The First Reid: Now You See It, Then You Won’t

The First Reid: Now You See It, Then You Won’t

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

On Sunday, Feb. 16 at Daytona International Speedway, fans will witness the one and only single-car qualifying session in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year, as the top two starting spots in the Daytona 500 are set in their traditional way.

Beyond that, all three of NASCAR’s national series will move to a more compact group qualifying format featuring three sessions on tracks 1.25 miles and longer and two sessions at tracks shorter than 1.25.

That change is emblematic of a broad transformation of stock car racing at its highest level. Instead of 12 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, we’ll have 16. Instead of a 10-race playoff with points accumulating throughout, we’ll have eliminations after every third race and a battle for the championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami with four drivers starting even.

Yes, the new format has sparked considerable debate, but it also has drawn a much-needed bold line between the 26-race regular season and the playoff that follows.

And with the winners of each race all but assured of advancing to the Chase, the new system provides a balanced way both to reward victors and determine a champion at the end of the season.