Food City 500

The more you know:

NASCAR Cup races are divided into stages, similar to how a hockey game might be broken up into periods. This adds an extra layer of strategy and excitement to the races. Here’s the breakdown:

• Number of Stages: Most races have three stages, though some longer races, like the Daytona 500, have four.

• Stage Length: The first two stages are typically around the same length, encompassing roughly 25% of the total race distance each. The final stage is the longest, making up the remaining 50% or so of the laps.

• Stage Endings: Stages conclude under caution (yellow flag). This means a stage can end a little earlier or later than the planned distance depending on when a caution comes out.

• Points Awarded: Drivers leading the field at the end of each stage earn points towards the season championship. Points are awarded to the top 10 finishers in each stage, with the winner getting the most points (usually 10) and decreasing down to 1 point for tenth place.

• Playoff Points: In addition to regular season points, the winner of each of the first two stages also gets one playoff point. These playoff points become crucial during the NASCAR playoffs to determine which drivers advance to the next round.

Overall, the stage system creates more opportunities for drivers to earn points throughout a race and keeps the competition intense from the very beginning. It also adds strategic elements, as drivers might choose to prioritize winning a stage for playoff points or focus on saving their car for a strong finish in the final stage.