Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Stage Lengths for 2017 NASCAR Season Unveiled

By David Morgan, NASCAR Contributor

Ahead of the start of the 2017 NASCAR season next weekend at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR took the opportunity to unveil the stage lengths for not only the season openers for all three national series, but also for the remainder of the season.

The new format, which was unveiled with much pomp and circumstance last month in Charlotte is geared toward making the racing more exciting throughout each event in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

As a reminder, the new stage based racing format will go as follows:

  • Races will now consist of three stages, with championship implications in each stage.
  • The top-10 finishers of the first two stages will be awarded additional championship points.
  • The winner of the first two stages of each race will receive one playoff point, and the race winner will receive five playoff points. Each playoff point will be added to his or her reset total following race No. 26, if that competitor makes the playoffs.
  • All playoff points will carry through to the end of the third round of the playoffs (Round of 8), with the Championship 4 racing straight-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the title.
  • Championship points following the first two stages will be awarded on a descending scale, with the stage winner receiving 10 points, second receiving 9 points, and so on.
  • The race winner following the final stage will now receive 40 points, second-place will receive 35, third-place 34, fourth-place 33, and so on.

The stage lengths for each race were a careful calculation; taking fuel mileage and tire wear into account to determine the exact lap on which each stage would end.

“Every track is unique for its characteristics in length, surface and overall racing conditions,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. “We worked closely with race teams on expected fuel and tire runs over the entirety of an event when considering stage lengths. And in the end, stage lengths were decided based upon what would provide the best race for fans.”

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Track Stage 1 Stage 2 Final Stage
(ends on lap) (ends on lap) (ends on lap)
Daytona International Speedway 60 120 200
Atlanta Motor Speedway 85 170 325
Las Vegas Motor Speedway 80 160 267
Phoenix International Raceway 75 150 312
Auto Club Speedway 60 120 200
Martinsville Speedway 130 260 500
Texas Motor Speedway 85 170 334
Bristol Motor Speedway 125 250 500
Richmond International Raceway 100 200 400
Talladega Superspeedway 55 110 188
Kansas Speedway 80 160 267
Charlotte Motor Speedway 115 230 400
Dover International Speedway 120 240 400
Pocono Raceway 50 100 160
Michigan International Raceway 60 120 200
Sonoma Raceway 25 50 110
Daytona International Speedway 40 80 160
Kentucky Speedway 80 160 267
New Hampshire Motor Speedway 75 150 301
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 50 100 160
Pocono Raceway 50 100 160
Watkins Glen International 20 40 90
Michigan International Raceway 60 120 200
Bristol Motor Speedway 125 250 500
Darlington Raceway 100 200 367
Richmond International Raceway 100 200 400
Chicagoland Speedway 80 160 267
New Hampshire Motor Speedway 75 150 300
Dover International Speedway 120 240 400
Charlotte Motor Speedway 90 180 334
Talladega Superspeedway 55 110 188
Kansas Speedway 80 160 267
Martinsville Speedway 130 260 500
Texas Motor Speedway 85 170 334
Phoenix International Raceway 75 150 312
Homestead-Miami Speedway 80 160 267
 

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Track Stage 1 Stage 2 Final Stage
(ends on lap) (ends on lap) (ends on lap)
Daytona International Speedway 30 60 120
Atlanta Motor Speedway 40 80 163
Las Vegas Motor Speedway 45 90 200
Phoenix International Raceway 60 120 200
Auto Club Speedway 35 70 150
Texas Motor Speedway 45 90 200
Bristol Motor Speedway 85 170 300
Richmond International Raceway 75 150 250
Talladega Superspeedway 25 50 113
Charlotte Motor Speedway 45 90 200
Dover International Speedway 60 120 200
Pocono Raceway 25 50 100
Michigan International Speedway 30 60 125
Iowa Speedway 60 120 250
Daytona International Speedway 30 60 100
Kentucky Speedway 45 90 200
New Hampshire Motor Speedway 45 90 200
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 25 50 100
Iowa Speedway 60 120 250
Watkins Glen International 20 40 82
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course 20 40 75
Bristol Motor Speedway 85 170 300
Road America 10 20 45
Darlington Raceway 45 90 147
Richmond International Raceway 75 150 250
Chicagoland Speedway 45 90 200
Kentucky Speedway 45 90 200
Dover International Speedway 60 120 200
Charlotte Motor Speedway 45 90 200
Kansas Speedway 45 90 200
Texas Motor Speedway 45 90 200
Phoenix International Raceway 60 120 200
Homestead-Miami Speedway 45 90 200
 

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Track Stage 1 Stage 2 Final Stage
(ends on lap) (ends on lap) (ends on lap)
Daytona International Speedway 20 40 100
Atlanta Motor Speedway 40 80 130
Martinsville Speedway 70 140 250
Kansas Speedway 40 80 167
Charlotte Motor Speedway 40 80 134
Dover International Speedway 45 90 200
Texas Motor Speedway 40 80 167
Gateway Motorsports Park 35 70 160
Iowa Speedway 60 120 200
Kentucky Speedway 35 70 150
Eldora Speedway 40 90 150
Pocono Raceway 15 30 60
Michigan International Speedway 30 60 100
Bristol Motor Speedway 55 110 200
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 20 40 64
Chicagoland Speedway 35 70 150
New Hampshire Motor Speedway 55 110 175
Las Vegas Motor Speedway 35 70 146
Talladega Superspeedway 20 40 94
Martinsville Speedway 50 100 200
Texas Motor Speedway 35 70 147
Phoenix International Raceway 40 80 150
Homestead-Miami Speedway 40 80 134

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David Morgan is the Associate Editor for Motorsports Tribune. A 2008 graduate from the University of Mississippi, David has followed NASCAR since the early 90’s and became hooked at an early age after attending his first race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1993. He has traveled across the country since 2012 to cover some of the most prestigious events both IndyCar and NASCAR have to offer, with an aim to only expand on that in the near future.

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