Chase for the Sprint Cup
During the format's first three years, the top 10 drivers in points after the 26th race of the season (at Richmond International Raceway) qualified for "The Chase"; in addition, any other driver outside the top 10 but within 400 points of the standings' leader was also eligible. However, beginning in 2007, the 400-point cut-off was eliminated and the top 12 drivers were now qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
All 12 drivers will have their point totals re-set to 5,000 points with each driver receiving a 10-point bonus for each race they won during the first 26 races. The drivers will be "seeded" to start the Chase based on the number of wins they amassed during the regular season. For example, a driver with 6 wins will start with 5,060 pts, 4 wins, 5,040 pts, etc.
In line with the Chase adjustments, wins throughout the season are more valuable. Race winners throughout the 36-race season will receive 185 points, a five-point increase over previous seasons. Counting the five-point bonuses available for leading at least one lap and leading the most laps, a race winner can now earn a maximum of 195 points, creating a possible maximum of 25 points between first- and second-place finishers.
Kasey Kahne's 2006 season provides a dramatic illustration of the adjusted Chase format's implication. Kahne qualified for the Chase, but started it in 10th place despite having won a series-high five races. Under the new format, Kahne would have begun the 2006 Chase in first place, with 5,050 points. Mark Martin and Jeff Burton, seventh and eighth at the outset of the 2006 Chase, would instead start in 11 and 12, each with, 5,000 points since they had no race victories entering the Chase. Also, Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle, who failed to make the Chase in 2006—as they were in 11th and 12th and beyond the 400-point cut-off after the first 26 races—would have qualified under the adjusted format. Stewart would have started fifth with 5,020 points, and Biffle in 10th with 5,010 points.
Chase for the Sprint Cup Events
- New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Dover International Raceway
- Kansas Speedway
- Talladega Superspeedway
- Lowe's Motor Speedway
- Martinsville Speedway
- Atlanta Motor Speedway
- Texas Motor Speedway
- Phoenix International Raceway
- Homestead-Miami Speedway
Racing Flags
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series officials signal to drivers and teams during races by waving different colored flags. The flagman, who is situated on a stand high above the start/finish line, plays an important role during an event.
Green Flag
Displayed at the start of the race during live racing and also for restarts during the race. At the start of the race, cars must maintain position until they have crossed the start/finish line. The pole sitter, and the race leader on restarts, control the field's pace and cannot be passed prior to the waving of the green flag.
Yellow Flag
Signifies caution and is given to the first car passing the starter immediately following an incident that has caused potentially dangerous track conditions. All cars must immediately slow down to a pre-determined speed, hold their position, and form a single line behind the pace car.
Red Flag
Signifies the race must be stopped immediately, regardless of the position of the cars on the track. The red flag is used if NASCAR officials decide the race should be stopped, usually for safety and/or competition-related reasons. Cars will be brought to a stop in an area designated by NASCAR officials. Repairs of any nature or refueling, whether on pit road or the garage, will not be permitted when the race is halted due to a red flag. The only exception to this rule is if a car has withdrawn from the event.
Blue Flag with Diagonal Orange Stripe
Although this flag is displayed regularly, it is probably the least recognized flag. It is displayed to drivers, who are a lap down or significantly slower and are about to be passed by lead-lap cars. Drivers who are shown this flag should yield to faster lead-lap cars.
Black Flag
Cars that are shown this flag must go immediately to the pits and report to the NASCAR official in their pit area. A car can receive a black flag for a variety of reasons, including a driver/team infraction or a potential problem with the car, reported by NASCAR officials, that warrants closer inspection in the pits. It does not mean automatic disqualification. At the discretion of NASCAR officials, if the black-flag directive is not obeyed, the driver may then be given the black flag with a white cross at the start/finish line as a sign that any scoring of their car will be discontinued until further notice. This occurs if the black flag has not been heeded within 3 laps.
White Flag
Waves when the driver in the lead begins the final lap of the race and is given to all subsequent cars as they cross the start/finish line.
Checkered Flag
The most famous of all flags, the black and white checkered flag, is displayed when the winner has crossed the finish line. All cars on the track will take the checkered flag once.
Qualifying Quick Facts
- Only 43 cars are allowed into the field each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.
- The top 35 cars in owners points are guaranteed a starting position.
- A Champion's Provisional is used for past champions to make an event.
- The order in which cars qualify is randomly drawn.
- The fastest of a driver's two laps is compared to the laps of the other competitors.
Qualifying Order
All cars are allowed two laps to determine their starting positions for a race. The fastest of each competitor's two lap times are compared to the rest of the entrants and the driver with the fastest speed is "on the pole." The term "on the pole" means that a driver will start the race at the front of the race field. The Coors Light Pole Award is awarded to the top qualifier each week as well as a check for $5,500. The driver who wins the most Coors Light Pole Awards during the season will receive $100,000.
Pit stalls are also selected based on qualifying order with the top qualifiers getting their first choice of stalls. In the event that qualifying cannot be conducted due to weather or other unforeseeable circumstances, the starting order is based on points, with the current points leader starting "on the pole".
Under new NASCAR qualifying rules, the top-35 cars in points, are guaranteed a starting position in any race. Within the new system the remaining seven positions will be assigned to those drivers with the fastest qualifying speeds whose car owners are not among the top 35. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions who are not in the top 35 in the points standings (Example: a past champion who is not running a full season in Sprint Cup) can take what is known as a "Champion's provisional" which is a guaranteed starting spot in the 43-car field. In the event that two past champions, who are not in the top 35 in points, fail to qualify for an event based on speed, the most recent champion receives the provisional spot. A total of six Champion's provisionals can be used by a driver during each season.
Technical Inspection
NASCAR technical inspections occur frequently in order to keep the racecars as close to "stock" as possible. As a deterrent to potential "cheating", NASCAR uses an intense inspection process for all cars entering an event. Over the course of an event weekend, cars will typically go through three pre-competition inspections (initial, pre-qualifying and pre-race) and two post competition inspections (post-qualifying and post-race).
The cars show up at the track after having the chassis inspected and approved by NASCAR at the R&D center in Concord. To ensure the teams aren't cheating, there are 10 RFID chips on various parts of the chassis. NASCAR checks these chips when the cars show up at track to ensure they are the same as those that were inspected and approved in Concord. (Similar to the RFID technology for Goodyear tire inventory)
NASCAR uses 51 templates to measure the cars through the inspection process. There are 26 template measurements on the large body template that is in the inspection area, but teams only have to pass that one time. (Prior to going on the track for the first time). After that, it isn't used again "unless" NASCAR finds a car too low in post-race inspection then they will check it to see if it is too low because a team was playing with the body. Additionally, there are 15 common templates which includes the long, front to back template that NASCAR uses prior to race inspection. Furthermore, 10 "make-specific" templates are used after the common templates; these are used primarily to check the nose and hood of the car. (This area is the only real difference for each make). The rest of the body is "common". When measuring "variances" on the template there are four different variances allowed, (all based on the color stripe on the template). They are, 70/1000ths, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 inch.
NASCAR also measures the height of the chassis very closely and prior to the race all four corners have to be in the "green" area on the height stick. After the race, due to settling, wear, etc., teams are allowed a 1/2 inch variance, (can be in the yellow or green area on the height stick), 1/4 high or a 1/4 low. Anything more than that and they are "illegal". The weight of Sprint Cup cars is strictly regulated. NASCAR mandates that all stock cars entering an event meet a 3,400 lb. weight (1,700 lb right side weight) requirement with fuel, oil, water and all components included. The weigh station is a steel platform onto which cars are rolled then weighed with a breakdown of the overall weight of each specific corner. However, at Talladega and Daytona ONLY, a maximum of 50% of the weight can be on the rear of the car which helps to keep the spoiler low and out of the air.
| Driver Weight | Weight Added |
|---|---|
| 150 - 159 lbs. | 50 lbs. |
| 160 - 169 lbs. | 40 lbs. |
| 170 - 179 lbs. | 30 lbs. |
| 180 - 189 lbs. | 20 lbs. |
| 190 - 199 lbs. | 10 lbs. |
| 200 and more | 0 |
A 200 lb. weight allowance is set for each driver. Drivers are weighed twice during the year: Once at Daytona in February and again at the July Daytona event.
During post race inspection, the top 5 cars are all inspected, however, The FIRST car out of the race gets to pick any car he wants for a random post-race inspection (This has been a NASCAR policy for a long time). Additionally, the winner and pole-sitter both have their engines completely torn down. NASCAR can also inspect other cars, if they feel it's necessary.
Anatomy of a Pit Stop
Seven crew members are routinely allowed over the wall during pit stops according to NASCAR regulations. At times, NASCAR will inform teams that an eighth crew member is allowed over the wall during a pit stop with the responsibility of cleaning the windshield. An average four-tire pit stop can take anywhere from 13 and 15 seconds. The number of pit stops during a race varies due to numerous factors including race length, caution flags, fuel mileage, tire wear, and a team's pit strategy.
Rear Tire Carrier
Assists the rear tire changer by handing a new right side tire, carried from behind the pit wall, to the changer. When necessary, the tire carrier may also adjust the rear jack bolt to change the car's handling. After the right side tire is changed, the process is repeated on the left side using a tire that is rolled to the carrier by a crew member from behind the pit wall.
Jackman
Operates a 20-pound hydraulic jack used to raise the car for tire changes. After new tires are bolted on to the right side of the car, the car is dropped to the ground and the jackman repeats the process on the left side.
Rear Tire Changer
Removes and replaces the right rear tire using an air-powered impact wrench to loosen and tighten five lug nuts which hold the tire rim in place. After the right side tire is replaced, the changer moves to the left side.
Front Tire Carrier
Assists the front tire changer by handing a new right side tire, carried from behind the pit wall, to the changer. After the right side tire is changed, the process is repeated on the left side using a tire that is rolled to the carrier by a crew member from behind the pit wall.
Front Tire Changer
Removes and replaces the right front tire using an air-powered impact wrench to loosen and tighten five lug nuts which hold the tire rim in place. After the right side tire is replaced, the changer moves to the left side.
Catch Can Man
Holds a can that collects overflow from the fuel cell as it is being filled. The catch can man signals to the rest of the team that the refueling process is finished by raising his hand.
Gas Man
Empties two 12-gallon dump cans of fuel (approx 80 pounds each) into the car's 17.75-gallon fuel cell.
Support Crew
Assists the "over the wall" crew by rolling tires, handing gas cans, and retrieving air hoses and wrenches. According to NASCAR rules, support crewmembers must remain behind the pit wall during all stops.
Extra Man
On occasion, and at the discretion of NASCAR officials, an eighth or "extra man" is allowed over the wall to clean the windshield and assist the driver if necessary.
NASCAR Official
Watches for rules violations and helps maintain pit lane safety.
