NASCAR unveils new points system

NASCAR just got a little less complicated, maybe.

As reported by Jenna Fryer if the Associate Press last week, NASCAR will adopt a brand new point system in 2011. The new point system will award 43 points to the winner and one less point for each position all the way to the 43rd-place finisher, who will receive one point.

The winner will receive three bonus points, and lap leaders will get one bonus point. NASCAR will award one more bonus point for the driver who leads the most laps.

There is also a slight tweak to the way NASCAR’s Chase for the Cup will be decided. The top ten drivers in points will automatically qualify, and then the next two drivers with the most wins will also get in. Those two “wild card” drivers must be in the top 20 in points.

The new points plan will be the same in each of the three NASCAR sanctioned series, but only the Sprint Cup will keep the Chase format, debuted in 2004.

Also, if weather cancels qualifying, the field will still be set by points, just as it is now. Jenna Fryer also reported that the qualifying order will now be based on practice speeds.