NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase 2016

Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship
2016 Rules/News

For 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
2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2004-2006


The Ten 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup Races

    Round of 16

    1) September 18 - Chicagoland Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2016 race Won by #78-Martin Truex, Jr., Chase Leader #78-Martin Truex, Jr., +1 pt
    Truex, Jr. automatically advanced to the Round of 12 of the Chase

    2) September 25 - New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 1.058 miles
    2016 race Won by #4-Kevin Harvick, Chase Leader #2-Keselowski +1 pt
    Harvick automatically advanced to round 2 of the Chase

    3) October 2 - Dover International Speedway, 1 mile
    2016 race Won by #78-Martin Truex, Jr., Chase Leader #78-Martin Truex, Jr., +6 pts
    Truex, Jr. had automatically advanced to the Round of 12 of the Chase with the win at Chicago
    All 12 drivers remaining points reset to 3000
    Four drivers eliminated: #14-Stewart, #1-McMurray, #42-Larson, #34-Buescher

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

    Round of 12

    4) October 8 - Charlotte Motor Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2016 race Won by #48-Jimmie Johnson, Chase Leader #48-Jimmie Johnson +5 pts
    Johnson automatically advanced to round of 8 of the Chase
    (X) delayed one day to October 9th due to rain delay / Hurricane Matthew

    5) October 16 - Kansas Speedway, 1.5 miles (held Oct 5th in 2014)
    2016 race Won by #4-Kevin Harvick, Chase Leader #48-Jimmie Johnson +8 pts
    Harvick automatically advanced to round(3) of the Chase

    6) October 23 - Talladega Superspeedway, 2.66 miles (held Oct 19th in 2014)
    2016 race Won by #22-Joey Logano, Chase Leader #22-Joey Logano +0 pts, best finishes in last round
    Logano automatically advanced to round of 8 of the Chase
    Eight drivers remaining points reset to 4000
    Four drivers eliminated: #3-Dillon, #78-Truex Jr., #24-Elliott, #2-Keselowski.

    the four drivers lowest in chase points with no wins are eliminated from the Chase
    leaving 8 drivers in the Chase

    Round of 8

    7) October 30 - Martinsville Speedway, .526 mile
    2016 race Won by #48-Jimmie Johnson, Chase Leader #48-Jimmie Johnson +5 pts
    Johnson automatically advances to the Championship race

    8) November 6 - Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2016 race Won by #19-Carl Edwards, Chase Leader #48-Jimmie Johnson +0 pts
    Edwards automatically advances to the Championship race

    9) November 13 - Phoenix International Raceway, 1 mile
    2016 race Won by #22-Joey Logano, Chase Leader #22-Joey Logano +5 pts
    Logano automatically advances to the Championship race
    Four drivers remaining points reset to 5000
    Four drivers eliminated: #11-Hamlin, #20-Kenseth, #4-Harvick, #41-Busch.

    the four drivers lowest in points with no wins are eliminated from the Chase
    leaving 4 drivers to vie for the Championship at Homestead

    Championship 4

    Four drivers going for the 2016 Championship: #22-Logano, #48-Johnson, #19-Edwards, #18-Busch.
    No bonus points for these four drivers, best finish wins the Championship

    10) November 20 - Homestead-Miami Speedway, 1.5 miles
    2016 race won by #48-Jimmie Johnson, Chase Leader/2016 Champion #48-Jimmie Johnson +3


Some links

How NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points are awarded? click here

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

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Lineups / Results

Past Chase Rules / Seasons

2015 | 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 2016 Sprint Cup

  • Qualified for the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup (13 years/chases)
    1) #18-Kyle Busch, 9th time, 4 wins
    2) #2-Brad Keselowski, 5th time in Chase, 4 wins
    3) #11-Denny Hamlin, 10th time, 3 wins
    4) #4-Kevin Harvick, 10th time, 2 wins
    5) #19-Carl Edwards, 9th time, 2 wins
    6) #78-Martin Truex Jr., 4th time, 2 wins
    7) #20-Matt Kenseth, 12th time, 2 wins
    8) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 13th time, 2 wins
    9) #22-Joey Logano, 4th time, 1 win
    10) #42-Kyle Larson, 1st time, 1 win
    11) #14-Stewart, 8th time, 1 win
    12) #41-Kurt Busch, 10th time, 1 win
    13) #34-Chris Buescher, 1st time, 1 win
    14) #24-Chase Elliott, 1st time, 0 wins
    15) #3-Austin Dillon, 1st time, 0 wins
    16) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2nd time, 0 wins
    (ties are broken by wins, 2nds, 3rds, etc)

  • Drivers who made the 2015 Chase, but failed to qualify in 2016:
    #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., sitting out remainder of season
    Jeff Gordon, retired last year. Not full-time this season.
    #31-Ryan Newman - 16th in 2016 driver standings
    #27-Paul Menard - 23rd in 2016 driver standings
    #15-Clint Bowyer - 26th in 2016 driver standings


Current 2016 Chase Points Standings and Drivers Points Standings without the Chase after each race

  • Jimmie Johnson wins at Homestead and the CHAMPIONSHIP: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the FORD EcoBoost 400 Sprint Cup Series Championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway for his 5th win of the season, 1st ever win at Homestead and 80th career win in NASCAR Overtime as the race was extended one lap for a late accident. #42-Kyle Larson, who led the most laps with 132, led the race when the final caution came out, setting up NASCAR Overtime. On the restart, #48-Johnson rocketed to the front, took the lead and kept the lead winning the race and the Championship / Chase. Johnson led 3 of the 368 laps.
    Johnson won his record tying 7th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship, tying NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with 7.
    #48-Jimmie Johnson had to start at the rear of the field before the drop of the green flag for unapproved body modifications after going through pre-race tech inspection.
    #42-Lason (who led the most laps at 132) finished 2nd followed by #4-Harvick (pole winner), #22-Logano, #1-McMurray, #18-Busch, #20-Kenseth, #47-Allmendinger, #11-Hamlin and #59-McDowell.
    #14-Tony Stewart, running his final Cup race, finished 22nd
    #44-Brian Scott, retiring after this race, finished 15th
    Chase Drivers:
    #48-Johnson, WON
    #22-Logano 4th
    #18-Busch 6th
    #19-Edwards 34th/accident
    On a restart with 10 laps to go in the race, #22-Joey Logano shot deep to the inside in an attempt to pass #19-Carl Edwards for the lead among the championship contenders. Edwards reacted quickly and decisively, turning his car to the left in an attempt to block Logano. Logano didn't lift, and chaos ensued. Logano shoved Edwards into the inside wall. Edwards' Toyota bounced across the track, was hit hard by Kasey Kahne and slammed into the outside wall. The wreck involved nine cars [2,5,7,19,22,24,31,78,95] and caused a red flag of 31 minutes and nine seconds as track workers cleared the mess. Edwards refused to take an ambulance ride to the infield care center, instead choosing to make the long, sad walk. Along the way, he stopped at Logano's pit and talked to Logano crew chief Todd Gordon and other members of the team. Edwards' smashed car didn't finish the race. He wound up fourth of the four Championship 4 competitors.
    There were 20 lead changes among 6 drivers and 7 cautions for 33 yellow flag laps and a 31:09 red flag.
    The average speed of the race was: 128.869mph.
    See unofficial race results, awards, laps led, cautions and more [NOTE: money/winnings are no longer reported] at:
    Unofficial Race Results (pdf)
    Lap Summary Report (pdf)
    Penalty Report (pdf)
    (11-20-2016)

  • Sprint Cup Driver Chase Standings:
    [after Homestead, race 36 of 36, Chase race 10 of 10]
    1) #48-Jimmie Johnson, [5 wins], 5040, Champion
    2) #22-Joey Logano, [3 wins], 5037 -3
    3) #18-Kyle Busch, [4 wins], 5035 -5
    4) #19-Carl Edwards, [3 wins], 5007 -33
    5) #20-Matt Kenseth, [2 wins], 2330
    6) #11-Denny Hamlin, [3 wins], 2320
    7) #41-Kurt Busch, [1 win], 2296
    8) #4-Kevin Harvick, [4 wins] 2289
    9) #42-Kyle Larson, [1 win], 2288
    10) #24-Chase Elliott, 2285
    11) #78-Martin Truex Jr., [4 wins] 2271
    12) #2-Brad Keselowski, [4 wins], 2267
    13) #1-Jamie McMurray, 2231
    14) #3-Austin Dillon, 2223
    15) #14-Tony Stewart, [1 win], 2211
    16) #34-Chris Buescher, [1 win], 2169
    See the Unofficial Drivers Points Standings page (pdf) and
    Unofficial Owners Points Standings page (pdf)

  • Unofficial Top 25 in 2016 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(C8), 1159
    2) #22-Joey Logano(C2), 1133, -26
    3) #18-Kyle Busch(C3), 1105, -54
    4) #2-Brad Keselowski(C12), 1089, -70
    5) #11-Denny Hamlin(C6), 1084, -75
    6) #41-Kurt Busch(C7), 1055, -104
    7) #48-Jimmie Johnson(CHAMP), 1007, -152
    8) #19-Carl Edwards(C4), 1005, -154
    9) #20-Matt Kenseth(C5), 997, -162
    10) #78-Martin Truex Jr.(C11), 991, -168
    11) #24-Chase Elliott#(C10), 966, -193
    12) #42-Kyle Larson(C9), 931, -228
    13) #1-Jamie McMurray(C13), 907, -252
    14) #3-Austin Dillon(C14), 902, -257
    15) #5-Kasey Kahne, 898, -261
    16) #31-Ryan Newman, 895, -264
    17) #47-AJ Allmendinger, 830, -329
    18) #21-Ryan Blaney#, 812, -347
    19) #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 772, -387
    20) #6-Trevor Bayne, 762, -397
    21) #16-Greg Biffle, 691, -468
    22) #10-Danica Patrick, 689, -470
    23) #27-Paul Menard, 678, -481
    24) #14-Tony Stewart(C15), 642, -517
    25) #43-Aric Almirola, 638, -521
    28) #34-Chris Buescher#(C16), 541, -618
    (C# = chase driver and final Chase position)
    (11-20-2016)

  • Sprint Cup Driver Chase Standings - Championship 4:
    [after Phoenix, race 35 of 36, Chase race 9 of 10]
    1) #22-Joey Logano [3 wins], 5000
    2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [4 wins], 5000
    5) #19-Carl Edwards [3 wins], 5000
    8) #18-Kyle Busch [4 wins], 5000
    Points are reset after each round, for the Championship 4 it goes to 5000, no points for wins
    Standings are reset by best finish of previous round.
    If tied, then next-best finish within that round of the Chase)
    Remember in the Championship race at Homestead these four drivers do not get points for leading laps(1+1) or winning(3).
    See reset points for the Championship 4 and the rest of the drivers on the Championship 4 Reset Points Standings page (pdf).(11-13-2016)

  • Championship 4 Clinch Scenarios for Phoenix:
    #48-Jimmie Johnson and #19-Carl Edwards are locked into the Championship 4 after winning races in the Round of 8.
    #22-Joey Logano (0 Wins, 4074 Points) - Would clinch on points with a second-place finish and at least one lap led. With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins.
    #18-Kyle Busch (0 Wins, 4074 Points) - Would clinch on points with a second-place finish and the most laps led. With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins.
    The following drivers can only guarantee a clinch with a win. The could also clinch on points with help:
    #20-Matt Kenseth (0 Wins, 4073 Points)
    #11-Denny Hamlin (0 Wins, 4072 Points)
    #4-Kevin Harvick (0 Wins, 4056 Points)
    #41-Kurt Busch (0 Wins, 4040 Points)(NASCAR)(11-9-2016)

  • See Past 2016 Race Results, Chase Driver Finishes and Points Standings on each Race Info page
    Homestead - 11/20/2016
    Phoenix - 11/13/2016
    Texas - 11/6/2016
    Martinsville - 10/30/2016
    Talladega - 10/23/2016
    Kansas - 10/16/2016
    Charlotte - 10/9/2016
    Dover - 10/2/2016
    New Hampshire - 9/25/2016
    Chicago - 9/18/2016
    Richmond - 9/10/2016


Some news about the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup



  • 1 - Joey Logano (#22 Team Penske Ford Fusion):
    ˇ Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.5
    2016 Rundown
    ˇ Three wins, 15 top fives, 25 top 10s,
    ˇ Led 697 laps
    ˇ Average Finish of 10.7
    Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
    ˇ One top five, two top 10s; one pole
    ˇ Average finish of 17.714, 16th-best
    ˇ Average Running Position of 15.383, 15th-best
    ˇ Driver Rating of 83.5, 15th-best
    ˇ 957 Laps in the Top 15 (51.2), 15th-most
    ˇ 216 Quality Passes, 20th-most

  • 2 - Jimmie Johnson (#48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS):
    ˇ Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8
    2016 Rundown
    ˇ Four wins, ten top fives, 15 top 10s,
    ˇ Led 734 laps
    ˇ Average Finish of 14.3
    Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
    ˇ Four top fives, ten top 10s; two poles
    ˇ Average finish of 15.727, 12th-best
    ˇ Average Running Position of 12.686, sixth-best
    ˇ Driver Rating of 96.8, sixth-best
    ˇ 2214 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4), sixth-most
    ˇ 520 Quality Passes, third-most

  • 3 - Carl Edwards (#19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry):
    ˇ Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.4
    2016 Rundown
    ˇ Three wins, nine top fives, 18 top 10s,
    ˇ Led 871 laps
    ˇ Average Finish of 13.3
    Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
    ˇ Two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s; two poles
    ˇ Average finish of 8.818, fourth-best
    ˇ Average Running Position of 9.666, fourth-best
    ˇ Driver Rating of 109.4, series-best
    ˇ 2369 Laps in the Top 15 (80.6), third-most
    ˇ 457 Quality Passes, eighth-most

  • 4 - Kyle Busch (#18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry):
    ˇ Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5
    2016 Rundown
    ˇ Four wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s,
    ˇ Led 1378 laps
    ˇ Average Finish of 11.6
    Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
    ˇ One win, two top fives, four top 10s
    ˇ Average finish of 21.091, 23rd-best
    ˇ Average Running Position of 14.792, 13th-best
    ˇ Driver Rating of 95.5, eighth-best
    ˇ 1962 Laps in the Top 15 (66.8), eighth-most
    ˇ 447 Quality Passes, 10th-most

  • Most Championships - NASCAR Cup Series History:
    Last Title
    Dale Earnhardt 7 1994
    Richard Petty 7 1979
    Jimmie Johnson 6 2013
    Jeff Gordon 4 2001
    Meanwhile Carl Edwards is on the opposite end of the spectrum, 1 of 3 drivers to finish 2nd in the points multiple times without ever winning a championship, joining his former teammate Mark Martin, and James Hylton.
    Finished 2nd in NSCS Points Multiple Times - Without Winning Championship
    Mark Martin 5 times
    James Hylton 3 times
    Carl Edwards 2 times
    Most NASCAR Cup Series Wins - Drivers to Never Win Title
    Best Finish
    Junior Johnson 50 6th
    Mark Martin 40 2nd
    Fireball Roberts 33 2nd
    Denny Hamlin 29 2nd
    Carl Edwards 28 2nd

  • NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship 4 Notes:
    #22-Joey Logano
    In 2016, Logano has posted three wins, 15 top fives, 25 top 10s and three poles.
    During the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Logano has posted two wins, five top fives and seven top 10s.
    Logano's average finish during the first nine races of the 2016 Chase was 7.9.
    During the Chase, Logano posted a driver rating of 107.1 and an average running position of 8.8.
    This is the second time in Logano's career he has made the Championship 4 in the new Chase format (finished fourth in 2014).
    At Homestead, Logano has made seven starts posting one top five, two top 10s and an average finish of 17.7.
    #48-Jimmie Johnson
    In 2016, Johnson has posted four wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s and a pole.
    During the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Johnson has posted two wins, three top fives and five top 10s.
    Johnson's average finish during the first nine races of the 2016 Chase was 11.7.
    During the Chase, Johnson posted a driver rating of 107.2 and an average running position of 8.7.
    This is the first time in Johnson's career he has made the Championship 4 in the new Chase format.
    At Homestead, Johnson has made 15 starts posting four top fives, 10 top 10s and an average finish of 14.1.
    #19-Carl Edwards
    In 2016, Edwards has posted three wins, nine top fives, 18 top 10s and six poles.
    During the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Edwards has posted one win, two top fives and three top 10s.
    Edwards' average finish during the first nine races of the 2016 Chase was 14.9.
    During the Chase, Edwards posted a driver rating of 93.0 and an average running position of 12.2.
    This is the first time in Edwards' career he has made the Championship 4 in the new Chase format.
    At Homestead, Edwards has made 12 starts posting two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s and an average finish of 9.2.
    #18-Kyle Busch
    In 2016, Busch has posted four wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s and two poles.
    During the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Busch has posted six top fives and eight top 10s.
    Busch's average finish during the first nine races of the 2016 Chase was 7.3.
    During the Chase, Busch posted a driver rating of 103.3 and an average running position of 10.3.
    This is the second time in Busch's career he has made the Championship 4 in the new Chase format (2015 Champion).
    At Homestead, Busch has made 11 starts posting one win, two top fives, four top 10s and an average finish of 21.1.
    (NASCAR)(11-20-2016)

  • Chase Drivers at Phoenix: After Sunday's Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field will shrink from eight to four. Here's how all of the drivers have fared at the one-mile Arizona track.
    1. #48-Jimmie Johnson (clinched Championship 4 berth with win at Martinsville) - In 26 starts at Phoenix, Johnson boasts four wins (second-most in track history), 15 top fives, 19 top 10s and a 7.9 average finish (best among active drivers). The #48 Chevrolet driver has not won at Phoenix since the track was repaved in 2011.
    2. #19-Carl Edwards (clinched Championship 4 berth with win at Texas) - Edwards has two wins, eight top fives and 13 top 10s in 24 starts at Phoenix. He finished runner-up at the one-mile track in March in an extremely tight finish where Kevin Harvick beat him to the stripe by .010 seconds - the closest margin of victory in track history.
    3. #22-Joey Logano (one point ahead of Matt Kenseth on the cutoff line) - In 15 starts at Phoenix, Logano claims no wins, three top fives, eight top 10s and a 14.0 average finish. Before finishing 18th at the one-mile track in March, he posted five consecutive top-10 finishes there.
    4. #18-Kyle Busch (+1) - Busch owns one win, five top fives and 14 top 10s in 22 starts at Phoenix. He has finished fourth in his last two races at the desert track.
    5. #20-Matt Kenseth (one point below Kyle Busch on the cutoff line) - In 27 Phoenix starts, Kenseth has one win, six top fives, 11 top 10s and a 16.3 average finish. His last top 10 in the Phoenix fall race was a seventh-place showing in 2010. Kenseth's win came in 2002 from the 28th starting position - the furthest back in the field an active race winner has started.
    6. #11-Denny Hamlin (-2) - Hamlin claims one win, 10 top fives, 12 top 10s and an 11.0 average finish in 22 starts at Phoenix. The #11 Toyota driver finished third there in March and eighth last fall.
    7. #4-Kevin Harvick (-18) - Harvick boasts eight wins, 12 top fives, 16 top 10s and a 10.3 average finish in 27 starts at Phoenix. He has won six of the last eight races there and finished runner-up in last year's fall race.
    8. #41-Kurt Busch (-34) - In 27 Phoenix starts, Busch claims one win, six top fives, 16 top 10s and a 13.4 average finish. He has placed no worse than seventh in his last 27 starts at the one-mile track.(NASCAR)(11-13-2016)

  • Chase Clinch Scenarios at Talladega: #48-Jimmie Johnson and #4-Kevin Harvick have already clinched a spot in the Round of 8. With only one race remaining in this round, a new winner would be a win by Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski or Chase Elliott. A win by any other driver would be considered a repeat winner for the clinching requirements (so, Johnson/Harvick, or a non-Chase driver, or a driver ahead of Logano in points).
    #20-Matt Kenseth (0 Wins, 3074 Points) - Would clinch on points with 13 Points (28th and no laps led, 29th and led at least one lap, 30th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, would clinch on points with 11 Points (30th and no laps led, 31st and led at least one lap, 32nd and led most laps). With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins.
    #18-Kyle Busch (0 Wins, 3072 Points) - Would clinch on points with 15 Points (26th and no laps led, 27th and led at least one lap, 28th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, would clinch on points with 14 Points (27th and no laps led, 28th and led at least one lap, 29th and led most laps). With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins.
    #19-Carl Edwards (0 Wins, 3069 Points) - Would clinch on points with 18 Points (23rd and no laps led, 24th and led at least one lap, 25th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, would clinch on points with 16 Points (25th and no laps led, 26th and led at least one lap, 27th and led most laps). With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins.
    #41-Kurt Busch (0 Wins, 3062 Points) - Would clinch on points with 25 Points (16th and no laps led, 17th and led at least one lap, 18th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, would clinch on points with 24 Points (17th and no laps led, 18th and led at least one lap, 19th and led most laps). With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins.
    #78-Martin Truex Jr (0 Wins, 3058 Points) - Would clinch on points with 29 Points (12th and no laps led, 13th and led at least one lap, 14th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner, would clinch on points with 28 Points (13th and no laps led, 14th and led at least one lap, 15th and led most laps). With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins.
    #22-Joey Logano (0 Wins, 3045 Points) - If there is a repeat winner, would clinch on points with 41 Points (2nd and led most laps). With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins. Could clinch on points with a new winner and help.
    #3-Austin Dillon (0 Wins, 3045 Points) - If there is a repeat winner, would clinch on points with 41 Points (2nd and led most laps). With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins. Could clinch on points with a new winner and help.
    #11-Denny Hamlin (0 Wins, 3039 Points) - With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins. Could clinch on points with help.
    #2-Brad Keselowski (0 Wins, 3038 Points) - With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins. Could clinch on points with help.
    #24-Chase Elliott (0 Wins, 3020 Points) - With a win, would clinch a next round spot on wins. Could clinch on points with help.
    (NASCAR)

  • Why Chase round no longer have names: Two years ago, NASCAR moved toward streamlining its playoffs through a format more traditionally in line with other professional sports. In the third season of the revamped Chase for the Sprint Cup, the branding of the 10-race championship also has moved in a conventional direction with the dispensing of nicknames for its four rounds in favor of traditional labels. Jill Gregory, who was named NASCAR's chief marketing officer last month, said it's about simplicity. "At the end of the day, we need to make the sport accessible and easy to consume, and sports fans, whether motorsports, NASCAR, stick and ball, they're familiar with a certain vernacular, and we wanted to keep it simple," Gregory, the guest on this week's NASCAR on NBC podcast, said in the Wednesday episode. "Sometimes, you can out-clever yourself." When the Chase for the Sprint Cup was reintroduced with elimination rounds and an expanded field in the 2014 season, the first three rounds were known as "Challenger," "Contender" and "Eliminator." After using the branded rounds again last season, they were dropped this year. The number of title contenders in each segment is the determinant for the name (i.e., Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 8 and Championship 4). "It's very easy to understand Round of 16, Round of 8, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for fans to engage with it," Gregory said.(NBC Sports)(9-22-2016)

  • Twitter handles to replace driver Names on Chase driver windshields: NASCAR drivers competing in the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will display their personal Twitter handles on their respective car windshields during the first three-race round of #TheChase, NASCAR and Twitter announced. The activation is part of an aggressive push by NASCAR to use Twitter, Vine and Periscope to elevate The Chase experience for fans during the sport's most social postseason ever. Thursday @NASCAR unveiled a new, racing-themed Twitter emoji, which will help bring #TheChase tweets to life throughout the 10-week postseason. Beginning this weekend, @NASCAR will curate Twitter Moments and share Vines and live video via Periscope all capturing the spirit, excitement and behind-the-scenes of this year's Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The first Chase race will also feature the Twitter bird logo, @NASCAR and #TheChase displayed as giant stencils in the infield at Chicagoland Speedway. After each round of The Chase, NASCAR will tweet action-packed digital films that feature NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers reenacting the on-track highlights and storylines.(NASCAR)(9-16-2016)

  • Chase Clinch Scenarios for Richmond: Possible to Clinch [updated after Newman penalty]:
    #34-Chris Buescher (1 Win, 358 Points, +11 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would Clinch a Top 30 spot on his own with 34 Points (7th and no laps led, 8th and led at least one lap, 9th and led most laps), which would clinch him a spot in the Chase.
    #24-Chase Elliott (0 Wins, 659 Points, +312 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would clinch on points with 24 Points (17th and no laps led, 18th and led at least one lap, 19th and led most laps), if there is a new winner. If there is a repeat winner (or a new winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30) and 2 Points (39th and no laps led, 40th and led at least one lap). If there is a repeat winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, he clinches on points, regardless of finish. With a win, he would clinch a Chase spot on wins.
    #3-Austin Dillon (0 Wins, 651 Points, +304 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would clinch on Points with 33 Points (8th and no laps led, 9th and led at least one lap, 10th and led most laps) and a new winner. If there is a repeat winner (or win by Chase Elliott or a new winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30) and Dillon would clinch with 11 Points (30th and no laps led, 31st and led at least one lap, 32nd and led most laps). If there is a repeat winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, he would clinch on points regardless of finish. With a win, they would clinch a Chase spot on wins.
    #1-Jamie McMurray (0 Wins, 642 Points, +295 Points Ahead of 31st) - Would clinch on points with a repeat winner (or win by Chase Elliott or Austin Dillon or a new winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30) and 20 points (21st and no laps led, 22nd and led at least one lap, 23rd and led most laps). If there is a repeat winner and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, McMurray would clinch on points, regardless of finish. With a win, he would clinch a Chase spot on wins. Could clinch on points with a new winner and help (cannot lose more than six points to Newman as Newman would hold the tie-breaker).
    #31-Ryan Newman (0 Wins, 620 Points, +273 Points Ahead of 31st) - With a win, he would clinch a Chase spot on wins. Could clinch on Points with help (would need to outpoint two of the following if there is a new winner, or one of the following if there is a repeat winner (or win by one of these drivers), McMurray by 22 or more points, Dillon by 32 or more points, Elliott by 40 or more points). If there is a repeat winner (or win by Elliott, Dillon, McMurray) and Chris Buescher falls out of the Top 30, he would need 20 points (21st and no laps led, 22nd and led at least one lap, 23rd and led most laps) to clinch on points.
    #5-Kasey Kahne (0 Wins, 598 Points, +251 Points Ahead of 31st) - With a win, Kahne would clinch a Chase spot on wins. Could clinch on points with a repeat winner (or win by Elliott, Dillon or McMurray) and Chris Buescher falling outside of the Top 30 and help (would need to outpoint Newman by 22 or 23 points, depending on tie-breaker).
    The following need a win to clinch a Chase spot on wins: #21-Ryan Blaney, #47-AJ Allmendinger, #6-Trevor Bayne, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #27-Paul Menard, #16-Greg Biffle, #10-Danica Patrick, #43-Aric Almirola, #15-Clint Bowyer, #13-Casey Mears, #38-Landon Cassill.
    #34-David Ragan and #7-Regan Smith need a win and help (to get inside the Top 30) in order to make the Chase.(NASCAR)(9-6/7-2016)

  • Darlington Chase clinch scenarios: With two races remaining in the regular season, 12 drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, assuming each driver starts the remaining races. Everyone who has a win this season is locked in -- except for Chris Buescher, who has yet to clinch a top-30 spot. A number of drivers who currently have no wins can clinch this weekend, but only if they win the Bojangles' Southern 500.
    Possible to Clinch: #34-Chris Buescher (1 Win, 334 Points, +7 Points Ahead of 31st): Could clinch a top-30 spot with help; which would allow him to clinch a Chase spot on wins.
    The following drivers could clinch with a win or points:
    #24-Chase Elliott (0 Wins, 628 Points, +301 Points Ahead of 31st)
    #3-Austin Dillon (0 Wins, 622 Points, +295 Points Ahead of 31st)
    The following drivers could clinch with a win: #1-Jamie McMurray, #31-Ryan Newman, #5-Kasey Kahne, #6-Trevor Bayne, #21-Ryan Blaney, #47-AJ Allmendinger, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr, #16-Greg Biffle, #27-Paul Menard, #10-Danica Patrick, #43-Aric Almirola, #15-Clint Bowyer, #13-Casey Mears.
    #38-Landon Cassill could clinch a Chase spot on wins if he gets help with clinching a top-30 spot.(NASCAR.com)(9-2-2016)

  • Playoff Spots Dwindling With Three Regular Season Races Remaining: Last weekend's race at Bristol Motor Speedway changed everything as the resulting Chase Grid looks very different now than it did prior to Bristol.
    - #34-Chris Buescher finished fifth, which catapulted him into the top 30 by 13 points - thereby placing him firmly in Chase contention for the first time since his victory at Pocono. All 12 race winners are now on the Chase Grid.
    - Buescher's finish, paired with #42-Kyle Larson's 24th-place run, pushed Larson off the Grid.
    - #31-Ryan Newman finished 28th, which dropped him three spots in the standings, and likewise, the Chase Grid. He's now 16th on the Grid, and if there's a new winner in the next three races, he's in danger of missing the playoffs.
    - #3-Austin Dillon (4th) and #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2nd) both turned in top fives, which either solidified their Chase standing (Dillon) or bolstered their chances (Stenhouse).
    One winless driver, in particular, could threaten at Michigan International Speedway: #16-Greg Biffle. For one, Biffle's Roush Fenway Racing team leads all organization in wins at Michigan, with 13. Secondly, Biffle boasts the Michigan wins lead among active drivers with four.(NASCAR)(8-28-2016)

  • Chase-clinching scenario for Michigan: With three races remaining in the regular season, 10 drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, assuming each driver starts the remaining races. The 10 clinchers: Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin. Everyone who has a win this season is locked in -- except for Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher, both of whom have yet to clinch a top-30 spot. Stewart can clinch a top 30 spot at Michigan with some help as he must be 91 points ahead of the 31st position in the standings. A number of drivers who currently have no wins can clinch this weekend, but only if they win the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Winless drivers in the standings from Austin Dillon all the way to Aric Almirola could lock in a spot with a victory. See the Sprint Cup standings here.(NASCAR.com)(8-27-2016)

  • Chase-clinching scenarios for Bristol: With four races remaining in the regular season, 10 drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, assuming each start the remaining races. The 10 clinchers:
    #2-Brad Keselowski, #18-Kyle Busch, #19-Carl Edwards, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #20-Matt Kenseth, #4-Kevin Harvick, #41-Kurt Busch, #22-Joey Logano, #78-Martin Truex Jr. and #11-Denny Hamlin.
    Everyone who has a win this season is locked in -- except for #14-Tony Stewart and #34-Chris Buescher, both of whom have yet to clinch a top-30 spot.
    A number of drivers who currently have no wins can clinch this weekend, but only if they win at Bristol Motor Speedway and leave the race with at least a 136-point lead over Stewart and Buescher. There's also the potential for the points leader to be a guaranteed winner after race No. 26 at Richmond, the final regular-season race. If that's the case, the below drivers would only need to have a 136-point lead over Buescher.
    Possible to clinch:
    Tony Stewart: Could clinch a Top 30 position with help
    Possible to clinch at Bristol with a win:
    #31-Ryan Newman, #24-Chase Elliott, #3-Austin Dillon, #42-Jamie McMurray, #42-Kyle Larson, #6-Trevor Bayne, #5-Kasey Kahne, #21-Ryan Blaney, #47-AJ Allmendinger, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #27-Paul Menard
    Possible to clinch at Bristol with a win plus help:
    #16-Greg Biffle, #10-Danica Patrick, #15-Clint Bowyer, #43-Aric Almirola.(NASCAR.com)(8-20-2016)

  • Chase round 'bye' for regular season champ? Could the regular-season champion earn a bye to the second round of the Chase? Former series champ Brad Keselowski says drivers have discussed ways to reward the points leader more after the 26-race regular season. A bye is one such idea. Keselowski, who has two victories this season, admits an early win can give a driver a new perspective on the regular season. "I think clearly the sport is lacking some motivation once you've won a race," Keselowski told reporters Monday at Team Penske's shop. "I don't think there's any question that most of the competitors in the sport feel like that is not advantageous for a product we're trying to put on and have floated some ideas to level that back out that maybe some people will like and maybe some won't. We'll have to see." It also seems to have impacted fans. In a conference call with industry analysts last month, an International Speedway Corp., executive said the focus on the Chase may be playing a role in fans purchasing tickets for those events instead of races earlier in the season. What would be a good reward for the regular-season champion? "I think a bye is a good word for it," Keselowski said. "As we're trying to emulate other sports and major playoffs, I think it makes sense as it does for them."(NBC Sports)(5-11-2016)

  • NASCAR FAST FACTS - 2016 Procedural Changes:
    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.(NASCAR)(2-11-2016)

  • No names to the four rounds of the Cup Chase: With elimination-style playoffs in all of its top three national touring series this year, NASCAR has done the sensible thing, dropping the nomenclature from the four rounds of the Chase for the Sprint Cup in favor of more traditional Round of 16, etc. "Yes, we have removed the Round names from the #Chase, including #NASCAR Sprint Cup," tweeted David Higdon, vice president, NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications. "Now: Round of 16, Round of 12, Round of 8, Championship Round."(NASCAR Wire Service)(1-20-2016)

  • 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)

  • 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 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)



  • 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 2016 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 2016 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 2016)

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