Points system to stay
NASCAR has decided to stick with its controversial '10-driver play-off' points scoring system for this season, after it helped the series to its closest ever finish last year

The new format introduced in 2004 saw the top 10 drivers plus those within a certain margin of the leader fight it out for championship glory over the final 10 rounds of the series. It helped ensure that five drivers went into the series finale at Homestead gunning for the title, with Kurt Busch eventually beating Jimmie Johnson by just eight points.
Speaking on the first day of the NASCAR Nextel Media Tour, NASCAR chairman Brian France confirmed the series would stick with the scheme for this year - although he refused to rule out the possibility of it changing for 2006.
"We're set for 2005," said France. "We feel like we've got a pretty good system. On balance we're happy with where we're at. Any adjustments, if needed, will be made in 2006."
Although only 10 drivers actually made the cut last year, NASCAR has decided against expanding the 400 points margin - and NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter believes that will prompt a change of approach from some of the series' stars.
''I think you'll see a lot of drivers approaching it differently after seeing how it worked last year,'' said Hunter. ''Last year there seemed to be a sense among some drivers that they'd really turn it on when they got close to those final 10 races - and a lot of them didn't make it.
"Now they realise that they have to turn it on right out of the gate. The field may not be set until September, but everybody understands that the Chase for the Championship starts next month at Daytona.''
Latest news
Supercars teams alter Gen3 testing plans; DJR, MSR call off Queensland test
There have been more postponements to teams Gen3 testing with both Dick Johnson Racing and Matt Stone Racing calling off Thursday running.
Ranking Lewis Hamilton's 10 F1 seasons with Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton’s decade at Mercedes has been one of remarkable success not seen before in Formula 1.
Dennis singles out Jaguar as Porsche's biggest Formula E threat
Jake Dennis says Porsche cannot let off its development of its Gen3 Formula E powertrain, and singled out Jaguar as a threat to the German manufacturer in the coming rounds.
Verstappen buoyed by new handling characteristics of 2023 F1 tyres
Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen is hopeful the new Pirelli tyres will help further dial out the inherent understeer of the current generation of cars.
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
Saddled with uncompetitive Minardi machinery, Tarso Marques didn't manage to score points in his three partial seasons of Formula 1. But now the Brazilian has the chance to show what he can do in NASCAR, and explains the story of his comeback with new Cup Series entrant Team Stange
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
NASCAR’s new stock car generation is encouraging an influx of fresh blood into its top tier. But there are concerns that parts are in short supply as the entire paddock tries to build up stocks at the same time
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
After holding his nerve and hip-checking his team-mate on the run to the line, Austin Cindric made a perfect start to life as a full-timer in the NASCAR Cup Series by winning the Daytona 500. Here's how the Penske Ford man emerged first across the line in the first points-scoring race for the much-anticipated Next Generation cars
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
There are plenty of uncertainties ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season as an all-new fleet of cars take to the track for the first time. Ahead of this weekend's Daytona 500, our experts explain what you need to know
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival
The NASCAR Cup kicks off with the Daytona 500 this weekend, but a major overhaul and a subsequent mountain of work has been required to be ready for the arrival of the Next Gen cars
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
From villain to hero, Kyle Larson’s journey to the 2021 NASCAR Cup title comes straight from the Hollywood blockbuster scripts. While Larson had to reach his lifelong goal the hard way and go through a very public shaming after a ban for using a racial slur, his talents shone long before his name grabbed the headlines for both the right and the wrong reasons
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
It’s not just Formula 1 that’s set for upheaval in 2022, as the NASCAR Cup Series adopts its Next Gen cars that will cast any in-built advantages aside and require teams to adopt a totally new way of operating. Far more than just a change of machinery, the new cars amount to a shift in NASCAR's core philosophy
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Bubba Wallace claimed his maiden NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega on Monday to become the first Black victor in the category since Wendell Scott in 1963. Both Wallace and Scott had faced obstacles and racism in their paths to their breakthrough wins, and NASCAR is trying to put it right with its range of diversity programmes
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.