NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase 2015

Chase for the sprint cup

Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship
2015 Rules/News

For see CLASSIC standings, if the CHASE was used from 1975-2003 and Ancient Chaseology, seasons before 2004
go to the Chase History page

More Info
Races | Lineup | Standings & Results
'Classic' Points standings | News | Rules | Points |

Previous Chase Pages / News from 2004-current
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2004-2006


The Ten 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup Races

    challenger

    1) September 20 - Chicagoland Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2015 race Won by #11-Denny Hamlin, Chase Leader #20-Matt Kenseth, +2 pts
    Hamlin automatically advances to the contender round (2) of the Chase

    2) September 27 - New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 1.058 miles
    2015 race Won by #20-Matt Kenseth, Chase Leader #20-Matt Kenseth +6 pt
    Kenseth automatically advances to round 2 of the Chase

    3) October 4 - Dover International Speedway, 1 mile
    2015 race Won by #4-Kevin Harvick, Chase Leader #20-Matt Kenseth, +14 pts
    Harvick automatically advances to round 2 of the Chase
    All 12 drivers remaining points reset to 3000
    Four drivers eliminated: #1-McMurray, #48-Johnson, #27-Menard, #15-Bowyer

    the four drivers lowest in points are eliminated from the Chase
    leaving 12 drivers in the Chase

    contender

    4) October 10(X) - Charlotte Motor Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2015 race Won by #22-Joey Logano, Chase Leader #22-Joey Logano +6 pts
    Logano automatically advances to Eliminator round(3) of the Chase
    (X) delayed one day to October 11th due to rain delay

    5) October 18 - Kansas Speedway, 1.5 miles (held Oct 5th in 2014)
    2015 race Won by #22-Joey Logano, Chase Leader #22-Joey Logano +13 pts
    Logano automatically advances to Eliminator round(3) of the Chase

    6) October 25 - Talladega Superspeedway, 2.66 miles (held Oct 19th in 2014)
    2015 race Won by #22-Joey Logano, Chase Leader #22-Joey Logano +0 pts, most wins in last round
    Logano automatically advances to Eliminator round(3) of the Chase
    Eight drivers remaining points reset to 4000
    Four drivers eliminated: #11-Hamlin, #31-Newman, #88-Earnhardt, Jr., #20-Kenseth.

    the four drivers lowest in points are eliminated from the Chase
    leaving 8 drivers in the Chase

    eliminator

    7) November 1 - Martinsville Speedway, .526 mile
    2015 race Won by #24-Jeff Gordon, Chase Leader #24-Jeff Gordon +8 pts
    Gordon automatically advances to Championship race of the Chase

    8) November 8 - Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2015 race Won by none Chase driver #48-Jimmie Johnson, Chase Leader #24-Jeff Gordon +2 pts

    9) November 15 - Phoenix International Raceway, 1 mile
    2015 race Won by none Chase driver #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase Leader #4-Kevin Harvick +2 pts
    Four drivers remaining points reset to 5000
    Four drivers eliminated: #19-Edwards, #2-Keselowski, #41-Busch, #22-Logano.

    the four drivers lowest in points are eliminated from the Chase
    leaving 4 drivers to vie for the Championship at Homestead

    championship

    Four drivers going for the 2015 Championship: #4-Harvick, #24-Gordon, #18-Busch, #78-Truex Jr.
    No bonus points for these four drivers, best finish wins the Championship

    10) November 22 - Homestead-Miami Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2015 race won by #18-Kyle Busch, Chase Leader/2015 Champion #18-Kyle Busch +1


Some links

How NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points are awarded? click here

How NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points WERE awarded? [1972-2010]click here

2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule

2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Lineups / Results

Past Chase Rules / Seasons

2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2004-2006

For see CLASSIC standings, if the CHASE was used from 1975-2003 and Ancient Chaseology, seasons before 2004
go to the Chase History page


The lineup for the Chase for the 2015 Sprint Cup

  • Qualified for the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup(12 years/chases)
    1) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 12th time in Chase, 4 wins in 2015 (eliminated after round 1)
    2) #18-Kyle Busch, 8th time, 4 wins (CHAMPION)
    3) #20-Matt Kenseth, 11th time, 4 wins (eliminated after round 2)
    4) #22-Joey Logano, 3rd time, 3 wins (eliminated after round 3)
    5) #4-Kevin Harvick, 9th time, 2 wins
    6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 8th time, 2 wins (eliminated after round 2)
    7) #41-Kurt Busch, 9th time, 2 wins (eliminated after round 3)
    8) #19-Carl Edwards, 8th time, 2 wins (eliminated after round 3)
    9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 4th time, 1 win (eliminated after round 3)
    10) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 3rd time, 1 win
    11) #11-Denny Hamlin, 9th times, 1 win (eliminated after round 2)
    12) #1-Jamie McMurray, 1st time, 0 wins (eliminated after round 1)
    13) #31-Ryan Newman, 7th time, 0 wins (eliminated after round 2)
    14) #24-Jeff Gordon, 11th time, 0 wins
    15) #15-Clint Bowyer, 6th time, 0 wins (eliminated after round 1)
    16) #27-Paul Menard, 1st time, 0 wins (eliminated after round 1)
    (ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)

  • Drivers who made the 2014 Chase, failed to qualify for Chase in 2015
    #43-Aric Almirola, 16th in 2015 drivers standings
    #5-Kasey Kahne, 17th
    #47-A.J. Allmendinger, 21st
    #16-Greg Biffle, 19th
    There are no Roush Fenway Racing drivers in the Chase for the first time since it started in 2004.
    There are four former Roush Cup drivers in the Chase: Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Edwards, McMurray.(9-13-2015)


Current Chase Points Standings and Drivers Points Standings without the Chase after each race

  • Finishing positions of the 2015 Sprint Cup Chase drivers at Homestead:
    [by points standings before the race (start pos)]
    1) #18-Kyle Busch, WON (10th)
    2) #4-Kevin Harvick, 2nd (8)
    3) #24-Jeff Gordon, 6th (11)
    4) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 12th (5)
    (11-22-2015)

  • 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Chase Standings:
    [after Homestead, race 36 of 36, Chase race 10 of 10]
    1) #18-Busch [5 wins], 5043 CHAMPION
    2) #4-Harvick [3], 5042
    3) #24-Gordon [1], 5038
    4) #78-Truex, Jr.[1], 5032
    (note: no bonus points for the four drivers in the championship race)
    5) #19-Edwards [2], 2368, -2675
    6) #22-Logano [6], 2360, -2683
    7) #2-Keselowski [1], 2347, -2696
    8) #41-Busch [2], 2333, 2710
    9) #11-Hamlin [2]. 2327, -2716
    10) #48-Johnson [5], 2315, -2728
    11) #31-Newman, 2314, -2729
    12) #88-Earnhardt Jr. [3], 2310, -2733
    13) #1-McMurray, 2295, -2748
    14) #27-Menard, 2262, -2781
    15) #20-Kenseth [5], 2234, -2809
    16) #15-Bowyer, 2175, -2868
    See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and
    Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf)


    Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Crispy Toyota, celebrates with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the series championship and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 22, 2015 in Homestead, FL.(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

  • Kyle Busch and #18 M&M'S Team Win 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M'S Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship tonight at Homestead-Miami Speedway. While it is Busch's first Sprint Cup championship, it is the fourth for JGR since its inception in 1992. JGR won its first Sprint Cup championship in 2000 with Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart earned championships with JGR in 2002 and 2005. The following are some anecdotes regarding the 2015 Sprint Cup Series champions.
    ˇ This is Busch's third driving title in his 17 years of racing. His titles are as follows:
    2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship
    2009 NASCAR XFNITY Series championship
    2001 Late Model track championship at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
    ˇ This is Adam Stevens' first championship as a crew chief in NASCAR. However, Stevens was a part of the 2005 Sprint Cup championship earned by Stewart, as he was the race engineer on JGR's #20 team. Stevens is the first rookie crew chief to win a Sprint Cup title since 1982 when Jeff Hammond won with Darrell Waltrip.
    ˇ This is JGR's eighth owner championship. Its titles are as follows:
    2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship
    2012 NASCAR XFNITY Series championship
    2010 NASCAR XFNITY Series championship
    2009 NASCAR XFNITY Series championship
    2008 NASCAR XFNITY Series championship
    2005 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship
    2002 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship
    2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship
    ˇ This is Joe Gibbs' 15th championship. In addition to the titles listed above, he won three Super Bowls (1982, 1987 and 1991) and four NFC Conference Championships (1982, 1983, 1987 and 1991) as head coach of the NFL's Washington Redskins.
    Anecdotes:
    ˇ Busch joins Bobby Labonte, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick as the only drivers to earn both a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and a NASCAR XFINITY Series championship.
    ˇ Prior to 2015, Busch's previous best point finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was fourth in 2013.
    ˇ Busch's championship season includes one pole, five wins, 12 top-fives, 16 top-10s and 736 laps led. Busch missed the first 11 races of the 2015 season after breaking his right leg and left foot during the season-opening NASCAR XFINITY Series race in February at Daytona International Speedway.
    (True Speed Communication)(11-22-2015)

  • Kyle Busch Wins 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship: Only nine months removed from suffering a broken right leg and left foot in an accident at Daytona, #18-Kyle Busch won at Homestead-Miami Speedway to capture the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. The title is the first for Busch and Toyota. To take home NASCAR's greatest prize, Busch needed to finish ahead of the three other Championship 4 drivers - #4-Kevin Harvick, #24-Jeff Gordon and #78-Martin Truex Jr. - in the final race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Homestead. Busch and his brother Kurt Busch (2004 NSCS champion) join Terry and Bobby Labonte as the only brothers to earn NSCS titles.
    Missing three months - a span of 11 races - due to his injury, Busch returned to his #18 Toyota at Charlotte in May, showing signs of rust by logging two finishes worse than 35th (36th at Dover; 43rd at Michigan) in his first four points events. He rounded into form his fifth race back by speeding to Victory Lane at Sonoma, catalyzing a dominant run of four wins in his next four starts, including three in a row at Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indianapolis. Entering the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup as one of the favorites to take home the crown, Busch gutted his way through the first two rounds, highlighted by a runner-up showing in the Challenger Round cutoff race at Dover. He hit his stride as the only driver to log top-five finishes in each Eliminator Round race to set up his championship effort at Homestead.
    Busch joins Bobby Labonte, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick as the fourth driver to earn both a NSCS and NASCAR XFINITY Series championship. His title marks the fourth for Joe Gibbs Racing, which also won championships with Bobby Labonte (2000) and Tony Stewart (2002, 2005).
    Toyota, which began full-time racing in the NSCS in 2007, has now captured a driver's championship in all three NASCAR national series. Busch also won Toyota its first NSCS race at Atlanta in 2008. Busch is the second consecutive champion to win the title with a victory in the Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Harvick accomplished the feat last season.(NASCAR)(11-22-2015)

  • NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - Championship Fast Facts:
    #18-Kyle Busch has won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, becoming the 31st different series champion, and the first to win the title after missing the first 11 races of the season.
    Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 claiming the title.
    Busch joins Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte and Brad Keselowski as only the fourth driver all-time to boast both a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series championship.
    Busch finished the 2015 season with five wins (Sonoma, Kentucky, New Hampshire-1, Indianapolis and Homestead), 12 top fives, 16 top 10s and one pole.
    In 25 starts Busch has led 736 of his 6,752 laps completed (10.9%)
    Busch's Season-To-Date Loop Data: Driver Rating (108.2); Average Running Position (8.9).
    Owner Champion: Joe Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing
    This is Joe Gibbs Racing's fourth series owner championship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, previous titles: Bobby Labonte (2000), Tony Stewart (2002 and 2005).
    This is Joe Gibbs Racing's eighth NASCAR national series owner championship (four NSCS, four NNS).
    Joe Gibbs Racing fielded four cars this season: #18-Kyle Busch (1st in points); #19-Carl Edwards (5th in points), #20-Matt Kenseth (15th in points) and #11-Denny Hamlin (9th in points).
    Joe Gibbs Racing has won four of the last 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup championships (2000-2015), putting the team's title-winning percentage during that span at 25%.
    Crew Chief Champion: Adam Stevens
    Adam Stevens has won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship with driver Kyle Busch.
    Stevens is the 38th different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief to win a championship.
    Stevens has five career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins, all with Kyle Busch this season.
    Stevens also served as part-time crew chief on the NASCAR XFINITY Series car owner championship winning #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team in 2012 with driver Joey Logano.
    (NASCAR Integrated Sports Marketing)(11-22-2015)

  • Kyle Busch wins at Homestead AND the Championship: #18-Kyle Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway for his 5th win of the season, 1st win at Homestead, 2nd Chase race win (first since 2005) and 34th career win. Busch led 41 of the 267 laps.
    With the win, Busch won the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, his first, beating out #4-Kevin Harvick, who finished 2nd.
    It is the 4th Sprint Cup Series Championship for Joe Gibbs Racing, the first for sponsor M&M's Mars, first for rookie crew chief Adam Stevens and first driver championship for Toyota.
    Kyle and Kurt Busch are the second set of brothers to win the Sprint Cup Series Championship, the first were Terry and Bobby Labonte.
    With Busch's win at Homestead, there are only four tracks the Sprint Cup Series runs out that Busch has not won a Sprint Cup Series race at: Kansas, Martinsville, Charlotte and Pocono.
    The race was rain delayed for about one and a half hours, with the green flag waving at 4:50pm/et.
    #4-Harvick finished 2nd (for the 13th time in 2015 and 44th runner-up finish in his career) followed by #2-Keselowski (led the most laps, 86), #22-Logano, #42-Larson, #24-Gordon, #20-Kenseth, #41-Busch, #48-Johnson and #11-Hamlin (pole winner).
    The four drivers in the CHAMPIONSHIP RACE of The Chase finished:
    #18-Kyle Busch, won the race
    #4-Kevin Harvick, 2nd
    #24-Jeff Gordon, 6th
    #78-Martin Truex Jr., 12th
    There were 18 lead changes among 9 drivers and 7 cautions for 30 yellow flag laps.
    The average speed was 131.755mph.
    See unofficial race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Unofficial Race Results page (pdf) and check out the Penalty Report (pdf) and Lap Summary Report (pdf).
    (11-22-2015)

  • Unofficial Top 25 in 2015 Sprint Cup Driver Points Standings (not the Chase):
    [after Homestead, race 36 of 36]
    (using current points system, but not the Chase rules, unofficial)
    1) #4-Kevin Harvick(C1), 1321
    2) #22-Joey Logano(EC), 1299, -22
    3) #2-Brad Keselowski(EC), 1217, -104
    4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (EC), 1198, -123
    5) #78-Martin Truex Jr.(C4), 1165, -156
    6) #48-Jimmie Johnson(EC), 1155, -166
    7) #11-Denny Hamlin(EC), 1117, -204
    8) #24-Jeff Gordon(C2), 1110, -211
    9) #41-Kurt Busch(EC), 1108, -213
    10) #19-Carl Edwards(EC), 1108, -213
    11) #1-Jamie McMurray(EC), 1052, -269
    12) #31-Ryan Newman(EC), 1052, -269
    13) #20-Matt Kenseth(EC), 1046, -275
    14) #27-Paul Menard(EC), 972, -349
    15) #43-Aric Almirola, 940, -381
    16) #5-Kasey Kahne, 939, -382
    17) #15-Clint Bowyer(EC), 891, -430
    18) #42-Kyle Larson, 872, -449
    19) #16-Greg Biffle, 869, -452
    20) #18-Kyle Busch(C3), 867, -454
    21) #3-Austin Dillon, 832, -489
    22) #47-AJ Allmendinger, 758, -563
    23) #13-Casey Mears, 754, -567
    24) #10-Danica Patrick, 716, -605
    25) #9-Sam Hornish Jr., 709, -612
    (C# = chase driver and current Chase position)
    (EC = chase driver that has been eliminated from the Chase)
    (11-22-2015)

  • See Past 2015 Race Results, Chase Driver Finishes and Points Standings on each Race Info page
    Homestead - 11/22/2015
    Phoenix - 11/15/2015
    Texas - 11/8/2015
    Martinsville - 11/1/2015
    Talladega - 10/25/2015
    Kansas - 10/18/2015
    Charlotte - 10/11/2015
    Dover - 10/4/2015
    New Hampshire - 9/27/2015
    Chicago - 9/20/2015
    Richmond - 9/12/2015

  • 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup CHASE Standings:
    [after Richmond, race 26 of 36]
    (by wins, then by points standings)
    1) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 2012
    2) #18-Kyle Busch, 2012
    3) #20-Matt Kenseth, 2012
    4) #22-Joey Logano, 2009
    5) #4-Kevin Harvick, 2006
    6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2006
    7) #41-Kurt Busch, 2006
    8) #19-Carl Edwards, 2006
    9) #2-Brad Keselowski, 2003
    10) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 2003
    11) #11-Denny Hamlin, 2003
    [made the Chase via points standings]
    12) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2000
    13) #31-Ryan Newman, 2000
    14) #24-Jeff Gordon, 2000
    15) #15-Clint Bowyer, 2000
    16) #27-Paul Menard, 2000
    See the seeded Chase points on the Chase Points Standings page (pdf).(9-12-2015)


Some news about the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup

  • Chase Format Extended to XFINITY & Camping World Truck Series: Using the overwhelming success of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format introduced in 2014 as a guidepost, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France announced the implementation of a playoff system in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will each feature a seven-race Chase to decide its respective championships starting in 2016. "Fans, partners and the industry have embraced the new Chase format like nothing we've seen in the sport's history," said France. "Winning never has been this important, and the excitement generated the past two seasons in the Sprint Cup Series has led to this implementation of the Chase format in all three national series. Competition in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will undoubtedly elevate to new heights and shine a spotlight on the rising stars of our sport."
    The NASCAR XFINITY Series, where "Names Are Made," and the rugged NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will implement seven-race, three-round Chase formats with unique characteristics but very much in the same spirit of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. All three series will conclude the Chase with a Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway to crown a champion. However, all three will begin at different tracks: Chicago (Sprint Cup Series), Kentucky (XFINITY Series) and New Hampshire (Camping World Truck Series)
    Drivers still must declare a series in which they will earn points, and will only be eligible to compete for a championship in that series. The 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who qualified for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be ineligible to compete in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
    NASCAR XFINITY SERIES CHASE The seven-race NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase will begin at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 24, and feature 12 drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A win in the first 26 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase, provided the driver is in the top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race. Drivers who win two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are also all but guaranteed a Chase berth.
    The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of the races at Kentucky, Dover and Charlotte. All drivers will start with their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
    Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 8 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
    The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver will be crowned the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.
    NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES CHASE The seven-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase will begin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 24. It will feature eight drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A win in the first 16 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase, provided that the driver is in the Top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race.
    The first round, called the Round of 8, consists of the races at New Hampshire, Las Vegas, and Talladega. All drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 16 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 8, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-6) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
    Each driver who advances to the Round of 6 (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 6 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points. The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver will win the championship. All rules outlined above also apply to both series' owner championship structure.(NASCAR)(1-19-2016)

  • 2015 Richmond Clinch Scenarios:
    Regardless of who wins at Richmond...
    #1-Jamie McMurray clinches by starting the race.
    #31-Ryan Newman clinches by finishing 31st or better; 32nd with at least one lap led; or 33rd with the most laps led.
    #24-Jeff Gordon clinches by finishing 17th or better; 18th with at least one lap led; or 19th with the most laps led.
    #27-Paul Menard clinches by finishing ninth or better; 10th with at least one lap led; or 11th with the most laps led.
    If there is a repeat winner...
    #1-Jamie McMurray, #31-Ryan Newman and #24-Jeff Gordon will clinch regardless of finish.
    #27-Paul Menard clinches by finishing 38th or better; 39th with at least one lap led; or 40th with the most laps led.
    #15-Clint Bowyer clinches by finishing 28th or better; 29th with at least one lap led; or 30th with the most laps led.
    In summary...
    Four drivers control their Chase destiny without a win: Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Paul Menard).
    Three drivers can clinch without a win, but need help in the form of poor finishes from winless drivers ahead of them in points and/or a repeat winner: Bowyer, #43-Aric Almirola and #5-Kasey Kahne.
    Twelve drivers need to win to clinch a Chase spot: #16-Greg Biffle, #42-Kyle Larson, #3-Austin Dillon, #47-AJ Almendinger, #13-Casey Mears, #10-Danica Patrick, #14-Tony Stewart, #55-David Ragan, #9-Sam Hornish Jr., #6-Trevor Bayne, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and #51-Justin Allgaier.
    Two other drivers need to win and get help to clinch a spot: #35-Cole Whitt and #38-David Gilliland.
    All other drivers have been eliminated from Chase contention.(NASCAR)(9-8-2015)

  • NASCAR Chase Across North America gets underway: NASCAR's Chase Across North America program got underway on Tuesday with Chase drivers embarking on a multi-city media tour, crisscrossing the nation to make special appearances and build excitement for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - a 10-race culmination to the season that crowns a battle-tested champion. Some events:
    ESPN: With 17 national series victories, no one has dominated at Bristol Motor Speedway like #18-Kyle Busch. But on Tuesday, he dominated the other Bristol - Bristol, Connecticut, home to the headquarters of ESPN. While at ESPN, Busch participated in a number of ESPN property interviews, including live appearances on SportsCenter in front of his #18 M&Ms Crispy Toyota Camry - which was parked on the ESPN campus all day.
    Charlotte: #20-Matt Kenseth hit three cities (Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Greensboro, N.C.) to promote Charlotte Motor Speedway's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race, the lone night race in the postseason. During each stop, Kenseth met with fans and dignitaries, including Greenville Mayor Pro-Tem David Suddeth and Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan. While in Charlotte, Kenseth and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Marcus Smith honored military members in attendance with free race tickets.
    Chicago: #2-Brad Keselowski had no idea what would be in store for him during his visit to the Second City. To his delight, a few lucky fans were selected to accompany Keselowski at three distinct and iconic Chicago hot dog locations. He not only visited locations famous for their Chicago-style hot dogs, he provided moral support to the fans as they taste-tested what Chicagoans declare the mecca of all things sausage - the Chicago Style hot dog. First up on the list of quintessential locations was the small in size but not so small in flavor, Wiener's Circle in the heart of Lincoln Park. Known for its Maxwell Street Char-dogs, cheese fries and mutual verbal abuse between employees and customers, Brad was in for a culture shock of Chicago skyscraper proportions. Next up in Brad's eventful day was new to the Chicago hot dog scene, Franks N' Dawgs. Slightly fancier than your average wiener shack, Franks N' Dawgs offers hand-crafted artisan sausages, placed gingerly atop lauded New England-style lobster roll buns, topped with seasonal, high quality ingredients and a precise attention to detail. Last, but certainly not least, Keselowski and crew visited Villa Park's original "Dog House," Portillo's. Keselowski did enjoy a fair share of the delicious chocolate cake Portillo's connoisseurs know oh-so-well. Decadent desserts, scenic décor and one-on-one media opportunities at this final stop wrapped up the Chase Across North America day.
    Dover: #31-Ryan Newman spent Tuesday discussing his championship goals, getting wrapped up in crepe paper and advising children to take their education seriously. Newman met with media members at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino before visiting Fred Fifer III Middle School in Camden, Del. At Fifer Middle School, Newman spoke to approximately 1,000 students during two pep rallies, took questions from the students, signed autographs and participated in two relay races where he and Fifer teachers and administrators were wrapped in crepe paper by four students each, before racing across a mat to the finish line. Newman, who is used to running up front in NASCAR Sprint Cup fields based on his 51 career poles, won both races. SiriusXM radio host and Delaware native Mike Bagley served as the emcee for the pep rallies, and drew loud cheers when he announced that students would be receiving tickets to the "Hisense 200" NASCAR XFINITY Series race, set for Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Monster Mile.
    Homestead: #11-Denny Hamlin teamed up with Homestead-Miami Speedway and the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science to host students from Broward County High School, where Hamlin and the students participated in a variety of activities and exhibits at the museum. During the trip, Hamlin might have done some recruiting for future engineers for Joe Gibbs Racing. He drove an incredible solar-powered car built by Western High School students from Davie, Florida.
    Kansas: #48-Jimmie Johnson visited the University of Kansas Hospital Tuesday night to brighten the spirits of children in the Pediatric Wing. During his visit, Johnson delivered Lowe's Build & Grow kits and hosted an ice cream social with Blue Bunny for the children.
    Martinsville: Like Jamie McMurray, #27-Paul Menard makes his first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup appearance after a consistent regular season. Menard, who headed to Martinsville to help promote its Nov. 1 Chase race, received the key to the city of Martinsville and participated in a celebratory parade in the city's downtown.
    New Hampshire: #22-Joey Logano made a series of campaign-style stops in the Granite State as he met with students, fans and media to bolster support for his upcoming playoff race at the Sept. 27 SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Logano visited "The Pit" at Manchester Community College, where he offered his "I'm In It to Win It" campaign theme. He also dropped by historic Robie's Country Store in Hooksett and finished at the State House in Concord.
    Talladega: Though winless, #1-Jamie McMurray quietly had one of the better regular seasons of 2015. McMurray enters the Chase as a first-time Challenger - and could be a wild-card championship threat. So it makes sense that he stopped off at Talladega Superspeedway on Tuesday - the ultimate wild-card track. The Chip Ganassi Racing driver has a win at Dega, where he participated in media Q&As, co-hosted an hour-long live radio show with local station WJOX and painted a car in Talladega's Victory Lane with local elementary school students.
    Texas: #15-Clint Bowyer got a taste of what it's like to be behind the camera - as opposed to his ubiquitous role as the on-camera funny man of the NASCAR garage. During his stop to generate excitement for the Texas Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race on Nov. 8, Bowyer pretended to be a camera man interviewing Texas Motor Speedway season ticket holders. 'Camera Man Bowyer' told one fan to be more positive when she said she didn't think Bowyer would do well in the Chase.
    On Wednesday, Sept. 16, #24-Jeff Gordon, #41-Kurt Busch and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. will take part in their respective market visits for Chase Across North America. Gordon will visit New York City, where he'll go on a multi-stop media tour highlighted by an appearance on Good Morning America and a visit to the SiriusXM Studios. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will hop on a cross-country flight to Los Angeles to participate in a day of media at FOX Sports, E! News' The Soup and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Busch will participate in the second annual "Breakfast With Champions" event with Phoenix International Raceway and The Heard Museum. Emceed by veteran motorsports reporter Ralph Sheheen, Busch will break down his picks in the Chase Grid for Phoenix-area media. The final three stops of Chase Across North America will take place during the week of Sept. 28, with driver visits to NBC's headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut (Martin Truex Jr.) and repeat trips to New York City (Kevin Harvick) and Los Angeles (Carl Edwards).(From NASCAR and Track PRs)(9-16-2015)

  • No rules changes for the Chase: The success of the low downforce package at Darlington Raceway last weekend has not changed NASCAR's thinking regarding the rules package for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday. "Prior to going into Darlington we all met as an industry and talked about what was the most fair package to put together and what did we think would produce some good racing in the Chase. And ultimately wanted to stick with 2015. We felt like teams had put a ton of time into testing those cars. Goodyear's tires to match up that package for our final 10 races. We all felt that was the best way to go. We can take the proper time to evaluate all the things we've looked at for '16 and really dial that in for the '16 package, knowing that a lot of things have been done for '15 and teams are really prepared for the Chase." Last month, NASCAR announced that the 10 Chase races would use the 2015 rules package and not the low-downforce package (used at Kentucky and Darlington) or the high-drag package (used at Indianapolis and Michigan). According to O'Donnell, who outlined that NASCAR will be sitting down with everybody over the next two weeks with the 2016 rules package a topic of discussion. "Obviously, the low downforce matched up with the tires got a lot of momentum and we've seen some really good things that I think you will see at a number of races this next year. There are some outliers we want to look at. Some of the bigger tracks, Michigan, California, but as closely as we can kind of stick to two packages, maybe a low-downforce and something different, that's what we'd like to do. One of the things we want to make sure we dial in and specifically for each race is really the tires. A lot of people go in and just say 'it's the 2015 rules package' but its really not. There's a lot of variables that go into that with gear ratios, the tires that are selected, so you will see a lot more emphasis on that for '16 depending on the different surfaces we race on and fully expect it to be a incredible competitive season." Will the high-drag package be a factor in 2016? O'Donnell wouldn't say either way but some tweaks would be needed. "Some modifications we could look at (on the high-drag package). Not necessarily anything we've got dialed in right now. Obviously. both those races (Indianapolis and Michigan) produced some challenges for us and we're aware of that and don't want to go out and repeat those ever again. There's some things we obviously learned from both those events. ... We want to go and have those discussions with the teams, we'll see what maybe the best thing for those events, especially Michigan."(NASCAR.com, interview audio at SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)(9-9-2015)

  • NASCAR, USA TODAY Sports Launch NASCAR Fan Index: NASCAR and USA TODAY Sports launched the first-ever NASCAR Fan Index, a digital index that combines social media activity and online fan voting to determine which Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup" driver has the greatest "fan nation" in this year's "Battle of Nations." Beginning this week and running through the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 22, the NASCAR Fan Index will rank the top driver fan bases based on aggregated social chatter and weekly online voting. The index is measured based on the social activity of each Chase driver's nation, including sharing photos and videos, as well as the voting results across fan-friendly themes such as best driver nickname and best paint scheme. NASCAR fans can vote an unlimited number of times for their favorite drivers in the weekly polls at nascarfanindex.usatoday.com. Additional themes will include best helmet design, best warm-up song, best race win burnout and best driver tweet of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.(NASCAR)(9-8-2015)

  • The Battle Of Nations Returns To Rally Fans: NASCAR announced an open call for fans to rally behind their favorite driver "nations" as part of a massive, integrated marketing campaign to promote the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. New television spots, interactive digital experiences, fan parties and a robust social media push will celebrate The Chase launch and encourage fans to join the Battle of Nations. Introduced last year to promote NASCAR's revamped Chase format, the Battle of Nations (NASCAR.com/Chase) returns to capture the drama and excitement of The Chase while giving fans even more ways to engage with the sport's unpredictable, 10-race playoffs. The campaign theme was inspired by drivers' loyal fan followings and aligns the 16 Chase drivers, their race teams, automotive manufacturers and partners as unique nations - each looking to grow their fan bases and stand above the rest in a quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. The sport's largest-ever social media campaign will invite fans, teams and sponsors to show support for their favorite Chase drivers and share content using the hashtag #TheChase. USA TODAY Sports will introduce the first-ever NASCAR Fan Index to aggregate social chatter and host weekly, online fan votes to help determine which Chase driver has the greatest nation. Fans wanting in on the action themselves can engage digitally with the Battle of Nations by making weekly predictions in The Chase Grid" Battle Powered by Bing. In addition, fans can register at NBCSports.com/GridChallenge to play the Quicken Loans $16 Million Perfect Grid Challenge for a chance to win $16 million, and the Weekly Playoff Grid Challenge for a chance to win prizes including a year's worth of free mortgage payments. NASCAR soon will launch the first-ever Join the Battle app, offering interactive content to enhance fans' experience during the Chase on mobile devices. The interactive app will be available for download on Sept. 13 at NASCAR.com/Chase.(NASCAR)(9-8-2015)

  • NASCAR Chase Fest returns to Chicago: Chicago will once again host the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with one of the biggest NASCAR themed parties of the season, NASCAR Chase Fest sponsored by Toyota. The free outdoor fan fest will feature all 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Challengers and culminate with a live concert by Grammy-nominated band, 3 Doors Down. NASCAR Chase Fest will take place on Weed Street between Fremont and Kingsbury streets from 2:00-9:00pm/ct on September 17. NASCAR Chase Fest will feature appearances and autograph sessions from all 16 drivers competing in the Challenger Round, as well as a number of recognizable NASCAR personalities. Fans in attendance will be treated to food from renowned Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, beverages from Coors Light (with proper ID), attractions such as the Toyota Ferris Wheel and NASCAR on NBC Sports Bumper Cars, activations from event sponsor Sprint including an appearance by Miss Sprint Cup and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Trophy, and another live musical performance by a Chicago favorite, country cover band the Suburban Cowboys. Additionally on-site, NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) personalities Krista Voda, Kyle Petty, Marty Snider and Rutledge Wood will interview all 16 Challengers for the network's live broadcast of NASCAR America.(NASCAR)(8-28-2015)

  • Wins In Demand With Three Races To Go Before Chase: The formula for making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is simple - "Win and you're in." Drivers only have three races left to make the formula work: Bristol, Darlington and Richmond. As of now, 11 drivers are qualified for the Chase with wins as long as they start the next three races and remain in the top 30 in points: #48-Jimmie Johnson, #18-Kyle Busch, #20-Matt Kenseth, #4-Kevin Harvick, #22-Joey Logano, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #41-Kurt Busch, #78-Martin Truex Jr., #2-Brad Keselowski, #11-Denny Hamlin and #19-Carl Edwards. The five remaining drivers on the Chase Grid have to either visit Victory Lane or stay high enough in the points standings where they don't get bumped by a new winner outside the top 16. These drivers are #1-Jamie McMurray (70 points above the cutoff line), #27-Paul Menard (+61), #31-Ryan Newman (+56), #24-Jeff Gordon (+55) and #15-Clint Bowyer (+23). The winless drivers who have won at Bristol in the past and have yet to earn Chase berths this season are Gordon, #5-Kasey Kahne and #14-Tony Stewart. A currently winless driver who wins at Bristol would clinch a spot if he/she is 97 points ahead of 31st place. No driver who remains winless after Bristol will clinch a spot.(NASCAR)(8-21-2015)

  • Special paint scheme elements to continue for Chase Contenders: Teams who make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will sport a special paint scheme for the second consecutive season. The teams provided feedback after the inaugural season with the new look and NASCAR has made adjustments based on those suggestions. Along with a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup logo and rounds (Challenger, Contender, Eliminator or Championship), taking the place of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series logo and NASCAR racecar decal, cars eligible for NASCAR's playoffs will be highlighted in Chase yellow. The windshield header, front valance and -- new for 2015 -- rear spoiler of each of the cars will carry the color. In 2014, the roof number was Sprint yellow as well, but the teams will keep their regular paint scheme atop their cars. Chase-eligible drivers also will receive a unique Winner decal for each win they accumulate during the Chase rounds.(NASCAR)(7-8-2015)

  • Kyle Busch to Remain Eligible for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship: NASCAR announced today that Kyle Busch will remain eligible to compete for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. Busch will qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by meeting all requirements of eligibility excluding Rule 17.6.2.1.a, which requires a driver to start all Championship Events of the current season. NASCAR made the decision after the driver of the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota received the appropriate medical clearance documentation to immediately return to NASCAR racing. To qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch will need to be within the top 30 of the Championship point standings after race No. 26, and meet all other stated requirements within the NASCAR Rule Book. "On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, it's great to have Kyle Busch back racing," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "Our decision to grant Kyle a waiver that allows him to continue running for a championship is one we discussed extensively. The spirit of the rule never was designed to punish drivers who are unable to compete due to extenuating circumstances such as recovering from a racing accident. We wish Kyle the best of luck in the balance of the season, and look forward to his return to the car this week for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway."(NASCAR)(5-13-2015)

  • What will it take for Kyle Busch to make the top 30? Kyle Busch returns to the #18 M&M's Toyota for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte. To race for a title in the 10-race, season-ending Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch must win one of the next 15 races, receive a medical waiver from NASCAR and either finish in the top 30 in points, or receive another NASCAR waiver for that requirement as well. Right now, #14-Tony Stewart is 30th in points, with 179 after 11 races. Over 26 races, that projects to about 423 points. For Busch to get 423 points -- and ultimately, the 30th-place driver likely will have slightly more or less than 423 -- he'd have to average 28.2 points in the next 15 races. So far this season, the top 11 drivers in the Sprint Cup standings have averaged at least 28.2 points per race.( )
    AND Last year, #38-David Gilliland was 30th in the standings after the September Richmond race with 407 points. Over the past four years, the average point total for 30th place in the driver standings is 420.8 points. Factoring that, Busch would need to average a 16th-place finish to be in the top 30 when the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins in September. #14-Tony Stewart is 30th in the points at the Sprint All-Star break with 179 points in 11 races (an average of 16.3 points per race). If that pace continues for whoever finishes 30th in the points before the Chase begins in September, they would have 423 points. Busch would need to average a 15th-place finish to reach the top 30 in points(NBC Sports)(5-13-2015)

  • NASCAR Lifts Kurt Busch's Suspension; will be Chase-eligible: NASCAR announced that, effectively immediately, the indefinite suspension of Kurt Busch has been lifted. He is eligible to return to NASCAR racing under indefinite probation subject to additional mandatory requirements that include but are not limited to participation in a treatment program and full compliance with any judicial requirements placed upon him. On Feb. 20, Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 car, was found to be in violation of:
    • Section 12.1.a: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
    • Section 12.8: Behavioral Penalty
    The decision to lift the suspension was made by NASCAR after Kurt Busch:
    • Complied with all requirements in its reinstatement program;
    • Completed the mandatory behavioral assessment sessions; and
    • The behavioral health care expert who conducted the sessions recommended to NASCAR that Kurt Busch be allowed to return to competition.
    Kurt Busch now will undergo additional steps to address the behavior for which he was penalized.
    The requirement that a driver must compete in all Championship Events of the current season to be eligible for The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has been waived for the period of Kurt Busch's suspension. Assuming he returns to NASCAR Sprint Cup competition, Kurt Busch would have zero Championship points to date after missing the Daytona 500 and the two most recent NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
    "As we stated last week, the elimination of the possibility of criminal charges removed a significant impediment to Kurt Busch's return to full status as a NASCAR member," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer. "We therefore have decided to move him to indefinite probation and waive the Chase requirement. He has fully complied with our reinstatement program during his suspension and the health care expert who conducted his evaluation recommended his immediate return. "We have made it very clear to Kurt Busch our expectations for him moving forward, which includes participation in a treatment program and full compliance with all judicial requirements as a result of his off-track behavior."(NASCAR)(3-11-2015)

  • NASCAR Clarifies Chase Eligibility: To be eligible to compete in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, drivers must start each race for which they have qualified, unless the sanctioning body finds reason to waive that requirement. That change, announced in a bulletin on Wednesday morning modifies the language of Rule 17.6.2.1.a, which last year required drivers to attempt to qualify for each event to retain Chase eligibility. Under the current provision, drivers still must attempt to qualify for each race, but they also must start every race for which they qualify successfully, unless NASCAR authorizes otherwise. A driver does not lose Chase eligibility for attempting to qualify for a race and failing to make the field. The clarified rule would apply in a situation where #41-Kurt Busch, for example, were to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, race in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday (as he did last year), but fail to return to Charlotte in time to start the Cup race. In that event, NASCAR would be unlikely to grant a waiver. On the other hand, NASCAR already has indicated that #55-Brian Vickers, who will miss the first two events of the season while recovering from offseason heart surgery, retains his Chase eligibility because of a medical exception.(NASCAR Wire Service)(2-19-2015)

  • No changes to Chase in 2015: NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said Monday afternoon that the format for the new Chase for the Sprint Cup will be unchanged for 2015. France, speaking at the kickoff event for the 2015 Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom, said the sanctioning body is coming off "perhaps its best Chase ever" and is carrying a lot of momentum into the season. Last year was the first time NASCAR used the expanded format for the Chase for the Sprint Cup, with a field of 16 drivers and a winner-take-all elimination format in the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(FoxSports)(1-26-2015)



  • NASCAR Sprint Cup Series WINNER Decals: Starting with the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase, the winning driver / team receives a WINNER decal to display on their car. All NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners receive the decal, to be placed next to the driver's name above the door, following a victory.(NASCAR)(2-23-2014)


The RULES for the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup

  • How the Chase for the Sprint Cup works:
    Challenger round: The 16 eligible drivers will compete in races at Chicago, New Hampshire and Dover for 12 spots available in the next round. A win at any of the three races advances the winning driver into the next round. The rest of the field of 12 will be determined by order of total points scored after the three races. Each advancing driver will be reset to 3,000 points, no bonus points for wins.
    Contender round: The 12 drivers who advance from the Challenger round will compete at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega for eight spots available in the next round, with the same rules for advancing as in the Challenger round. Each advancing driver will be reset to 4,000 points, no bonus points for wins.
    Eliminator round: Eight drivers advance to races at Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix and compete for four spots in the final round. The same rules will be used for advancing as in previous rounds. Points for the four drivers going for the championship are reset to 5,000, no bonus points for wins.
    Championship round/race: The Chase championship will be decided by the driver with the best finish among the top four at Homestead. Bonus points for laps led will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion.

  • NASCAR's Chase structure places a premium on winning: The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the Chase - provided they have finished in the top 30 in points and attempted to qualify for every race. Should there be 16 or more different winners during the first 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Chase spot would be the points leader after 26 races.

  • Brian France: no changes planned to the Chase in 2015: NASCAR Chairman Brian France was a guest on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Tuesday, December 9th with SiriusXM Speedway hosts Dave Moody and Angie Skinner. One question concerned the 2015 Chase rules:
    Dave Moody: "Do you anticipate any changes or tweaks or massaging of the Chase format for next year?"
    Brian France: "No, I don't. We're obviously pleased with everything. And there may be some adjustments down the road. They'll be very small. Nothing, for '15, nothing anybody would notice. But if we can make an already great thing better we will always look at that but we are very content that we have the right positioning of elevating the drivers to have moments as I just described, and then also balancing this whole thing in auto racing, which is very difficult to balance, which is how do you balance winning and consistency? And they don't necessarily always go together. And how do you have any kind of a championship run that represents that? I think we've done the best job that we think we can do to balance that."
    In the interview (which lasted about 15 minutes) France also talks about;
    - The elevation of competition.
    - Kevin Harvick pulled him aside in Las Vegas and said he wasn't a big fan of the new format when it was announced but once they got into it, it made them dig up talent and effort they never thought possible.
    - The prospect of having a winless champion. Would not have bothered them at all if Newman won.
    - Truck and Xfinity series formats - Will look at it in offseason. Doesn't anticipate a big change.
    - Bubba Wallace - As puzzled as anybody else that he has trouble attracting sponsorships, tells you the market is difficult. What NASCAR does to help.
    - Drop in gas prices is a welcomed development, hopes it stays that way.
    - Building on the momentum for 2015.(link to interview at SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)(12-10-2014)



  • NASCAR Introduces Special Paint Scheme Elements For Chase Contenders: Celebrating the accomplishments of those drivers who will contend for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, NASCAR has released several new elements to the paint schemes of race cars making the 16-driver Chase Grid.
    Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup-eligible cars will have the roof number, the front splitter / front fascia and the windshield header colored yellow, as well as have a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup logo affixed to the front-quarter panel of their race car.
    As part of NASCAR's emphasis on winning races all season long, this celebratory paint scheme will be placed on a driver's car to begin the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, at Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 14. Once a driver is eliminated after one of the Chase's first three rounds, the paint scheme will be removed from the car.
    These changes serve as a visible symbol of the new Chase format. In addition, the paint scheme elements will ensure that fans are able to easily identify each championship contender as NASCAR's playoffs progress. Announced by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France in January, the new championship format expands the Chase field to 16 drivers, up from 12 in previous years, and implements a new round-by-round advancement format that ultimately will reward a battle-tested, worthy champion. A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase, which will air exclusively on the ESPN family of networks. The number of championship drivers in contention for the championship decreases after every three Chase races, culminating with four drivers racing for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, scheduled for November 16.(NASCAR)(7-15-2014)

  • NASCAR Announces Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship Format Change: NASCAR announced a new championship format today that will put greater emphasis on winning races all season long, expands the current Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field to 16 drivers, and implements a new round-by-round advancement format that ultimately will reward a battle-tested, worthy champion. "We have arrived at a format that makes every race matter even more, diminishes points racing, puts a premium on winning races and concludes with a best-of-the-best, first-to-the-finish line showdown race - all of which is exactly what fans want," said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. "We have looked at a number of concepts for the last three years through fan research, models and simulations, and also maintained extensive dialogue with our drivers, teams and partners. The new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be thrilling, easy to understand and help drive our sport's competition to a whole new level."

    Changes announced by France to the championship format include:
    - A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - a change that will put an unprecedented importance on winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race all season long
    - Expanding the Chase field from 12 to 16 drivers, with those drivers advancing to what now will be known as the NASCAR Chase Grid
    - The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will decrease after every three Chase races, from 16 to start in the Chase Grid; 12 after Chase race #3; eight after Chase race #6; and four after Chase race #9
    - The first three races of the Chase (27-29) will be known as the Challenger Round
    - Races 30-32 will be known as the Contender Round
    - Races 33-35 will be the Eliminator Round and race #36 will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship
    - A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round
    - Four drivers will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

    Eligibility for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup: The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the NASCAR Chase Grid - provided they have finished in the top 30 in points and attempted to qualify for every race (except in rare instances). The 16th Chase position will go to the points leader after race #26, if he/she does not have a victory. In the event that there are 16 or more different winners over 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Chase Grid spot would be the points leader after 26 races.
    If there are fewer than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, the remaining Chase Grid positions will go to those winless drivers highest in points. If there are 16 or more winners in the first 26 races, the ties will first be broken by number of wins, followed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver points.

    As was implemented in 2011, prior to the start of the Chase, all Chase Grid drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races.

    Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Structure After the third Chase race, the Chase Grid will be left with 12 drivers. After the sixth Chase race, the field will drop to eight drivers, and following the ninth Chase race, only four drivers will remain in championship contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title.
    The first round (races 27-29) will be called the Challenger Round. If a driver in the Chase Grid wins a Challenger Round race, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-12 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 3,000.
    The second round (races 30-32) will be called the Contender Round. Likewise, if a driver in the top 12 in points wins a race in the Contender Round, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-8 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 4,000.
    The third round (races 33-35) will be called the Eliminator Round. If a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in the Eliminator Round, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-4 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 5,000.
    Additionally, drivers who are eliminated in the Contender and Eliminator Rounds will have their points readjusted. Each eliminated driver will return to the Chase-start base of 2,000 (plus any regular season wins bonus points), with their accumulated points starting with race #27 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-16th still up for grabs.
    Four Drivers, First-to-the-Finish Championship Finale The 36th and final race of the season will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Simply stated, the highest finisher in that race among the remaining four eligible drivers will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title. Bonus points for laps led will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion.
    All rules outlined above also apply to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner championship structure.(NASCAR)(1-30-2014)

  • Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship Format Change FAQ: NASCAR Q&A about the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup:
    Q. Does this new Chase format emphasize winning?
    A. Absolutely. The easiest way to make the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is to win. And winning is also the fastest way to advance in the Chase and become one of the four drivers competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
    Q. How will the Chase Grid drivers be selected?
    A. Positions 1-16 on the Chase Grid will be determined by the drivers with the greatest number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins after the first 26 races. However, the 16th position is reserved for the points leader if he/she does not have a win.
    Q. How will the Chase Grid be seeded?
    A. All drivers will have their points total reset to 2,000 points. Drivers receive 3 additional bonus points for each win during the fir st 26 races.
    Q. Is there a minimum points standing that a driver who records a win during the first 26 races must achieve to make the Chase Grid?
    A. Yes. A driver must be in the Top 30 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points following the first 26 races AND have attempted to qualify for all of the first 26 races.
    Q. What if a driver is prevented from competing in one or more of the first 26 races due to injury or illness?
    A. NASCAR, for rare instances, can waive the requirement of attempting to qualify for all of the first 26 races as long as the driver is in the Top 30 in points.
    Q. Which races are the advancement races?
    A. Once the field is reset after the 26th event, there are advancement races following the 29th event (Dover); 32nd event (Talladega); and 35th event (Phoenix). There will be four drivers competing for the Sprint Cup Championship at Homestead.
    Q. Will lap leader bonus points still be applied?
    A. In all but the final race, bonus points for laps led still will be awarded in the Challenger, Contender and Eliminator Rounds. However, at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, the four drivers will start the race tied and there will be no bonus points .for laps led, etc. The highest finisher among that group will be the champion.
    Q. What happens to a Chase Grid driver's points if he/she doesn't advance to the next round?
    A. Drivers who don't advance to the next round will have their point totals reset to the Chase-start base of 2,000 (with any regular-season wins bonus points), plus the additional points they've earned during the Chase.(NASCAR)(1-30-2014)

  • New points system, Earnhardt Jr. would had won championship in 2013: In announcing major changes to the Chase for the Sprint Cup on Thursday, NASCAR chairman Brian France touted an emphasis on winning as a primary reason behind the format. But it turns out last year's champion, if the new rules were applied, would have been #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., who didn't win a race. According to economist Andrew Maness, who runs the nascarnomics.com site, Earnhardt would have made the final race along with Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon. NASCAR's Mike Forde confirmed the lineup. The driver who won the most races last season, Matt Kenseth with seven, would not have been eligible for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(USA Today)(1-31-2014)


Some 2015 Chase News, Notes and Facts

  • Only four drivers made up points deficit in finale: Since the inception of the position-based points system in 1975, only four drivers have made up a points deficit in the season finale: Richard Petty in 1979 (made up two points on Darrell Waltrip), Alan Kulwicki in 1992 (made up 30 points on Davey Allison), Jimmie Johnson in 2010 (made up 15 points on Denny Hamlin) and Tony Stewart in 2011 (made up three points on Carl Edwards). Note: Stewart's comeback is the only one made under the current one-point-per-position structure.(NASCAR)(11-17-2013)

  • Four drivers have raced into the Chase: Four drivers have come from outside the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cut-off to make the Chase at Richmond in the previous championship format 2004-2013]:
    ˇ Jeremy Mayfield in 2004 made up a 55-point deficit
    ˇ Ryan Newman in 2005 made up a one-point deficit
    ˇ Kasey Kahne in 2006 made up a 30-point deficit
    ˇ Brian Vickers in 2009 made up a 20-point deficit
    (all using the old point system)
    ˇ Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2011 to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Keselowski was 11th in points with three wins; Hamlin was12th in points with one win.
    ˇ Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2012 to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Kahne was 11th in points with two wins; Gordon was 12th in points with one win.
    ˇ Due to a rare instance in the final race of the regular season that resulted in penalties being issued; a 13th car (Jeff Gordon's #24) was added to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.(NASCAR)


HOW NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
POINTS ARE AWARDED
(started in 2011)

see Current Points System and History on the NASCAR Current Points System and Points System History


Previous Chase Pages / News from 2004-current
The Chase for the Sprint Cup History, past news
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2004-2006

Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site Sprint Cup News Page
Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site