[h=2]CRANDALL: NASCAR's call to action[/h] Tuesday, 24 January 2017


Kelly Crandall / Images by LAT

Bravo, NASCAR.
While Monday's announcement of its new race formats seemed very convoluted, there should be optimism for how the changes will play out. The sanctioning body listened to fans, drivers, owners, and others who raised the concern that races did not have constant action and used that input to create what will be known as stage races.
In other words, buckle up because here comes that missing action.
By implementing a three-stage race, NASCAR has ensured fans of a few things. First, is knowing when the caution is coming, as there will be a designated lap the stage ends. What this does is effectively eliminate the much-despised debris caution, and rids the Camping World Truck Series of the caution clock. Something this writer was against from the beginning, as it seemed unnatural and disrupted the flow of racing.
However, a stage race gives drivers something to race toward, since finishing in the top 10 in the first two stages awards points. Plus, the winner of stage earns a point toward the playoffs. It means that while winning remains paramount, NASCAR has found the correct balance between winning and making points still matter.
It creates constant action. It makes drivers want to race for position every lap. It gives them, as Brad Keselowski said during the announcement, more chances to win, which is what they live for.
Even better, a stage race will eliminate the mid-race lull of a 500- or 600-mile event. It was not uncommon to see drivers logging laps just waiting until the pay window opens. Breaking the race up means there is no time to waste.
In the bigger picture, a stage race also creates more drama for the playoffs. Under the previous format, a "win and you're in" guarantee could result in drivers and teams more or less taking the rest of the year off. By locking into the playoffs early, drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted his team went on vacation until the post-season started. Others used the summer months to experiment for the championship.
The racing just didn't matter.
Not anymore. Denny Hamlin summed it up best: "There are no off weeks."
With the addition of a playoff bonus structure, the driver who leads the points at the of the regular season will be rewarded with 15 playoff points. Acknowledgment of the work put in during the regular season is a concept many in the NASCAR community have longed called for.
There is also added points for the second-place finisher in points (10), the third-place finisher (eight), fourth place (seven), and on down.
All of this will keep the field competitive. Even after locking into the playoffs, drivers will continue to want to earn points either through a stage win or an overall race win.
Isn't that what everyone has wanted to see? This year, NASCAR has taken a large step in making that happen.
But it doesn't end there. An additional incentive for drivers to perform during the regular season is that it will impact the playoffs. Points earned will be carried with a driver through the first three rounds and, for a driver like Martin Truex Jr. who had a strong regular season and opening round of the playoffs last year, those points might have helped him advance to Homestead.
Even with all of these changes, there are still other exciting elements of the sport that will remain. Pit stops are still as important as ever, as teams can elect to stay out during stages or take a chance on fresh tires. The elimination playoff format as well as what has become an exciting winner-take-all finale at Homestead also remains intact.
So yes, the rollout of the format was very confusing, but the focus should be less on the outline and more on its intended consequence.
As Keselowski said, "Wait until you see it on the racetrack. If you are watching (the announcement) right now, please trust us. When you see this on the racetrack, this is going to be the best racing you've ever seen."