The significance of stage points and their influence on the NASCAR championship has been a hot topic lately. NASCAR reintroduced the Chase format—albeit with some modifications—after a 13-year hiatus, a period predating the introduction of stages in the sport.
At the Kansas race, Kyle Larson became the first driver this season to collect the maximum 55 points by winning the race, securing 20 points from winning both stages, plus an extra point for the fastest lap. In essence, aside from the gap between first and second place, one stage point corresponds to one on-track position. To illustrate simply, earning 20 stage points coupled with a 22nd-place finish is effectively equivalent to finishing second without any stage points.
Larson was questioned on whether this points system is too influential during an event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He expressed ambivalence, saying he hadn’t deeply analyzed it but acknowledged how pivotal stage points have felt within the Chase. He pointed out that Ryan Preece, despite consistently finishing in the top 10 during the Chase, has only accumulated around five stage points and thus hasn’t made significant progress in the standings. Larson remarked that while rewarding drivers for leading during stages makes sense, consistent strong finishes should be valued more than they currently are, as some teams that don’t start near the front can grind through but gain little advantage due to others earning stage points despite setbacks like crashes or mechanical issues.
Looking at the statistics, Preece is 14th in stage points among the Chase contenders over the last four races yet remains one of seven drivers with at least three top-10 finishes in that span. Removing stage points from the past month wouldn’t drastically alter the standings; Preece’s position would stay largely the same since he started the Chase with a 100-point deficit. Larson would still lead Denny Hamlin, though by a narrower 14 points instead of 26. The most notable shift would be Ryan Blaney dropping from fifth to seventh place without the boost of stage points alongside his recent DNFs.
Here’s the tally of stage points earned by Chase drivers through the first four races of the championship run:
Larson – 58; Hamlin – 46; Blaney – 45; Logano – 45; Bell – 44; Briscoe – 25; Cindric – 25; Gibbs – 22; Wallace – 21; Hocevar – 19; Byron – 17; Reddick – 15; Elliott – 9; Preece – 8; Buescher – 1; Suarez – 0
Fan Take:
The debate over stage points highlights a vital balance NASCAR must strike between rewarding aggressive racing and consistent performance. Understanding how this system shapes the Chase could influence how teams approach race strategy and keep fans engaged throughout every stage.
Source: www.motorsport.com
