NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Point System

NOTE: The points and awards pages will be updated as soon as the 2004 NASCAR Preview and Press Guide is issued in early February.

The NASCAR Winston Cup Series has used several point systems since it's inception in 1949.  NASCAR designed the current system, which has been in place since the 1975 season.  It has built-in incentives that reward teams for leading races and finishing near the front.  The system also rewards consistency throughout the season by awarding points to every competitor in each race and awarding the same number of points at each event -- regardless of it's length or venue.

Finishing Positions

Given the fierce competition within the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the number of teams capable of winning on any given weekend, a finish in the top five or top 10 is regarded as an admirable effort.  Therefore, top-five finishers are rewarded with a five-point separation between themselves and the next-highest finisher.  Positions six through 10 are awarded a four-point separation.  Three points separate each finishing position from 11th through the end of the field, regardless of the number of starters.

Rewarding the top-five and top-10 finishers in this manner promotes performance and consistency.  The system also rewards those who qualify at each event by awarding points to all competitors in every race and by awarding the same number of points at each event -- whether it's 500 miles on a superspeedway like Daytona or 400 laps on a short track like Richmond.

Bonus Points

The only way a driver can receive bonus points is to lead a race.  Five points are awarded to any driver who leads at least one lap.  An additional five points are awarded to the driver who leads the most laps during each event.

Bonus points are an important part of the system because they give value to leading a race at any time.  That creates good, hard racing throughout the event.  The extra bonus for leading the most laps improves the race in two ways: It's an incentive to stay in the lead, even in the early or middle stages of the race, and it rewards those drivers who race hard all day but fail to finish due to an accident or mechanical problem.

Relief Drivers

NASCAR Winston Cup points are awarded to the starting driver of each car, regardless of who is driving at the finish.  The starting driver must take the green flag and complete at least one lap before turning the car over to a relief driver.

Any qualified NASCAR Winston Cup driver may drive in relief.  In some cases, a driver without a scheduled ride for a particular race may make practice laps in anticipation of driving in relief for someone during the race.  Other times, a starter who has fallen out of an event will make themselves available to take over another car if needed.

Tie Breakers

In cases in which two or more drivers finish the season with the same number of points, the number of wins during the season is used to break the tie.  Successive tie breakers are the number of second- place finishes, third-place finishes, and so on until the tie is broken.

Owner Points

Owner points are distributed in the same manner as driver points except that the owner receives points based on the performance of the car, regardless of who drives it.  For example, the owner of a winning car would receive 175 points for the first-place finish and five bonus points for leading at least one lap for a total of 180 points.  If that particular car happened to lead the most laps during the race, an additional five bonus points would be awarded, and the owner would receive 185 points.

Owner point standings are used to determine starting lineups when qualifying is canceled, starting positions when identical qualifying times are posted, preference for provisional starting spots and the distribution of NASCAR plan money such as the "Winner's Circle."

(Reproduced from the 2003 Official NASCAR Preview and Press Guide, pg 92)