NASCAR Announces Two Procedure Changes Ahead of Playoffs
Choose Rule Added to Majority of Races; Performance Metrics Set Starting Lineup, Busch Pole Award & Cometic Gaskets Pole Award
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 6, 2020) – NASCAR today announced two competition procedure changes that it will implement ahead of the Playoffs in all three national series.
Starting with this weekend’s races at Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR will incorporate the ‘choose rule’ into the restart procedure for all national series races except those held on road courses and superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega). The rule made its NASCAR national series debut during the NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway last month. As drivers approach a designated spot on the track, they must commit to the inside or outside lane for the restart. The rule will add strategy and is especially important on those tracks that have a distinctly dominant lane on restarts; the drivers will have their choice of track position or the preferred lane as the race returns to green flag conditions.
In addition, beginning with the Daytona Road Course event, NASCAR will now use three competition-based performance metrics to determine the starting lineup – including the Busch Pole Award in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Cometic Gaskets Pole Award in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series – and pit selection order for each race, replacing the random draw procedure that has been in place for a majority of races since NASCAR’s return to racing at Darlington Raceway in May.
NASCAR will reward both season-long and single-race performance to determine the lineup and pit selection, using owner points position and the finish and fastest lap from the most recently completed race.
The metrics will be weighted and averaged to establish the starting order. Points position will be weighted at 35%; finishing position at 50%; fastest race lap at 15%.
When the Playoffs begin, Playoff cars will fill the top starting positions. For instance, in the Round of 16, the top 16 starting positions will be Playoff cars; in the Round of 12, the top 12 starting positions will be Playoff cars; and so on.
“Considering feedback from teams, drivers and fans, NASCAR has implemented these changes to enhance competition as we approach the Playoffs,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. “We received nothing but positive comments from the drivers on the choose rule following the All-Star Race, and felt it was an important addition to the restart procedure. The random draw has served us well during the return to racing, but it is important that starting lineups are based on performance as we approach the Playoffs. The entire industry is aligned on implementing a competition-based system to determine the starting lineup and pit selection order.”
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series™), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour), one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
Sources: NASCAR IMC