Chase Adjustments: The Chase - consisting of the season's last 10 races - will further reflect the importance of racing to win, via a variety of adjustments.
> During the format's first three years, the top 10 drivers in points after the 26th race of the season (at Richmond International Raceway) qualified for the Chase; in addition, any other driver outside the top 10 but within 400 points of the standings' leader was also eligible.
Starting this season, the 400-point cut-off is eliminated.
Also, after Race 26, the top 12 drivers in the points will qualify for the Chase.
> All 12 drivers will have their point totals re-set to 5,000; each will then receive a 10-point bonus for each race victory they had during the first 26 races.
> The Chase drivers will be "seeded" to start the Chase based on the number of wins amassed during the regular season.
Points adjustment: In line with the Chase adjustments, wins throughout the season will be more valuable.
> Race winners throughout the 36-race season will now receive 185 points, a five-point increase. Counting the five-point bonuses available for leading at least one lap and leading the most laps, a race winner now can earn a maximum of 195 points, creating a possible maximum of 25 points between first- and second-place finishers.
The 2006 season of Kasey Kahne provides a dramatic illustration of the adjusted Chase format's implications. Kahne qualified for last year's Chase, but started it in 10th place - despite having won a series-high five races. Under the new format, Kahne would begin the Chase in first place, with 5,050 points. Mark Martin and Jeff Burton, seventh and eighth at the outset of last year's Chase, would instead start in 11th and 12th, each with 5,000, since they had no race victories entering the Chase. Also, Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle, who failed to make the Chase last year - they were 11th and 12th and beyond the 400-point cut-off - would qualify under the adjusted format. Stewart would be fifth with 5,020 points, Biffle 10th with 5,010.(NASCAR PR)(1-22-2007)
| 1 st | 5050 |
| 2 nd | 5045 |
| 3 rd | 5040 |
| 4 th | 5035 |
| 5 th | 5030 |
| 6 th | 5025 |
| 7 th | 5020 |
| 8 th | 5015 |
| 9 th | 5010 |
| 10 th | 5005 |
| 11 th | 5000 |
| 12 th | 4995 |
| 13 th | 4990 |
| 14 th | 4985 |
| 15 th | 4980 |
In Nextel Cup-After 26 races (10 to go ) all drivers within 400 points or a minimum of ten teams will have their points changed to the chart at the left.
The rest of the field will keep the points as is. There is a $250,000 bonus to the driver that finishes 11 th, no matter how many cars are in the system.
The top ten in final standings get a minimum of $1,000,000
Winner gets minimum of $5,000,000
The point money for positions 11-25 will increase.
Chase for the Championship is the logo.
There will be special recognition for the 11 th place finish at the
banquet in New York.
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Previously, only 36 cars qualified on speed and the rest of the field of 43 was set by car owner points.
The change reduces the number of provisional starting positions from seven to five for each race.
The past champion's provisional will remain in place for the 43rd and final starting position when applicable.
New car owners and teams not in the top 35 in car owner points will not be eligible for a provisional spot until after their entry makes an attempt to qualify at four races. In the past, those outside the top 35 and new car owners earned four provisionals following their first attempt to qualify for a race.
Additional changes include:
Each provisional used by a car owner during the season - regardless of standing - counts against the owner's season allotment earned. Previously, the top 25 car owners were not charged for provisionals used after the fourth race of the season.
In the event the number of entrants is equal to or less than the number of starting positions available for an event, provisionals assigned to fill starting positions 39 through 43 will not count toward the maximum season allotment.
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One point awarded for attempting to make the race;
10 points to highest finishing rookie,
9 points for the next highest, down
to one point for the tenth finishing rookie;
Any top 10 finish by a rookie is awarded specific points based on finish, 10 for first 9 for second, down to 1 for a 10th place finish.
Bonus points are awarded four times during a season. After the 10th, 20th, 30th and the final race - based on final Cup points standings of the season as follows: 10 pts to the rookie who earned the most Nextel Cup {formerly Winston Cup} points in the current 10-race segment(third segmant was 9 races), the points incrementally decrease by one point until one bonus point is awarded the tenth highest rookie who earned the most points in the segment;
NASCAR officials also have a 50-point bonus at the end of the season in a caucus vote by four NASCAR executives and the prior year Nextel Cup {formerly Winston Cup} Champion. The panel that grades each rookie candidate in three areas including conduct with officials in the garage and pit areas, conduct and awareness on the track, and personal appearance and relationship with the media on a 10-1 points system.(meaning each member of the panel votes with 10 pts to the rookie each member felt was the best, 9 points for the next rookie, down to 1 point, if 10 rookies run)
A driver loses their rookie status for the following year after starting in eight Nextel Cup {formerly Winston Cup} Events in a single season
Note: this is just a guide to show how the ROTY points are BASICALLY calculated.
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2. Any driver to lead at least one lap will get a 5-point bonus added to the points they get for where they finish.
3. The driver that leads the most laps gets 5 additional bonus points. So they get 10 points added to their total.
4. All races on the schedule count towards the season's points total. There is no "best of" or "dropped" races in the Nextel Cup {formerly Winston Cup} Championship.
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2. Teams are awarded a provisional spot based on the teams position in the OWNERS points. OWNERS and DRIVERS points are different. Teams that use more then one driver during a season still generate OWNERS points for the same team/owner.
Teams who have attempted ALL the Cup races get the provisional awarded first, then it goes down the order by attempts, then OWNERS points.
3. How are provisionals awarded at the beginning of the season?
New teams start out the season with ZERO provisionals until the fifth race , UNLESS, the driver is a past Nextel Cup {formerly Winston Cup} champion, then the team can use the final provisional spot. The team is deducted a provisional if used in this manner.
4. Each existing team starts the season with four(4) and earns one more after their eighth, 16th, 24th and 32nd attempted race. So if a team is out of provisionals going into the 8th race and they make a qualifying run, they earn a provisional and can use it in that race if their speed does not get them into the field.
New teams are allotted their provisionals starting at the fifth race of the season.
In reality, teams are not really allotted provisionals but are charged one if used, unless they are in the top 25 in OWNERS points. The rule is 'a team can use four charged provisionals starting spots in the first 7 races of the season. If a team is in the top 25, they will not be charged a provisional. So if a team was out of the top 25 in owners points and is charged all four provisionals and then gets into the top 25, that team can still use a provisional spot because it will NOT be charged.
Unused provisionals in the previous year are not carried forward to the next season.
5. How do the OWNERS get points? How do they differ from the DRIVERS points?
All teams, who pass inspection and fail to make the race, get OWNER points based on the fastest non-qualifier to the slowest earn the position/points immediately below the last car in the field. These points will be included with those earned from the races to establish car/owner priority in gaining a provisional for the race. The driver get NO points for making an attempt, this is why OWNERS points and DRIVERS points for the same team will sometimes differ, if a driver misses a race. Points are awarded as follows: fastest who fails to qualify gets 31 points, then it goes in order: 28,25,22,19,16,13,10,7,4,1 - all remaining car owners get 1 point for the team race attempt.
2006 Chase for the Cup Countdown
10 New Hampshire 9 Dover 8 Kansas 7 Talladega 6 Charlotte 5 Martinsville 4 Atlanta 3 Texas 2 Phoenix 1 Miami
Nextel Cup - Provisionals
Car owners in the top 35 positions of the 2005 owner championship standings will receive four provisionals at the outset of the season and will receive an additional one after attempting to qualify for six events, for a season maximum of 10. The previous season maximum was eight.How the Rookie of the Year Works:
How the Winston Cup Points System Worked - 1971 through 2003.
Official
Nextel Cup {formerly Winston Cup} Points System
Finish
Points
Finish
Points
Finish
Points
Finish
Points
1
175
12
127
23
94
34
61
2
170
13
124
24
91
35
58
3
165
14
121
25
88
36
55
4
160
15
118
26
85
37
52
5
155
16
115
27
82
38
49
6
150
17
112
28
79
39
46
7
146
18
109
29
76
40
43
8
142
19
106
30
73
41
40
9
138
20
103
31
70
42
37
10
134
21
100
32
67
43
34
11
130
22
97
33
64
winston Cup - Provisionals
Provisional starting positions 37-42 will be awarded based on OWNERS points. The 43rd spot is awarded to any Past Champion who is not otherwise eligible. If no past champion needs the provisional it falls back to the next un-qualified team in the owners points. The previous season OWNERS point standings will be used through the fourth race of the season. Starting with the fifth race the current season OWNER points standings are used to determine provisional starting spots.
