Since NASCAR has taken its traditional Easter weekend break, I thought I’d journey through NASCAR’s point system. Several years ago the system was simplified so even I can understand it. Points are given out as follows:
1 Point – Lead a lap
1 Point – Leading the most laps in a race
3 Points – Winning the race
The remaining points are given in order of finish. The winner receives 43 points (plus any bonus), second place 42 (plus any bonus), third place 41 (plus bonus) and so on through the finishing order.
After 26 races the points are reset for the final 10 races, known as ‘The Chase’. The top 10 in points are locked in to the Chase and seeded with 3 points given for each driver’s win during the 26 race period. The final 2 spots for the Chase are awarded to the drivers with the most victories as long as they are in the top 20 in points. Those two “wild card” drivers do not get the 3 point credit for any victories.
In the case of ties, NASCAR looks at the top finishes. For example, the first tie breaker is ‘wins’. The next tiebreaker is the number of second place finishes, and then third place finishes and so on until the tie is broken. Two seasons ago Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards finished the season tied in points for the Sprint Cup Championship. Since Stewart had more victories (7) then Edwards (6) he was awarded the championship.
Here is how the points race shapes up currently:
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. 199 pts
- Brad Keselowski 187 pts
- Jimmy Johnson 183 pts 1 win
- Carl Edwards 164 pts 1 win
- Greg Biffle 164 pts
- Kyle Busch 163 pts 1 win
- Kasey Kahne 158 pts 1 win
- Paul Menard 154 pts
- Joey Logano 146 pts
- Denny Hamlin 145 pts
The two wild card drivers would be Matt Kenseth (1 win) and Rickey Stenhouse Jr. (based on points). Some notables outside the top 12 are Clint Bowyer (13th), Kevin Harvick (14th), Jeff Gordon (15th), Tony Stewart (22nd) and Danica Patrick (29th).
The upcoming race in Martinsville should be another good one. The half-mile track located in Virginia was in operation before NASCAR was even formed. The track is the only one that was on the original NASCAR schedule that still hosts a NASCAR Sprint Cup race today. The 60,000 seat track should be filled to capacity as race fans can expect some really good old fashioned short track racing.
The winner of the first NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway was Red Byron and the purse for that race was $3,900. Last year’s spring race winner was Ryan Newman and the purse for that race was $4,385,128. Times have changed – just a little.
My top three picks:
1. Jeff Gordon
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Jimmie Johnson
Feel free to give me a follow on Twitter – @JimLaPlante, as well as the site – @LastWordOnSport.
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Photo Credit, Freewheeling Daredevil, Wiki Commons
