The evolution of NASCAR’s championship format over the years

Rebecca French

3 months ago

NASCAR’s championship format has just undergone its latest changes, but it’s not the first time the sanctioning body has tweaked how championships are awarded.

At some point, racing events award points based on prize money, race length, or even the number of laps completed. In the modern era, chase games or playoffs have existed in some form since 2004, dividing the season into segments and producing unpredictable results.

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Without going into too much detail about each minor change, here’s a simplified summary of every system NASCAR has used in its 77-year history, and how it has evolved since 1949.

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1949: It’s all about money

Fan Zone Red Byron’s Classic Cars

Fan Zone Red Byron’s classic cars

In the early days of the sport, only the top 14 finishers in most events received points, which were awarded based on prize money. If you think modern systems are confusing, try imagining a points table that changes every week. Winning a $500 race is as valuable as finishing 14th in a $25,000 race, such as the Southern 500 at Darlington. This system has been around for a while, but has changed.

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1952: Change to money-based points format

Points for cash prizes continued until 1967, but in 1952 the system was changed to reflect the growing field size and larger prizes. Points will be awarded for at least 25th place, with a minimum of 200 points awarded to the winner of the event paying $4,000 (or less).

1968: Points based on race length, not prize money

Starting in 1968, points were awarded based on race length rather than prize money. For races of 250 miles or less, the winner receives 50 points. For races between 250 and 399 miles, the winner receives 100 points. For races of 400 miles or longer, the winner receives 150 points. This new system also brought points all the way back to 50th place. This went on for three years without any change.

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1972 and 1973: Using both systems simultaneously

As NASCAR’s top series became the Winston Cup Series in 1971 and entered the modern era, the championship’s format also changed. In 1972 and 1973, there were actually two points systems. The primary system awards points based on finish position and is no longer determined by race length or prize money. The winner of the match receives 100 points and drops 2 points for each rank down to 50th place.

Meanwhile, drivers earn extra points based on the distance traveled in each race. Drivers will earn 1/4 point for each lap completed on tracks shorter than a mile, half a point on tracks a mile in length, and continue up to 2.5-mile superspeedways where drivers will earn 1.25 points for each completed lap.

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In 1973, the system was slightly modified, awarding 125 points to the match winner while keeping the rest unchanged, with a greater emphasis on winning.

1974: Do the math

In 1974, NASCAR changed the format again, but this new format only lasted for one year…and you can probably guess why. It multiplies the money in the wallet by the rider’s total number of starts and then divides it by 1,000. Even after the playoffs, this may be the most confusing system ever used. The points earned on each start will also change, as the number of starts plays a crucial role in mathematics.

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1975: Ratford system determines full-season championship

Richard Petty congratulates Dale Earnhardt on seventh championship

Finally, NASCAR found some consistency in 1975. The Latford system, developed by Bob Latford, awards 170 points to the race winner, with each position dropping five points to sixth place. It then dropped 4 points per position to 11th place, then dropped 3 points per position to last place.

The points system even survived early iterations of the playoffs and remained in place until the 2010 season. The only change is the points awarded to the race winner, which were increased to 180 points in 2004 and 185 points in 2007.

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2004: Chasing the Trophy Version 1.0

What finally entered the top ten was

While the Ratford system continued in 2010, NASCAR introduced the Chase Cup system in 2004, which reset points midway through the season. In his final season, Matt Kenseth won a full season championship and captured the championship with a solid performance.

In the Chase race, the rankings of the top ten drivers in points were reset after the 26th race. In recognition of their performance during the regular season, each driver will be awarded 5 points, with the top seed receiving 50 points.

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2007: Expanded playoff field

The playoff field was expanded from 10 to 12 drivers while still using the Ratford system. This version of Chase also adds an additional 10 bonus points for each race win, which are added to a driver’s total after the points reset after the 26th race.

2011: Wildcards introduced and Ratford system abandoned

In 2011, NASCAR stopped using the Ratford system to award points for the first time since 1974. This also follows Jimmie Johnson’s unprecedented five-year run. They’ve come up with a new system that they hope will simplify things, awarding one point per position. This version of Chase also introduces two wild cards, which bring the two most wins drivers from 11th to 20th in the standings. The driving force behind this was Jamie McMurray’s 2010 season, in which he won three races, including the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400, but missed the playoffs.

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In the first year of the system, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards actually tied for the title, with Stewart winning on a tiebreaker.

The last year of the system was 2013 and sparked the SpinGate controversy, where Michael Waltrip Racing deliberately issued a caution in an attempt to secure Martin Truex Jr’s spot in the playoffs. The resulting impact resulted in NASCAR adding a 13th spot to the Chase, putting Jeff Gordon back in title contention.

2014: Overhaul, knockouts and multiple rounds

2014 Sprint Cup four drivers: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Ryan Newman, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Enter elimination. In 2014, NASCAR dramatically changed the championship, setting aside the ten-race title race in favor of something entirely new. In short, NASCAR shortened the final ten races to four rounds. The playoffs now feature 16 drivers and include a win-and-go feature where any driver in the top 30 points can win a race and automatically earn a playoff spot. If there are fewer than 16 winners, the remaining spots will be filled by the player with the highest score. Match winners also receive bonus points, which are applied upon reset. As for the playoffs, there will be a reset after each round of three races, eliminating the bottom four drivers in points (unless they win one of the three races). This continues until only four players remain, pushing them to a winner-take-all final where points become irrelevant – the top-placed player among the four players in the season finale becomes the champion.

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This format is all about winning, yet the first championship almost came to a driver who didn’t win, with Ryan Newman finishing the season second in the standings behind Kevin Harvick. The format also caused chaos throughout the race, including a massive brawl between Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon at Texas Motor Speedway.

2017: Added stage points and playoff bonus points

The format remains the same, but the surrounding points have changed a bit. NASCAR introduced stage breaks and stage points. Most races are divided into three stages, with the top ten players earning up to 10 points at the end of the first and second stages. This forces riders to race hard from the start and gives riders a chance to limit damage at the end of a good time. These stages also award the “winner” one playoff point, which will be added to the total when the reset time comes.

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These playoff bonus points are awarded not only to race winners (now increased to five points per victory), but also to the top ten drivers in the standings at the end of the regular season. The regular season “champion” will receive 15 bonus points.

Although there have been some minor changes in subsequent years, this remains the basic format for determining the championship until the end of the 2025 season. They even waived the top 30 rule so even the driver at the bottom of the standings could earn a spot in the playoffs. Growing disdain for the system and frustration with its unpredictability prompted NASCAR to once again overhaul its title ahead of the 2026 season as the perceived “deserving” champion lost in the finals of one race.

2026: The Chase returns, but with a bigger scope

Announcement of the 2026 version of “The Chase”

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NASCAR’s new format isn’t actually all that new, as it’s a return to the ten-race postseason we were used to between 2004 and 2013. However, without a win you are in wild card status and the field will remain at 16 riders. However, only the top 16 drivers in points are eligible to participate in the pursuit race.

NASCAR also increased the reward for race winners to 55 points, ensuring that no driver could score more than them (through stage points) and bringing the gap between first and second place to 20 points.

Additionally, the reset after Game 26 will not be based on bonus points accumulated during the regular season, but will be predetermined based on points position. For example, the No. 1 seed will have a 100-point advantage over the No. 16 seed. There is also a 25-point gap between first and second place at the start of the chase, before dropping another 10 points to third place, and then a 5-point difference between each position.