FORT WORTH, Texas – Texas Motor Speedway announced Thursday the stage lengths for the six NASCAR national series races that will be held at the world-renowned motorsports facility this season.
The enhanced competition format that will be implemented this season in all three NASCAR national series – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series – will divide every race into three stages with each carrying championship implications.
The new race format is expected to increase the sense of urgency, emphasize aggressive racing and strategy, and add drama with playoff points incentivizing drivers throughout. The first two stages will be identical in length and consist of 25 to 30 percent of the race laps based off fuel mileage reviews conducted by NASCAR. That second stage will conclude near the midpoint of each of those races.
For the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 (Sunday, April 9) and AAA Texas 500 (Sunday, Nov. 5):
Stage 1 – 85 laps (Laps 1-85)
Stage 2 – 85 laps (Laps 86-170)
Stage 3 – 164 laps (Laps 171-334)
For the XFINITY Series Cowboy 300 (Saturday, April 8) and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 (Saturday, Nov. 4):
Stage 1 – 45 laps (Laps 1-45)
Stage 2 – 45 laps (Laps 46-90)
Stage 3 – 110 laps (Laps 91-200)
For the Camping World Truck Series Rattlesnake 400 (Friday, June 9):
Stage 1 – 40 laps (Laps 1-40)
Stage 2 – 40 laps (Laps 41-80)
Stage 3 – 87 laps (Laps 81-167)
For the Camping World Truck Series Longhorn 350 (Friday, Nov. 3):
Stage 1 – 35 laps (Laps 1-35)
Stage 2 – 35 laps (Laps 36-70)
Stage 3 – 77 laps (Laps 71-147)
The top-10 finishers of the first two stages will be awarded additional championship points. The winners of the first two stages will receive one playoff point, and the race winner will receive five playoff points. Each playoff point will be added to the driver’s reset total following race No. 26, if that competitor makes the playoffs.
All playoff points will carry through to the end of the third round of the playoffs (Round of 8) that includes the AAA Texas 500, with the Championship 4 racing straight-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the title.
Championship points following the first two stages will be awarded on a descending scale, with the stage winner receiving 10 points, second receiving 9, etc. The race winner following the final stage will now receive 40 points, second place will receive 35, third place 34, fourth place 33, and so on down the finishing order.
Tickets for the 2017 Texas Motor Speedway season, including a BOGO (Buy One, Get One) offer starting at $69 for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, are available by visiting www.texasmotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 817.215.8500.
Story and photo courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations
