CONCORD, N.C. – During a media briefing Wednesday at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., the sanctioning body laid out the race stage lengths for the 2017 national series season-openers at Daytona International Speedway later this month.
The signature “Great American Race” season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 will be broken into three stages with Stages 1 and 2 divided up by 60 laps apiece. The final stage of the 59th annual event will consist of 80 laps with a bonus of 5 playoff points at stake for winning the series’ Super Bowl event.
The format will see drivers who deliver top-10 finishes in the first two stages receive additional points towards their overall race totals. Drivers who win the first or second stage will be rewarded with one playoff point respectively.
While utilizing the newly announced race formats this season, the Can-Am Duels at Daytona won’t be separated by stages, but will still offer points for drivers finishing inside the top-10 in their respective duel race for the first time since 1971.
Stage lengths for the Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series events were also announced Wednesday.
The NextEra Energy Resources 250 Truck Series season-opener on Feb. 24 will be 100 laps in length. The first and second stages of the season will be 20 laps, with the final stage at 60 laps.
The following day, the XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300 will see its 120-lap event broken off into three stages as well. The first two stages are set at 30 laps a piece, with the final stage set at 60 laps.
Points for finishing inside the top-10 in each stage, plus applicable stage playoff points are applicable into the Camping World Truck Series and XFINITY Series divisions all year.
Most stage lengths for races beyond Daytona have not yet been announced for the top-three national series.
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