List of NASCAR points scoring systems

Last updated

This is a list of points scoring systems used to determine the outcome of the NASCAR Championships since 1949. The Championships are awarded each year to the driver who accumulate the most championship points over the course of the Championship season.

Contents

Determined by money

1949–1951

Prize Money1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th
$5002522.52017.51512.5107.552.521.51.5
$1,00050454035302520151054321
$4,00020018016014012010080604020161284
$6,0003002702402101801501209060302418126
$25,000125011251000875750625500375250125100755025

1952–1967

The scale changes to spread out evenly across the top 25, and half points are eliminated. Prize money is usually rounded to the nearest thousand: i.e. a race paying $3,950 would count as 200 points.

Prize Money1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th+
$400020019218417616816015214413612812011210496888072645648403224168
$6000400384368352336320304288272256240224208192176160144128112968064483216
$1000050048046044042040038036034032030028026024022020018016014012010080604020
$2000010009609208808408007607206806406005605204804404003603202802402001601208040
$2500012501200115011001050100095090085080075070065060055050045040035030025020015010050

1974

Determined by mileage

1968–1971

Event Length1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th26th27th28th29th30th31st32nd33rd34th35th36th37th38th39th40th41st42nd43rd44th45th46th47th48th49th50th
< 250 miles5049484746454443424140393837363534333231302928272625242322212019181716151413121110987654321
250–399 miles1009896949290888684828078767472706866646260585654525048464442403836343230282624222018161412108642
> 399 miles150147144141138135132129126123120117114111108105102999693908784817875726966636057545148454239363330272421181512963

1972–1973

Two different scoring systems were combined between 1972 and 1973. A points system for rank in the race and another point system for points based on the length of the race and the distance covered by the driver. For Example: The winner of the Daytona 500 in 1972 received a total of 350 points, 100 points for first place and an additional 250 points (1.25 points per lap * 200 laps) for race distance completed.

Rank points were awarded to the top 50 placing drivers in every race, using the following structure:

Season1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th26th27th28th29th30th31st32nd33rd34th35th36th37th38th39th40th41st42nd43rd44th45th46th47th48th49th50th
19721009896949290888684828078767472706866646260585654525048464442403836343230282624222018161412108642
19731259896949290888684828078767472706866646260585654525048464442403836343230282624222018161412108642

Additionally, points for laps completed were awarded per the following schedule:

Track lap distancePoints per number of laps completed
< 1 mile0.25
1 mile0.50
1.3 miles0.70
1.5 miles0.75
2 miles1.00
2.5 miles1.25

Equal points per race

1975–2010

Year1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th26th27th28th29th30th31st32nd33rd34th35th36th37th38th39th40th41st42nd43rd44th45th46th47th48th49th50th51st52nd53rd54thLead a LapLead the Most Laps
1975–2003175170165160155150146142138134130127124121118115112109106103100979491888582797673706764615855524946434037343128252015108642155
2004–2006180
2007–2010185

2011–2015

1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th26th27th28th29th30th31st32nd33rd34th35th36th37th38th39th40th41st42nd43rdLead a LapLead the Most Laps
43 (+3)42414039383736353433323130292827262524232221201918171615141312111098765432111

2016

1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th26th27th28th29th30th31st32nd33rd34th35th36th37th38th39th40thLead a LapLead the most Laps
40 (+3)39383736353433323130292827262524232221201918171615141312111098765432111

Stage points added

2017–present

For all series in NASCAR, there is both a drivers and an owners championship, with the system based on finishing positions equal in both championships. Since 2011 in the National Series competition and 2012 in the Regional Series competition, the points system has been a one-point per position system except between the winner and second-place finisher, where the difference is five points. [2] In all series except the Whelen All-American Series, a driver who leads a lap during the race will earn one bonus point (the only place leading counts is at the start/finish line). Starting in 2011, drivers must declare which series they will earn championship points and cannot earn points in other series than the one that they have declared. This rule does not apply for owners, as their drivers' finishing positions will score owner points, regardless of the driver being eligible for points in that series or not. If an ineligible driver wins the race, he/she does not score any driver points, but the owner will score 40 (and stage points if the driver scores). Under NASCAR's charter system beginning in 2016, the last place finisher will earn 1 point (previously the last place driver earned 1 point for the 40-car field has been used).

A new NASCAR Point System has been announced for the 2017 season:

For the first time since 1971, the Can-Am Duel qualifying races will become points paying races with the top-10 finishers will earn points.

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, there are only 32 competitors, so the last-place driver will receive five points. Teams must submit an entry form to NASCAR 13 days prior to the event with the race's entry fee, or they are deemed ineligible for points.

Most races are now divided into 3 "stages" with additional points available for position at the end of the first 2 stages and finishing points for the final stage. Stage 1 is roughly the first quarter of the race distance, Stage 2 is roughly the 2nd quarter and Stage 3 is roughly the last half of the race. Drivers can earn race points through their performances in Stage 1 and 2. Drivers who are running first through 10th at the conclusion of Stage 1 and/or Stage 2 will receive points according to the table below.

Points are awarded to the drivers in the first two stages:

Position12345678910S1WINS2WINS3WIN [lower-alpha 1]
NCS10987654321111
NXS1098765432111-
NCTS1098765432111-
Notes

The only exception to the 3 stage race is for the NASCAR Cup Series's longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 which has 4 stages that are divided into 4 equal 100 lap quarters with points awarded for stage 3 position.

Points are awarded to drivers and owners in the three national series in the final stage:

Position12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940PWIN
NCS40353433323130292827262524232221201918171615141312111098765432111115
NXS403534333231302928272625242322212019181716151413121110987654321115
NCTS4035343332313029282726252423222120191817161514131211109876543215

2020

Following the suspension of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, NASCAR altered the field size for the Xfinity Series and Truck Series, allowing fields of up to 40 competitors after practice and qualifying sessions were removed from race weekends. The Xfinity Series followed the Cup series point format with drivers finishing between 37th and 40th scoring 1 point. The Truck Series awarded 5 points to drivers finishing between 33rd and 40th. [3]

2017 Playoff rules

In NASCAR's top three national series, there is a playoff format contested over the final races of the season. When Sprint Nextel was the title sponsor of NASCAR's premiere series it was known as the Chase. Starting in 2017 it is simply known as the playoffs. [4]

Qualification

The top 16 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races qualify for the Playoffs, provided they attempted to qualify for every race. A driver may be exempt from the requirement to start every race if he has to miss races because of injuries, is on family leave, or under extenuating circumstances by NASCAR.

If there are fewer than 16 different race winners in the first 26 races, the remaining positions will be determined by drivers highest in points standings. All ties will be broken by drivers' point standings.

Drivers who qualify for the playoffs will have their points reset to 2,000 points, along with one point for each stage won during the regular season, and five points for each race win. Also, more bonus points for Top-10 in points standings at the end of the regular season:

Position12345678910
Additional playoff points151087654321

Advancement model during the Playoffs

Finishing fifth

Championship finale

The four drivers remaining in the playoffs are the Championship Four. They compete for the NASCAR Cup Championship at the 36th and final race of the season, currently held at Phoenix Raceway. Points are reset at 5,000 for all 4 drivers. The Championship Four drivers do not receive points for finishing position at the end of each stage. Only official finishing position alone will decide the champion, the highest finisher wins the championship. 2023 was the first year that the champion didn’t win the race itself.

See also

Notes

  1. "User Comments - the 1949 Wilkes 200". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  2. White, Rea (June 6, 2014). "NASCAR makes changes to points, Chase". FoxSports.com. Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  3. "NASCAR expands field for some Xfinity, Gander Trucks races | NASCAR". 11 May 2020.
  4. "NASCAR announces Chase for the Sprint Cup format change". NASCAR.com. Official NASCAR Release. January 30, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  5. "NASCAR Official Home | Race results, schedule, standings, news, drivers".

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References