NASCAR FAST FACTS - 2016 Procedural Changes

NASCAR FAST FACTS - 2016 Procedural Changes  2/2016

Maximum Field Sizes / Corresponding New Points Systems

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Maximum 40-car field (36 Charter team cars, 4 Open team cars), race winner awarded 40 points, 40th place awarded one point.

NASCAR XFINITY Series – Maximum 40-car field, race winner awarded 40 points, 40th place awarded one point.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – Maximum 32-truck field, race winner awarded 32 points, 32nd place awarded one point

New points systems apply to driver, owner, and manufacturer championships. Existing 2015 Bonus points remain in place for 2016. 

Qualifying – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Daytona 500 Specific

-          Thirty-six Charter teams will be assigned a starting position

-          Four Open teams are eligible for starting positions

o    The highest finishing Open team in each Can-Am Duel race earns a starting position

o    The final two starting positions are awarded to Open teams based on Coors Light Pole Qualifying if not already a top finisher in a Duel race

-          Qualifying sets the front row for the Daytona 500 and the starting lineup for the Can-Am Duel fields, with the number of Charter team and Open team cars split evenly throughout both races

-          If qualifying is cancelled due to weather, the top two finishing Open teams from each Can-Am Duel race earn starting positions in the Daytona 500

-          If the second Can-Am Duel race is cancelled due to weather, the highest finishing Open team from the first race earns a starting position, with the other three Open teams determined by qualifying

-          If both Can-Am Duel races are cancelled due to weather, qualifying determines all four Open teams

-          If qualifying and both Can-Am Duel races are cancelled due to weather, the combined practice speeds are used to determine the four Open teams

-          If all on-track activity prior to the race is cancelled due to weather, 2015 Owner points will be used to determine the four Open teams

All Other Championship Race events

-          Thirty-six Charter teams will be assigned a starting position and four Open teams are eligible for starting positions.

-          Qualifying results will determine the Open team starting positions assuming the event is run as scheduled

-          If qualifying is cancelled due to weather, the combined practice speeds determine the four Open teams

-          If practice and qualifying are cancelled due to weather, Owner points determine the four Open teams (events 1-3 revert to 2015 Owner points)

NASCAR Overtime

For all three NASCAR national series, a race may be concluded with overtime, consisting of a new procedure for a green-white-checkered flag finish featuring an “overtime line.” The location of the overtime line will vary by track.

After taking the green on the overtime restart, if the leader then passes the overtime line on the first lap under green before a caution comes out (a “clean restart”), it will be considered a valid green-white-checkered attempt. However, if a caution comes out before the leader passes the overtime line on the first lap under green, it will not be considered a valid attempt, and a subsequent attempt will be made.  If necessary, multiple subsequent attempts will be made until a valid attempt occurs.

Once a valid attempt is achieved (clean restart), it will become the only attempt at a green-white-checkered finish.  If a caution comes out at any time during the valid green-white-checkered attempt, the field will be frozen and the checkered/yellow or checkered/red displayed to cars at the finish line.