The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season is set to begin February 20, 2011. As the green flag drops on the 2011 Daytona 500 race, a new point system will begin. The point system for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be a little easier for the fans to follow.
Points are awarded as such during a normal race. If a driver wins the race, he receives 43 points. The second place driver receives 42 points. The third place driver receives 41 points. The forth place driver receives 40 points and so on all the way through the race field with the driver ending in forty third place with just 1 point.
Then, there are bonus points to be won at each NASCAR race. A driver will receive three bonus points for winning a race. A driver who who leads any lap during the race will receive a bonus point. Also, a driver who leads the most laps during a race will receive a bonus point.
The most possible points to win at any race is 48. This includes regular race points and bonus points.
The new point system will total up the points after 26 races. The top ten drivers will then be locked. Those top ten drivers will be in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Of those top ten drivers three bonus points will be awarded for any race they won in the previous 26 races.
There will also be two additional drivers joining the top ten drivers for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The two additional drivers will be selected by being in the top twenty in point standings and have the most wins. However, they are not awarded any bonus points for the races they won out of the previous 26 races.
During the last ten races of the season, points will be awarded the same way to determine the championship.
The Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series do not use the same point system. They continue to race for points through the season. Whomever has the most points at the end is the champion.
Now that you know the new point system, it’s time to cheer your favorite driver to victory!!
