Highlighting the changes for 2017 NASCAR season

Here are the four major aspects of what's going to be implemented:

Race format and points system

The most talked about item has been the way races themselves our run. After working tirelessly with current competitors, NASCAR came up with the following: Events for all three national divisions will be split up into three stages with points awarded to the top ten runners at the conclusion of the first and second stages. Stage 2 will also serve as the 'point of no return,' with each race not official until it reaches the end of the second segment. Each stage winner will be awarded 10 points, with each position lower earning one point less. And even more importantly than that, the winner of each stage will receive a single bonus point for the Playoffs. The race winner will receive 40 points (as well as Playoff bonus points), second will receive 35, and the scale will go down by one point with each position until 35th. Positions 36th - 40th will all receive a single point. Additionally, bonus points will no longer be handed out for leading laps. 

Damaged cars

In another move, NASCAR has put restrictions on damaged cars returning to the track. If a vehicle sustains damage and is taken to the garage, that driver will not be able to return to the competition. Teams are only allowed to make repairs on pit road and will have five minutes to do so (starting with the time the driver crosses the yellow line at pit entry to the time they cross the yellow line at pit exit). Teams will not be permitted to replace pieces of the damaged body with new panels. If a car or truck suffers a mechanical failure that is not related to an accident, they may return to the race after going behind the wall.

Playoff tweaks

NASCAR's ten-race postseason, which has been known as the 'Chase' since its inception in 2004, will simply be known as the Playoffs now. The knockout style format remains intact for the fourth consecutive season, but there are a couple more aspects of the updated points system that are worth noting. After being highly requested by fans and several stakeholders in the sport, NASCAR will offer an incentive for the regular season 'champion,' a title that has been good for nothing but bragging rights until now. The points leader at the conclusion of Race 26 will be granted 15 bonus points. Second through tenth in the championship standings will also earn some bonus points heading into the Playoffs. Most importantly, the bonus points will carry through to the end of the Round of 8, which will prove critical with how close things can get at the climax of each Playoff round.

Inspection

A new procedure for pre-race inspections will have crew chiefs on their toes in 2017. In the past, if a team fails a stage in pre-race inspection, they may attempt to go back through the stage of inspection they failed after working on the issue. Now, if a car fails any stage of inspection, it must go back through the entire pre-race inspection process. We saw several situations during the 2016 season where cars were pulled to the side on race morning and taken through a stage of inspection multiple times before getting it right.

Traveling safety team

In a universally applauded move, NASCAR will finally have its own traveling safety team in 2017. Although not a competition change, it is certainly something worth mentioning. NASCAR has partnered with the American Medical Response (AMR). During each event, a state-licensed doctor and paramedic will be on call in chase vehicles in order to provide immediate response in case of an accident. Additionally, local emergency room physicians and personnel will continue to interface with neighboring medical facilities from each of the Infield Care Centers on the circuit. 

Reaction

A number of current and former drivers took to social media to comment on the changes, which NASCAR has referred to as race enhancements. Although fan reaction was mixed with some hesitant to embrace the change, the response from drivers and teams was mostly positive, including 'The King' himself.

Richard Petty: "Since NASCAR started, there has always been change. The world changes and you have to change with it. This new format just adapts to the current and next generation of fans. It's something to help create more excitement during the races. You have to put on a good race, a good show where people want to watch at home and enjoy coming to the track. Having two additional winning moments is a good step in that direction to keep the drivers competitive and fans excited throughout the race and season.

"As an owner, I'm fine with it. I have the same rules as everyone else. That's fair. We just have to figure out how to be the best under this format."