Jayski's® Silly Season Site - The Chase for the Sprint Cup

NASCAR Points System
Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship
2008 Rules/News

The Ten 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup Races

September 14 - New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 1.058 miles [#16-Biffle won]
September 21 - Dover International Speedway, 1 mile [#16-Biffle]
September 28 - Kansas Speedway, 1.5 miles [#48-Johnson]
October 5 - Talladega Superspeedway, 2.66 miles [#20-Stewart]
October 11 - Lowe's Motor Speedway, 1.5 miles [#31-Burton]
October 19 - Martinsville Speedway, .526 mile [#48-Johnson]
October 26 - Atlanta Motor Speedway, 1.54 miles [#99-Edwards]
November 2 - Texas Motor Speedway, 1.5 miles [#99-Edwards]
November 9 - Phoenix International Raceway, 1 mile [#48-Johnson]
November 16 - Homestead-Miami Speedway, 1.5 miles

for full schedule see my 2008 Sprint Cup Schedule Page

Go to the Original Points Change in 2004 announcement/News page

Go to the Format Change in 2007 announcement/News page

see CLASSIC standings [the old system] below, click here

see how the CHASE would had worked from 1975-2003, click here

2008 CHASE STATS by JAYSKI
after each race...
8) Phoenix
9) Talladega
10) Richmond
11) Darlington
12) Charlotte
13) Dover
14) Pocono
15) Michigan
16) Sonoma
17) New Hampshire
18) Daytona
19) Chicago
21) Pocono
22) Watkins Glen
23) Michigan
24) Bristol
25) California
26) Richmond
27) New Hampshire
28) Dover
29) Kansas
30) Talladega
31) Charlotte
32) Martinsville
33) Atlanta
34) Texas

DRIVERS WHO MADE THE CHASE 2004-2008

Jimmie Johnson, 5 [2004,2005,2006,2007,2008]
Matt Kenseth, 5 [2004,2005,2006,2007,2008]

Jeff Gordon, 4 [2004,2006,2007,2008]
Tony Stewart, 4 [2004,2005,2007,2008]

Jeff Burton, 3 [2006,20072008]
Kurt Busch, 3 [2004,2005,2007](for 2 different teams)
Kyle Busch, 3 [2006,2007,2008](for 2 different teams)
Dale Earnhardt Jr., 3 [2004,2006,2008](for 2 different teams)
Carl Edwards, 3 [2005,2007,2008]
Denny Hamlin, 3 [2006,2007,2008]
Kevin Harvick, 3 [2006,2007,2008]
Mark Martin, 3 [2004,2005,2006], part-time 2007,2008

Greg Biffle, 2 [2005,2008]
Clint Bowyer, 2 [2007,2008]
Jeremy Mayfield, 2 [2004,2005], part time 2008
Ryan Newman, 2 [2004,2005]

Kasey Kahne, 1 [2006]
Martin Truex Jr. 1 [2007]
Elliott Sadler, 1 [2004]
Rusty Wallace, 1 [2005] retired

Won Championship, year BOLD

ALL TIME CHASE WINS 2004-2008

Non-Chase Drivers [for that season] who have won during the Chase:

NEWS/NOTES/RULES

The 2008 Chase Lineup: The field for the Chase for the Sprint Cup is set, and 12 drivers will compete in the final 10 races to determine the champion of NASCAR's elite series:
UNOFFICIAL Chase Drivers Points Standings [after Richmond race 26 of 36]:
1) #18-Kyle Busch 5080 [8 wins x 10 bonus pts]
2) #99-Carl Edwards 5050 [6 wins, 5 wins x 10 pts = 50pts*]
3) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5040 [4 wins]
4) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5010 [1 win, 2nd, 3rd, 3-4ths]
5) #07-Clint Bowyer 5010 [1 win, 2nd, 3rd, 4th]
6) #11-Denny Hamlin 5010 [1 win, 7-3rds]
7) #31-Jeff Burton 5010 [1 win, 1-3rd]
8) #20-Tony Stewart 5000 [3-2nds]
9) #16-Greg Biffle 5000 [2-2nds]
10) #24-Jeff Gordon 5000 [1-2nd, 3-3rds]
11) #29-Kevin Harvick 5000 [1-2nd, 1-3rd]
12) #17-Matt Kenseth 5000 [2-3rds]
* lost the bonus for win at Las Vegas due to penalty
• To start the Chase, all 12 drivers have their point totals reset to 5,000.
• After the reset, Chase drivers get 10 bonus points for each victory thus far this season.
• Those new totals produce the Chase seedings.
• For drivers starting the Chase with identical point totals, their seedings are determined by the traditional tiebreaker of best finishes beyond race victories.(9-7-2008)
Ancient Chaseology, seasons before 2004 and the Chase: Way back in 1975, NASCAR decided to change its points system, using an idea jotted down on a cocktail napkin at the Boot Hill Saloon in Daytona Beach, Fla. Pretty humble beginnings, no? What if the Chase had become a part of NASCAR back in 1975? How would history have changed with a Chase back then? Drivers probably would have driven differently, which would have led to changed results and altered points championships during the years covered here. But let's play the "what if?" game and take the historical results and translate them into the current Chase system.
See the following articles for each:
same champs in 1975-1979, but in 1980-1984, 3 of the 5 would have had different champions, none for Earnhardt, 3 for DW and Gant would had won one; in 1985-1989 all five chase's produce the same champ as the regular system did.
Whew, some shake ups in the 1990-1994 chases, Earnhardt, who won 4 championships in the classic points, Earnhardt would had won only two Chase in that span and Kulwicki would not had won his championship with Kyle Petty winning in 92, Gant in 1991 and Rusty Wallace in 1993.
in the 1995-1999 block, Earnhardt would had won in 1995 instead of Gordon, but Gordon would had won in 1996 instead of Terry Labonte, in 1997 Jarrett would had took it and not Gordon, Gordon in 1998 and Bobby Labonte would had won in 1999 not Jarrett, so only Gordon in 1998 would had been the same.
and in the final block 2000-2003: Bobby Labonte still wins in 2000, Marlin beats out Gordon in 2001, Kurt Busch in 2002 instead of Stewart and in 2003 Johnson would had gotten his first championship, Kenseth, who won using the old system that year, would had been 8th in the 2003 chase. Here are the links to each block, with standings and info:
Ancient Chaseology: 1975-1979
Ancient Chaseology: 1980-1984
Ancient Chaseology: 1985-1989
Ancient Chaseology: 1990-1994
Ancient Chaseology: 1995-1999
Ancient Chaseology: 2000-2003
as Matthew Willis will calculate all the seasons 1974 thru 2003.(9-9/13-2008) Comment here
Clinch Scenarios at California: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #48-Jimmie Johnson and #31-Jeff Burton control their own Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup destiny this weekend. With certain Auto Club Speedway finishes – outlined below – they will join #18-Kyle Busch and #99-Carl Edwards, who have already secured spots in the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup. To clinch a Chase spot, a driver needs to leave Auto Club Speedway with a 196-point lead over 13th place.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is currently 350 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, Earnhardt will clinch if he finishes:
• 40th or better
• 41st or 42nd and leads at least one lap
Jimmie Johnson is currently 348 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, Johnson will clinch if he finishes:
• 40th or better
• 41st and leads at least one lap
Jeff Burton is 274 points ahead of 13th place. Regardless of any other driver’s finish, Burton will clinch if he finishes:
• 15th or better
• 16th or 17th and leads at least one lap
• 20th and leads the most laps
Six other drivers can clinch this weekend as well, but do not control their own destiny. Unlike Johnson, Earnhardt and Burton, all six must increase their current points lead over 13th place in Sunday’s race. Below are those drivers who can mathematically reach the 196-point margin over 13th position this weekend:
#20-Tony Stewart: Is 170 points ahead of 13th place and needs to pad his lead by 26 points.
#16-Greg Biffle: Is 141 points ahead of 13th place and needs to pad his lead by 55 points.
#29-Kevin Harvick: Is 129 points ahead of 13th place and needs to pad his lead by 67 points.
#24-Jeff Gordon: Is 108 points ahead of 13th place and needs to pad his lead by 88 points.
#17-Matt Kenseth: Is 78 points ahead of 13th place and needs to pad his lead by 118 points.
#11-Denny Hamlin: Is 57 points ahead of 13th place and needs to pad his lead by 139 points.
#07-Clint Bowyer, currently 12th in the series standings, cannot clinch a Chase position at Auto Club Speedway under any scenario, assuming #6-David Ragan starts Sunday’s race.(NASCAR PR)(8-26-2008) Comment here
NASCAR may give "regular-season" bonus in the future: NASCAR is considering creating a reward for the winner of the "regular season" in response to the huge points lead Jeff Gordon built before the Chase for the championship. NASCAR chairman Brian France said earlier this week he is willing to explore the idea of rewarding the driver who is leading the points at the end of the 26th race of the season. Gordon built a lead of more than 300 points, but lost all of it when the field was reset this week for the Chase for the championship. NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Friday that the sanctioning body will discuss the issue during the off season. Among the ideas being kicked around are awarding additional bonus points to be used in the seeding, more prize money or a trophy different from the Nextel Cup.(Associated Press/Yahoo Sports)(9-15-2007)
OWNERS: The Owners championship takes the same format as the drivers championship. Owners have their own Chase, so if a team uses more then one driver and is in the Top 12 after 26 races, that TEAM [not driver] would run for the Chase for the owners championship. The drivers would NOT. This means a driver in the Chase would have a team that is NOT in the chase.
Chase Races to remain the same in 2008: NASCAR President Mike Helton said the 10 races for next year's Chase should be the same as this year. "It's still a work in progress, but so far at least we don't see anything different in the Chase part of the season," Helton said Friday of next year's schedule. We're not quite through yet, but I don't suspect any changes to come up in that part of the schedule." The 10 Chase races this season are New Hampshire, Dover, Kansas, Talladega, Charlotte, Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.(Roanoke Times)(7-7-2007)
NASCAR Announces Adjustments to ‘Chase’ Format and Points System:
Race victories became more important than ever starting in 2007 as a result of adjustments to the points system and the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format announced late in 2006 by NASCAR. The adjustments are designed to establish more balance between winning and consistency, but there is a new emphasis on the former. “The adjustments taken today put a greater emphasis on winning races,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Winning is what this sport is all about. Nobody likes to see drivers content to finish in the top 10. We want our sport – especially during the Chase – to be more about winning.”

Chase Adjustments:

The Chase – consisting of the season’s last 10 races – will further reflect the importance of racing to win, via a variety of adjustments.

> During the format’s first three years [2004-2006], the top 10 drivers in points after the 26th race of the season (currently Richmond International Raceway) qualified for the Chase; in addition, any other driver outside the top 10 but within 400 points of the standings’ leader was also eligible.
Starting in the 2007 season, the 400-point cut-off is eliminated.

Also, after Race 26, the top 12 drivers in the points will qualify for the Chase.

> All 12 drivers will have their point totals re-set to 5,000; each will then receive a 10-point bonus for each race victory they had during the first 26 races.

> The Chase drivers will be “seeded” to start the Chase based on the number of wins amassed during the regular season.
Points adjustment: In line with the Chase adjustments, wins throughout the season will be more valuable.

> Race winners throughout the 36-race season receive 185 points, a five-point increase. Counting the five-point bonuses available for leading at least one lap and leading the most laps, a race winner can earn a maximum of 195 points, creating a possible maximum of 25 points between first- and second-place finishers.

How does the Nextel Cup award points to drivers and owners?
Each driver who competes in a Cup race is awarded points in the following manner: starting at 175 points, dropping 5 points from spots 1-6, 4 points from 7-11 and 3 points from 12th and lower. 43rd is worth 34 points. Bonus points are giving to any driver who leads a lap and to the driver that leads the most laps is awarded an additional 5 bonus points (in a case of a tie, both drivers get the extra points). Owners are awarded points in the same manner, PLUS they get points for attempting a race, where as drivers do not. All teams who pass inspection and fail to make the race get owner points that descend in the order of quickest non-qualifier to the slowest. Those teams earn the position/points immediately below the last car in the field. So if a team misses the race but was the fastest non qualifier the owners would get 31 points and an other drivers would follow the 3 point drop scale, down to a minimum of 1 point. See chart

HOW SPRINT CUP POINTS ARE AWARDED

NOTE: Driver Leads a Lap (under Green or Yellow Flag) gets 5 Bonus Points
Driver who leads the most laps gets 5 Bonus Points
1975-2003: Winning driver got 175 points
2004-2006: Winning driver got 180 points instead of 175
2007-current: Winning driver gets 185 points instead of 180

Finishing Spot	Points
1	185
2	170
3	165
4	160
5	155
6	150
7	146
8	142
9	138
10	134
11	130
12	127
13	124
14	121
15	118
16	115
17	112
18	109
19	106
20	103
21	100
22	97
23	94
24	91
25	88
26	85
27	82
28	79
29	76
30	73
31	70
32	67
33	64
34	61
35	58
36	55
37	52
38	49
39	46
40	43
41	40
42	37
43	34
44	31
45	28
46	25
47	22
48	19
49	16
50	13
51	10
52	7
53	4
54	1

The driver who STARTs the race gets the points and the finishing position credit.
Spots 44 thru infinety are used to award Owners Points
to those teams who do not make a race. After 54, teams get 1 point
...drivers get NO points for an attempt

more 2006/2007 News/Rumors

see my 2007 Chase page for past news and the changes impelmented after the firstt 3 year system

see my 2004 Chase page for the initial reports and changes, introducing the Chase.

CLASSIC POINTS FINISHES 2004-2007

"Classic" 2008 Points Standings...the old way, not the Chase after Homestead:
(Traditional Points...the old way, not the Chase)
1) #99-Carl Edwards 5236 [9 wins]
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5220 -16 [7 wins] CHASE CHAMP
3) #18-Kyle Busch 4984 -252 [8 wins]
4) #16-Greg Biffle 4747 -489 [2 wins]
5) #31-Jeff Burton 4709 -527 [2 wins]
6) #29-Kevin Harvick 4691 -545
7) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4605 -631 [1 win]
8) #24-Jeff Gordon 4537 - 699
9) #20-Tony Stewart 4487 -749 [1 win]
10) #07-Clint Bowyer 4487 - 749 [1 win]
11) #11-Denny Hamlin 4439 -797 [1 win]
12) #17-Matt Kenseth 4316 -920
13) #6-David Ragan 4299 -937
14) #9-Kasey Kahne 4085 -1151 [2 wins]
(11-16-2008)
"Classic" 2007 Points Standings...the old way, not the Chase after Homestead:
(Traditional Points...the old way, not the Chase)
1) #24-Jeff Gordon 5455
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5102, -353 CHASE CHAMP
3) #20-Tony Stewart 4749
4) #17-Matt Kenseth 4718
5) #11-Denny Hamlin 4623
6) #5-Kyle Busch 4585
7) #99-Carl Edwards 4574
8) #07-Clint Bowyer 4556
9) #31-Jeff Burton 4549
10) #2-Kurt Busch 4371
11) #29-Kevin Harvick 4344
12) #1-Martin Truex Jr. 4314
13) #12-Ryan Newman 4046
14) #16-Greg Biffle 3991
15) #25-Casey Mears 3949
16) #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3929
(11-18-2007)
"Classic" 2006 Points Standings...the old way, not the Chase after Homestead:
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5158 CHASE CHAMP
2) #17-Matt Kenseth, 5154, -4
3) #29-Kevin Harvick, 4838, -320
4) #20-Tony Stewart, 4727, -431
5) #11-Denny Hamlin, 4725, -433
6) #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 4641, -517
7) #24-Jeff Gordon, 4567, -591
8) #31-Jeff Burton, 4535, -623
9) #9-Kasey Kahne, 4497, -661
10) #6-Mark Martin, 4484, -674
11) #99-Carl Edwards, 4428, -730
12) #5-Kyle Busch, 4416, -742
13) #16-Greg Biffle, 4075, -1083
(11-19-2006)
"Classic" Points Standings - Top 15...the old way, not the Chase after Homestead, race 36 of 36:
1) #20-Tony Stewart, 5199 CHASE CHAMP
2) #16-Greg Biffle, 4984, -215
3) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 4771, -428
4) #6-Mark Martin, 4676, -523
5) #99-Carl Edwards, 4597, -602
6) #2-Rusty Wallace, 4512, -687
7) #17-Matt Kenseth, 4451, -748
8) #12-Ryan Newman, 4409, -790
9) #19-Jeremy Mayfield, 4281, -918
10) #97-Kurt Busch, 4248, -951
11) #24-Jeff Gordon, 4174, -1025
12) #42-Jamie McMurray, 4130, -1069
13) #38-Elliott Sadler, 4084, -1115
14) #29-Kevin Harvick, 4072, -1127
15) #88-Dale Jarrett, 3960, -1239
(11-20-2005)
"Classic" 2004 Points Standings...the old way, not the Chase after Homestead:
1) #24-Jeff Gordon 5042
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 4995 -47
3) #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4869 -173
4) #97-Kurt Busch 4795 -247 CHASE CHAMP
5) #20-Tony Stewart 4701 -341
6) #6-Mark Martin 4597 -445
7) #42-Jamie McMurray 4597 -445
8) #17-Matt Kenseth 4376 -666
9) #12-Ryan Newman 4361 -681
10) #38-Elliott Sadler 4315 -727
11) #18-Bobby Labonte 4277 -765
12) #9-Kasey Kahne* 4274 -768
13) #29-Kevin Harvick 4228 -814
14) #88-Dale Jarrett 4214 -828
(11-21-2004)

IF THE CHASE WERE from 1975-2003?

Chase Champs 1975-2003:

Year	Champ	Chase Champ
1975	Richard Petty(6)	Richard Petty(6)
1976	Cale Yarborough	Cale Yarborough
1977	Cale Yarborough(2)	Cale Yarborough(2)
1978	Cale Yarborough(3)	Cale Yarborough(3)
1979	Richard Petty(7)	Richard Petty(7)
1980	Dale Earnhardt	Cale Yarborough(4)
1981	Darrell Waltrip	Darrell Waltrip
1982	Darrell Waltrip(2)	Darrell Waltrip(2)
1983	Bobby Allison	Darrell Waltrip(3)
1984	Terry Labonte	Harry Gant
1985	Darrell Waltrip(3)	Darrell Waltrip(4)
1986	Dale Earnhardt(2)	Dale Earnhardt
1987	Dale Earnhardt(3)	Dale Earnhardt(2)
1988	Bill Elliott	Bill Elliott
1989	Rusty Wallace	Rusty Wallace
1990	Dale Earnhardt(4)	Dale Earnhardt(3)
1991	Dale Earnhardt(5)	Harry Gant(2)
1992	Alan Kulwicki	Kyle Petty
1993	Dale Earnhardt(6)	Rusty Wallace(2)
1994	Dale Earnhardt(7)	Dale Earnhardt(4)
1995	Jeff Gordon	Dale Earnhardt(5)
1996	Terry Labonte(2)	Jeff Gordon
1997	Jeff Gordon(2)	Dale Jarrett
1998	Jeff Gordon(3)	Jeff Gordon(2)
1999	Dale Jarrett	Bobby Labonte
2000	Bobby Labonte	Bobby Labonte(2)
2001	Jeff Gordon(4)	Sterling Marlin
2002	Tony Stewart	Kurt Busch
2003	Matt Kenseth	Jimmie Johnson
Year	Classic Points	Champ
2004	Jeff Gordon(5)	Kurt Busch(2)
2005	Tony Stewart(2)	Tony Stewart
2006	Jimmie Johnson	Jimmie Johnson(2)
2007	Jeff Gordon(6)	Jimmie Johnson(3)
2008	Carl Edwards	Jimmie Johnson(4)

Chase 2007, When the rules changed
Chase 2004-2006, The Original Rules and News
Past NASCAR News
Jayski's Silly Season Site Sprint Cup News Page
Jayski's Silly Season Site Main Page

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