CHARLOTTE, NC (WSLS 10 SPORTS) - In an effort to improve the fan experience and emphasize aggressive racing, NASCAR announced a new stage based format across all three national series.
"This is really about introducing with breaks and rewarding your favorite driver for racing up front. It's as simple as that. Then what I've heard from the fans is I want my driver rewarded for every race. That's happened. I mean it's as some as that as rewarding drivers for their efforts all race long," said NASCAR Executive VP Steve O'Donnell.
Each race will be broken into three stages. The top ten finishers of each stage will be awarded additional championship points, while the stage winners will get one playoff point and the overall race winner collecting five points. It's a move that drivers say will make the on track experience even better
"There are no off weeks. Every race matters . Steve hit the nail on the head there and not only that but every lap of every race matters," explained Denny Hamlin.
There's also a change to the post season no longer known as "the Chase," but simply "the Playoffs." The regular season points leader will be crowned regular season champ, earning 15 points towards his reset of 2,000. All playoff points will now carry through the Round of eight.
Dale Earnhardt Junior added, "I love the fact that the bonus points or playoff points will carry through the playoffs all the way to the last round so everything you do throughout the season is really going to help you throughout the playoffs. That's a great change."
With the new enhancements it now means that every race counts, not just the last 10 of the season.