When NASCAR dropped the biggest bomb since introducing the Chase and announced a radical format change in 2017, most fans were unpleasant. This is strange considering that these changes were not that hard to predict, because let’s face it – the industry was bound to change soon.
While years back NASCAR might have been traditionally rooted in the auto industry, it now attracts fans from all walks of life. Even its sponsors come from any corner of the spectrum, from diaper producers like Depends to gambling providers.
So, instead of crying over spilled milk, it’s better to weigh in the pros and cons and understand exactly what the new format will bring to the table. With that in mind, here’s a brief insight into the two most important adjustments.
The Points Changes
One of the biggest changes NASCAR introduced was making the “playoff points”, i.e. the bonus point for race and segment wins, transferable throughout the Chase. These points are now applied to the title-deciding rounds when the standings are reset, giving drivers a buffer zone against getting kicked out early in the event of flukes.
On the other hand, the introduction of the segment points can also be said to complicate things further, as now fans would have to stay on track with three-point schemes for the season, the playoffs, and the race, all at once. Now, seasoned NASCAR fans might not be bugged by the extra points, but any rookies struggling with stats will surely get frustrated with staying on top of the point structure.
But overall, the new scoring format is mostly beneficial to the drivers. Unlike the majority of popular sports, where points are accumulated right down to the very end of a championship, NASCAR has thus far lacked the incentive provided by every accomplishment adding to your chance for the title.
The Segments
The second major change we saw was that all cup races will now be divided into stages. The division was justified by NASCAR as a clearly needed adjustment, since everyone, from the racers to the fans watching, would benefit from a break. The new format also made NASCAR closer to other popular sports, but was it really something we needed?
In a nutshell, the introduction of breaks is nothing more but a preparation for the future of NASCAR. With more and more studies confirming that our attention spans are getting shorter thanks to modern technology, segment racing is not that illogical a move. This way, you get a format that will not be too overwhelming to the future generations of NASCAR fans.
The Bottom Line
In short, all great sports don’t stick with their tradition, no matter what, and evolve with time, and NASCAR shouldn’t be any different. Once the dust of all the fan jokes and criticism clears, we’ll end up with a sport that’s fit to stand the test of modern times. After all, these changes were carefully planned to meet the demands of both the industry and the fan base who has sought them for a while.
I have watched Nascar forever, continually have seen it downgraded. The cars, what are they? Now this stage BS, I’m also an Indy car fan, wife will be happy I will no longer glued to the TV watching “stock cars”
I agree with Todd. I tune in to watch a RACE not a segment of a race. Ridiculous! I won’t be watching Nascar. I’ve never been to a race where they allow participants to “pause”, several times to catch their breath. I am completely disappointed!
Nascar stages are ridiculous…just race already. If you want to get fans excited about nascar make the cars like they used to be instead of all 3 manufacturers set up identical, get rid of the “chase” and let them just race start to finish every week
At the end of the season the most consistent driver wins the championship. It worked for Earnhardt, Waltrip, Petty, and so many more…people used to actually get excited about racing. Now it’s boring and tedious.