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.”
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).
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.
