CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 26 (UPI) -- NASCAR chief Brian France said Wednesday the Sprint Cup scoring system would be simplified and that changes would be made in the season-ending title chase.
The 36-race Sprint Cup season begins with the Daytona 500 on Feb. 20, and France said the new system would award points in one-point increments.
There are 43 cars in each race and the winner will receive 43 points. The runner-up will receive 42 points and a similar method will be used all the way through last place, which will be awarded one point.
In addition, the race winner will receive three bonus points. One bonus point also will be awarded to every driver who leads at least one lap, and another bonus point will go to the leader of the most laps.
The 10-race chase for the championship will still consist of 12 drivers, but the final two qualifiers will be determined in a new way.
Prior to this year, the Top 12 points earners qualified for the chase. Now the 11th and 12th spots will be "wild cards" and will go to the drivers outside the Top 10 with the most victories.
