Chase System Coming to XFINITY and Truck Series

After months of speculation, there will be a Chase system for all the national series.

Starting this season, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will decide their champion with a modified Chase format that mirrors the current model in the Sprint Cup Series.

The XFINITY Series will consist of 12 drivers, seven races and three rounds. It will begin with the Round of 12  in the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Four drivers will be eliminated when the checkered flag flies on the Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Eight drivers continue on in the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. The championship four drivers will be decided at Phoenix International Raceway.

The Camping World Truck Series will begin their Chase at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the Round of Eight. The cutoff race will be Talladega Superspeedway where two drivers will be eliminated. The Round of Six cutoff will be Phoenix International Raceway.

Sprint Cup Series drivers who made the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup will be ineligible to race in the championship race of either the XFINITYor Truck Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Speaking before the NASCAR media corp at the 2016 Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said that he believed “it’s important that they (drivers in the XFINITY and Truck Series) understand how difficult it’s going to be when they get to the next level. Certainly, it makes it more exciting for our fans. Fans love elimination style and emphasis on wins. I think for the drivers, I think it’s important to get conditioned to what it’s going to take … to handle the next level.”

Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media
Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media

The Dash 4 Cash has also been revamped. The lineup for the four races – Bristol, Richmond, Dover and Indianapolis – will be set by heat races (basically, like the Can-Am Duel’s at Daytona). Those who qualify in odd-numbered positions will race in the first heat race. Those who qualified in even-numbered positions will race in the second heat race. These set the starting lineup for the main race (the points race). The top-two finishers in both heat races will race for the Dash 4 Cash in that race. The highest finisher of those four wins the Dash 4 Cash event. Winning two of these is equivalent to one regular season win (minus the bonus points).

Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media
Photo: NASCAR News PR/Media

The Camping World Truck Series will utilize caution clocks for the 2016 season. If the race stays green for exactly 20 minutes, the caution will automatically fly. The time is reset to 20 when the race is put back under green. If a caution should come out before the 20 minutes are up, the time is reset back to 20. When the race gets to 20 laps to go, the caution clock is turned off and won’t be used for the remainder of the event. The caution clock won’t be used at Eldora and will be turned off with 10 laps to go at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Pocono Raceway.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpeedwayMedia.com

Tucker White
Tucker White
I've followed NASCAR for well over 20 years of my life, both as a fan and now as a member of the media. As of 2024, I'm on my ninth season as a traveling NASCAR beat writer. For all its flaws and dumb moments, NASCAR at its best produces some of the best action you'll ever see in the sport of auto racing. Case in point: Kyle Larson's threading the needle pass at Darlington Raceway on May 9, 2021. On used-up tires, racing on a worn surface and an aero package that put his car on the razor's edge of control, Larson demonstrated why he's a generational talent. Those are the stories I want to capture and break down. In addition to NASCAR, I also follow IndyCar and Formula 1. As a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, I'm a diehard Tennessee Volunteers fan (especially in regards to Tennessee football). If covering NASCAR doesn't kill me, down the road, watching Tennessee football will. I'm also a diehard fan of the Atlanta Braves, and I lived long enough to see them win a World Series for the first time since 1995 (when I was just a year old). I've also sworn my fan allegiance to the Nashville Predators, though that's not paid out as much as the Braves. Furthermore, as a massive sports dork, I follow the NFL on a weekly basis. Though it's more out of an obligation than genuine passion (for sports dorks, following the NFL is basically an unwritten rule). Outside of sports, I'm a major cinema buff and a weeb. My favorite film is "Blazing Saddles" and my favorite anime is "Black Lagoon."

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