NASCAR rules and regulations
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NASCAR makes and enforces numerous rules and regulations that transcend all racing series. This article will pertain to rules that apply to every series.
Contents |
[edit] Championship points system
| Position | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st | 185 |
| 2nd | 170 |
| 3rd | 165 |
| 4th | 160 |
| 5th | 155 |
| 6th | 150 |
| 7th | 146 |
| 8th | 142 |
| 9th | 138 |
| 10th | 134 |
| 11th | 130 |
| 12th | 127 |
| 13th | 124 |
| 14th | 121 |
| 15th | 118 |
| 16th | 115 |
| 17th | 112 |
| 18th | 109 |
| 19th | 106 |
| 20th | 103 |
| 21st | 100 |
| 22nd | 97 |
| 23rd | 94 |
| 24th | 91 |
| 25th | 88 |
| 26th | 85 |
| 27th | 82 |
| 28th | 79 |
| 29th | 76 |
| 30th | 73 |
| 31st | 70 |
| 32nd | 67 |
| 33rd | 64 |
| 34th | 61 |
| 35th | 58 |
| 36th | 55 |
| 37th | 52 |
| 38th | 49 |
| 39th | 46 |
| 40th | 43 |
| 41st | 40 |
| 42nd | 37 |
| 43rd | 34 |
For all NASCAR series Championships, driver points are given out for each race based on two categories: Final Position, and Laps Led.
For points according to position, there are three different scales. First Place gets 185 points, with fifteen points separating first from second. It is impossible to win a race without leading a lap, so the minimum for a winner to receive is 190 points. After second place (170 points), the first scale starts, with five points separating second through sixth place. After sixth place the second scale starts, separating drivers by four points for positions seven through eleven. After that, the third scale is in effect, separating the rest of the field by three points (see chart on left). This is why cars will sometimes go back on track after a wreck, even if they have no chance of winning. By moving up three positions, they gain nine more points.
For points according to laps led, if a driver has led at least one lap in the race, they are awarded an extra 5 points on top of what they earned based on position. In addition, the driver who leads the most laps earns an additional 5 points, for a maximum of 10 points. Lap leadership is determined at the finish line on each lap. A driver cannot simply lead part of a lap on the back stretch; the driver must be the first across the line to be considered the leader for that lap, or is declared the leader by crossing the last scoring loop as the leader when a caution is signaled.
Drivers’ points are assigned to the driver who starts the race. It is legal (though rare) to change drivers during a race (usually due to injury or fatigue), but the replacement driver gets no points. When Martin Truex, Jr. replaced Dale Earnhardt, Jr. during a 2004 Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway (while Earnhardt was recovering from an injury), the points counted towards Earnhardt's total. The same incident occurred when Ricky Rudd, a driver who was "retired" since the end of the 2005 season, replaced Tony Stewart at Dover International Speedway while Stewart was tending to a broken shoulder at the 2006 Neighborhood Excellence 400.
Points are also given to the owner of a car. For a car that makes the field, the owner points are the same as the driver points for that race. Cars that fail to qualify for a race gain owner points based on how well they qualified, continuing the 3 points per position so that the 44th car in qualifying gets 31 points, the 45th gets 28 points, and so forth, to a minimum of one point below 54th.
Since 2005, the top teams in owner points (35 in Nextel Cup, 30 in Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series, must be full time teams) earn an exemption into the starting field. If weather conditions prevent qualifying from occurring, the starting order for the race is set using owner points (top 35/30), then former series champions, then the defending race winner, then current year race winners, and then by most qualifying attempts with owner points breaking ties. For the first five races in each year, the owner points from last year are used instead. This can affect the strategy of new or lower ranked teams.
For example, Hall of Fame Racing had Terry Labonte in their #96 car in the first five Nextel Cup races in 2006. As a former champion, Terry Labonte was entitled to start in each race, even if the car encountered a difficulty in qualifying. With five guaranteed starts, the #96 car was easily able to gain enough owner points to place it in the top 35 and thus give regular driver Tony Raines a guaranteed starting spot in each race when he took over for the rest of the year. Lower ranked teams sometimes use a road racing specialist when the race is one of the few each year held on a road course to maximize the owner points of the car.
[edit] NASCAR points system development
From the beginning of championship series until 1967 championship points were based on prize money purses. Races with lesser purses paid fewer points than races with bigger purses.
First,the NASCAR point system used for championship from 1949 till 1951 awarded points on basis 10 points for the 1st place, 9 pts for 2nd, 8 pts for 3rd and so on, multiplied by 0.05*race purse (Race worth $4000 paid 200 points to the winner, 180 for 2nd place...). No info about how many points were given to drivers finishing below 10th place.
From 1952 till 1967, the NASCAR point system was based on linear scale for first 25 positions: 25-24-23-... Coefficients changed, but were always depending on prize money. From 25th place down there were awarded the same number of points.
In 1968, NASCAR started to award points depending on race distance, not prize money. Point system was 50-49-48-... multiplied by 1 for events to 249 miles, 2 for events 250-399 miles and 3 for events 400 miles and more. System stopped from 50th place. This system was in use until the end of 1971 season.
In 1972, together with shortening the schedule, the point system was also modified. Basic points of 100-98-96-... were awarded for each race. Additionally, lap points were awarded for the number of laps completed. Tracks under 1 mile, 0.25 points a lap; 1-mile tracks, 0.50; 1.3-mile track (Darlington), 0.70; 1.5-mile tracks, 0.75; 2-mile tracks (Michigan), 1.00; tracks 2.5 miles and over, 1.25. This system was also used in 1973.
In 1974, the points system was simple: Total money winnings from all track purses (qualifying and contingency awards did not count), in dollars, multiplied by the number of races started, and the resulting figure divided by 1,000 determined the number of points earned. By the end of the season Richard Petty had such a big lead in points, that he increased it even by finishing 30th while his main rival Cale Yarborough made a top-5 (Remember - the money was multiplied by the number of races started. Even if Cale made more money in one particular race, when the total money was multiplied by e. g. 27, the difference between the two leaders could also increase in comparison with situation after race 26).
The current NASCAR points system was developed in 1975 following years of trouble in trying to develop a points system -- from 1949 until 1971, six different systems were used, and in 1972, NASCAR used a different system each year for the next three years.
That type of inconsistency, which included a system, which rewarded most mileage for the entire season, and then another year where mileage and finishing positions were counted, favored larger circuits, and some fans complained about a champion who only won one race. That resulted in a 1974 ill-fated attempt at basing the points system on money and starts. Even though one driver won consecutive races, his opponent who had won the big money races had scored more points.
Bob Latford, a former public relations official at Lowe's Motor Speedway, devised NASCAR's most popular points system, which was adopted in 1975, which NASCAR used two different versions for their series from 1982 until 1998. In the system, the winner received 175 points, second 170 points, and other positions exactly the same as the current points system.
Until 1998, the Busch Series points system offered 180 points for the winner, but no bonuses for leading laps. The same was true for the Craftsman Truck Series until the end of that season, when NASCAR decided to standardise the points system for their series.
One complaint about the points system was that a driver could finish second and receive an equal number of points as a race winner, which was possible if the driver who led the most laps finished second. NASCAR amended the problem in 2004 by adding five points to the winner, and again in 2007 by adding another five points to the winner.
[edit] Safety
[edit] History of safety in NASCAR
Safety in racing has come a long way since the first green flag dropped. Up until the last few years, NASCAR was heavily criticized for its lack of focus on safety. Many safety precautions were not mandatory, as they are in other racing series, but only optional or recommended. NASCAR changed its stance on this after one of the sport's most popular drivers, Dale Earnhardt, was killed in a racing accident on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.
[edit] Seats
The seats that the drivers sit in have evolved over the past few years. Most of the seats found in the race cars wrap around the driver's rib cage which provides some support during a crash, spreading the load out over the entire rib cage instead of letting it concentrate in a smaller area. Some of the newer seats wrap around the driver's shoulders as well, which provides better support because the shoulders are more durable than the rib cage.
[edit] Seat belts and harnesses
The seat belts in stock cars are very important. They are built to be stronger than a normal seat belt. The seat belts used are the five- or six-point harness, which is two straps coming down over the driver's shoulders, two straps wrap around the waist, and one or two come up between the legs. Since a string of accidents in 2000 and 2001 that killed Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin, Tony Roper and Dale Earnhardt (plus several other drivers in minor circuits) under similar circumstances, NASCAR has made it mandatory for the drivers to wear the HANS device. Though NASCAR allowed another system, the Hutchens device, in the past, since 2005 HANS is the only head and neck restraint device allowed for use.
[edit] Restrictor plate
As a safety measure to reduce speeds at the two high-banked superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega), faster speeds are now seen at some tracks where restrictor plates are not mandated, specifically Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. While Atlanta is generally considered the fastest track, restrictor plates are not mandated there, in 2004 and 2005 higher qualifying speeds were posted at Texas, earning it the title of the circuit's fastest track. Unrestricted, Nextel Cup cars produce over 750 horsepower (560 kW) and can run at speeds in excess of 200 [mph]. Rusty Wallace completed a 2004 test for NASCAR at Talladega in which he used an unrestricted motor to complete average lap speeds of 221 mph and top speeds near 230 mph (Source: [1] NASCAR.com).
[edit] Roof flaps
In 1994, NASCAR introduced roof flaps to the car, which are designed to keep cars from getting airborne and possibly flipping down the track. NASCAR team owner Jack Roush helped design the roof flaps. If the speed of the car is high enough and the car spins backwards, air will get under the car to create lift and force the car to become airborne. To prevent this, NASCAR officials developed a set of flaps that are recessed into pockets on the roof of the car. When a car is turned around, and is going fast enough, the flaps come up and disrupt the airflow over the roof, eliminating most of the lift. The roof flaps generally keep the cars on the ground as they spin, although it is not guaranteed.
[edit] Barriers
Beginning in the early 2000's, most tracks have installed softer walls and barriers along the track. These walls absorb the energy of an impact better than concrete walls.
[edit] Pit road safety
Pit road safety has become a major focus of NASCAR officials in recent years. At each track there are different speeds the cars are required to travel at. The speed limit depends on the size of the track and the size of pit road. NASCAR uses an electronic scoring system to monitor the speeds of cars on pit road by measuring the time it takes to get from checkpoint to checkpoint. As the cars are not equipped with speedometers, the cars in prerace warm up laps are driven around the track at the pit road speed following the pace car so the drivers can mark their speed on the tachometer.
All over the wall pit members are required to wear helmets, full fire suits, and gloves; while the refueller must wear a fire apron as well as the suit. Tire changers must also wear safety glasses to prevent eye injuries from lug nuts thrown off the car.
As with changes to car models, NASCAR will institute new rules during a season if it deems it necessary to enhance safety.
[edit] Flags
Like most other sanctioning bodies, NASCAR will use flags to provide the drivers with information regarding track conditions. NASCAR, not adhering to the FIA rules (despite NASCAR being a member club of ACCUS, the U.S. motor racing sporting authority and representative to the FIA's World Motorsports Council), do not use the flag system outlined in the FIA International Sporting Code. Major differences include that in NASCAR (and other championships in North America) the white flag is used to signal that the leader is on the last lap, in ISC regulated events (such as Formula One and most European championships) it is used to signal that a slower car is on track. Also, the blue flag specified in the FIA ISC does not have a diagonal stripe.
The green flag indicates that the race has started or restarted.
The yellow flag or caution flag indicates a hazard on the track. All cars must slow down and follow the pace car. Passing is not allowed under the yellow flag.
The red flag indicates that the race has been halted. This may happen due to a large accident or inclement weather.
The red flag with a yellow cross is shown to indicate pit road is closed. This will be shown at the entrance of pit road when the yellow flag is displayed. When all the cars have gathered behind the pace car, pit road will open and this flag will be withdrawn.
The white flag indicates one lap remaining in the race.
The checkered flag indicates that a race or qualifying lap is over.
The black flag indicates that a driver is being penalized. This may be due to a rules infraction by the driver or pit crew, or if a vehicle has sufficient mechanical damage that it is a hazard to other drivers. A black flag shown with a red flag indicates a practice session is over.
The black flag with a white cross indicates a driver is no longer being scored. This is normally shown if a driver does not respond to a black flag.
The blue flag with a yellow stripe is shown to warn slow drivers of faster cars approaching. NASCAR rarely punishes drivers for not obeying this flag; however, it is frequently displayed.
[edit] Beneficiary rule
In years past, NASCAR would permit drivers to "race back to the caution flag". This would allow drivers to race for position just after a crash has happened, but before the leader has crossed the start/finish line with the yellow flag waving. Drivers had developed a gentlemen's agreement to hold their position, and let slower cars gain lost laps, in this event rather than race, but as years passed, drivers began to break away from this. When NASCAR ceased to use this practice, they created a beneficiary to help the slower cars that would no longer be given laps back. The rule is often referred to as the "Lucky Dog" or "Free Pass" rule.
[edit] Race weekends
In a typical weekend, teams will have two practice sessions, and a qualifying session before the race. In a smaller series, the race may be run in a series of qualifying races known as heats before a feature. A larger series will have a practice session before a two lap qualifying session, where the better of the two laps will represent the driver's time. There is normally a second practice session after qualifying which is often referred to as happy hour. If a practice session can not be held, NASCAR may have a competition caution at a predestinated time.
[edit] Technical requirements and inspection
NASCAR will inspect every car before (and sometimes after) a race to ensure that this car does not violate any rule of its series. These inspection periods involve measuring the angle or size of the spoiler, weighing the car, comparing the body lines to templates, distributing restrictor plates (for restrictor plate races), distributing the wings (for the Car of Tomorrow), and measuring the ride height.
All NASCAR Series cars use a roll cage to protect the drivers and serve as the chassis. All vehicles use a front engine-rear drive layout with pushrod engines as overhead camshaft engines are not allowed. All engines are carburated and fuel injection is not allowed. Forced induction is also not allowed, thus making all engines naturally-aspirated.
[edit] See also
- NASCAR
- NEXTEL Cup
- Busch Series
- Craftsman Truck Series
- NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
- NASCAR Regional Racing
- Dodge Weekly Series
- Chase for the NEXTEL Cup
