This will be the first year for NASCAR’s new Chase format. The field has been expanded to 16 drivers to start off the Chase competition at Chicagoland Speedway on September the 14th.
The new set up will consist of 10 races with the field growing a bit shorter after each event. Actually, the field will be cut to 12 drivers after the first three races at the Chicagoland Speedway, the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the Dover International Speedway.
Those three races make up the Challenger Round of the Chase competition and a win at any of the three races means moving on to the next level of competition. Each driver starts with 2,000 points plus an additional 3 points awarded for each victory earned during the regular NASCAR season which consisted of 26 races.
The twelve drivers who emerge from the Challenger Round will then move on to the Contender Round races which will consist of the events at the Kansas Speedway, the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the big one at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. All twelve contenders’ points will be set at 3,000 after this round.
From the Contender Round only eight drivers will qualify to go on to the Eliminator Round where the elite eight will do battle at the Martinsville Speedway, the Texas Motor Speedway and the Phoenix International Raceway for the four spots available for the final go-round, which will be called the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. The four drivers making it out of the Eliminator Round will see their points set at 5,000 going into the final competition.
That final big race will take place down south of Miami at the Homestead-Miami Speed and the driver from that last group of four who places highest at this race will win the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
By virtue of his four wins this season, Brad Keselowski goes into Chicagoland with 2012 points, a scant three point lead over the top three Hendricks drivers, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson who each start with 2009…..along with Joey Logano.
Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards each begin with 2006 points while six drivers will start with 2003. They are Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Aric Almirola and A.J. Allmendinger. Having recorded no wins so far this season, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman will start the Chase with an even 2000 points.
The Chase is the most exciting time of the year for NASCAR fans and drivers alike.
