskeeda All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. NASCAR has come to accept a lot of artificial excitement into their product, and stage racing is a result of that. 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