NASCAR Points System?

Question

I'm just getting into NASCAR and I've been following the chase and all, and I went on wikipedia and on NASCAR's website to read how the points system works. What I don't understand is how Tony Stewart was in front of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for almost the whole race at Talladega but in the update for the Chase for the points that was showing on the screen during the race showed Tony Stewart get into 1st place(Chase-wise) mid-race and then pull back into 4th place in the Chase, and all of this while he was still in front of the 24 and the 48, and the 07 for that matter. From my understanding, you get points for leading a lap, leading the most laps, and ending position. Can someone explain to me how it really works and how Tony was bouncing all over the place in the points standings while he was constantly in front of both of them? Thanks.

Answer 1

How they do that is to add dramatic effect. Tony was bouncing around in the points constantly because that chase ticker line on the top of the screen means who would be 1st-2nd-3rd and so on if the race ended right then. It absolutely means NOTHING until the race is over and the final finishing positions are set officially!!!. They do this to add drama and have something else to talk about. 1st pace 175 points--5 points for leading a lap--5 points more if you led the most laps and breaks down by position hope this helps. That chase line throughout the race is a joke means Nothing until race is over

Answer 2

It depends on what position they were in behind him. They went into the race at 'Dega ahead of Tony in the points. When he was leading the race but JG and JJ were out of the top 20, Tony had enough points to take the Chase lead. Plus, he lead a lap, which neither Johnson nor Gordon had done at that point. The point swing between first and 20th is greater than the swing from first to 10th, so it's possible that a driver can win the race but still not take the points lead (except after the first race of the season).

Think about it like this: I have 5100 points and lead you by 60 points before the race starts. You start on pole and lead the first lap; I start 25th and stay there the first lap. If the race ended after the first lap (which it can't), you would score 195 points for the race and I would score 88. My new season total would be 5188, and yours would be 5235. If you lead the first five laps and I get up to 9th in that time and the race ended (again, it can't), you would finish the race with 195 points and I would finish with 138. My new season total would be 5238 and yours would be 5235.

The most important thing to remember is this: the points don't pay until the checkered flag drops (unless a race is called after the half-way point). When ABC shows the "current" Chase standings before the half-way point, they're just trying to sensationalize the championship. They're trying to help fans understand how important every lap is. Every lap is important, but only the last lap pays points and cash.

Answer 3

Tony came into the race more than 100 behind Jeff and Jimmie. So, yeah at one point he was up fron and they were in the back, so he had enough to be ahead of them at that point had that been the end of the race, but points are nothing until the race is over. It is stupid for the TV crew to air the points as they run, because it has no meaning whatsoever. Even if Tony had won, he wouldn;t have gained any spots since at the end, the 24 and 48 were up front too. He would have closed the gap slightly, but not enough to make much of a difference.

So, since the actually got beat by both cars at the end, he fell farther behind.

So, just ignore anything about the points until the race is final.

Answer 4

I didn't read your whole question but the point system in NASCAR cup series is a joke. They don't have a clue what they are doing and they have alienated the rest of the drivers who are not in this chase crap.
The old system was working just fine. The only change they wanted( the drivers) was to give a winner of a race more points than they were giving them. Instead they came up with this non since and now they have a mess that they will keep changing every year. And the bad thing about it is NASCAR is never wrong.

Answer 5

Each place that you are on the track has a different amount of points and they do it as if the race ended right now based on your position right this second this is where you would be. Also if you are ahead of a driver on the track then you would be ahead of them on the points, unless they had a considerable points lead, which then you would have a very hard time making it up. Hopefully this answers most of your question.

Answer 6

what would be really cool i think is if they had their points system for the first 26 races, then for the final 10 you have your 10 "cup chasers" and the driver that finishes last of the chasers in each of the last 10 races gets bumped out so when you get to Homested, you have a 1 on 1 race and the one guy who beats the other guy wins the championship.

Answer 7

I hate the new points systm! Lets go back to racing like old times. Nxtel or I should say Sprint has messed this sport all up. Anything to make a dollar. What the hll is with this COT?

Answer 8

When they flash that on the screen it really confuses me.

Show me at the beginning of the race where they stand and at the end of the race how they stand.

Answer 9

NASCAR is a pretty stupid event now. It's alot more hype than substance. They continue to come out with gimmicks to help all the ADD people stay on board and watching.

NASCAR is one big sellout. Doesn't stand for anything anymore. They used Shauna Robinson and Bill Lester to push it's diversity adjenda.