This year’s season of NASCAR’s top-class circuit has more than just a new sponsor to it’s name, as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series made significant changes to how points are awarded to the drivers in each race.
Let’s find out more below about these changes and how it affects the Cup Series standings’ format altogether.
How The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Standings Work
Race Stages and a New Points System
Unlike in previous Cup Series seasons, the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season has a new points system in place to reward not just winning drivers, but also drivers who have been consistent throughout a particular race.
Every race – save for the spring race in Charlotte – is broken down into three segments: Stage 1, Stage 2 and the Final Stage. Top-10 finishers in Stages 1 and 2 will be awarded additional points based on their current order of finish, with 10 points awarded to the top placer, nine points to the runner-up and so on with the 10th-place finisher receiving one point.
The Coca-Cola 600, which is aforementioned race in Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend, has an additional stage prior to the Final Stage. Points in Stage 3 of the Coca-Cola 600 are awarded similarly to Stages 1 and 2 from the other races.
The Final Stage, meanwhile, is where the points system from previous Cup Series seasons is applied, with all 40 drivers in the field receiving points based on their order of finish.
Points System in the Playoffs
Come the postseason, the points accumulated throughout the 26 races of the regular season will be reset for the 16 drivers who’ve qualified for the final 10 races of the year. Bonus points are also at stake in these playoff races and are broken down as follows:
Five bonus points to the overall winner of a postseason race
One bonus point to the driver who wins in Stage 1 or Stage 2 of a postseason race
Points earned in the playoffs will also be reset after every three-race postseason round (Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 8). Lastly, points will no longer be awarded to the drivers who’ve made it all the way to the final race of the season in the Championship 4 round.
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