Why Did NASCAR Switch to Stages? Stages Explained (2017-2026)

NASCAR announced stage racing on January 23, 2017, and Cup Series races have been run in stages since that season. This guide covers what NASCAR said when it made the switch, how stage points and playoff points were set up at launch, how stage lengths differ from track to track, and what has changed since, including the 55-point race win for 2026 and the stage-break rule NASCAR introduced in August 2026. Facts are taken from NASCAR.com and from ESPN, Racer and Motorsport.com reports, each named with its date, and anything that may have changed later is marked as of the source date.

Why Did NASCAR Switch To Stages?

The NASCAR announcement of January 23, 2017 said the new race format was developed with industry stakeholders and would be used in all three national series at the time: the Cup Series, the XFINITY Series and the Camping World Truck Series. NASCAR described the goal as increasing the sense of urgency and emphasizing aggressive racing and strategy, so that the race delivers more dramatic moments over the course of an entire race and season, with playoff point incentives on the line throughout.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France put it this way in the release: “Simply put, this will make our great racing even better.” Steve O’Donnell, then NASCAR’s executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said the format puts a premium on every victory and every in-race position over the course of the season.

What the format was meant to fix, according to coverage

The ESPN review of July 2017, written by Bob Pockrass after 18 races of the 2017 season, listed what supporters liked about stages. Drivers have something to race for even early in the race, and a driver who dominated but then lost an engine near the end now earns credit for a strong start. Qualifying matters more because it sets up who has the best chance in the first stage, and teams can choose between finishing well in a stage and setting up to win the race.

Motorsport.com’s explainer, last edited September 3, 2026, gives a broader reason: NASCAR felt the need to break up races of three to four hours with stage breaks. It adds that a caution erases whatever advantage the leaders have built and brings the field back together, and that the breaks give the broadcast partner a place for commercials without leaving green-flag racing. The same explainer calls the stage break a fairly controversial part of the sport because it interferes with the natural flow of a race.

When Did NASCAR Start Stage Racing?

NASCAR announced the format on January 23, 2017. ESPN wrote in July 2017 that if any word could define the 2017 Cup season it would be stages, noting that drivers had 18 races to get used to the format by then. Racer later wrote that NASCAR introduced stage racing in 2017 for all three national series.

NASCAR Stages Explained: How a Stage Works

According to Motorsport.com’s September 2026 explainer, every points-paying race on the schedule except the Coca-Cola 600 has three stages. The length of each stage is not fixed and varies from race to race, though the third and final stage tends to be the longest. The end of a stage is marked by a green-and-white checkered flag, followed by a mandatory caution with the field frozen as it crosses the finish line. Teams can then pit for fresh tires and a full load of fuel if they choose, and the caution works like any other yellow-flag period. The Coca-Cola 600 is the exception.

Stage lengths by track

Racer reported on January 16, 2026, that NASCAR added the 2026 stage lengths for Cup Series events to its rule book, and printed the list as “The stage breakdown for Cup Series events.” The table shows a selection exactly as Racer listed it, in Racer’s order for the entries that appear twice.

Track (as listed by Racer)	Numbers as listed
Daytona (first entry)	65/130/200
Daytona (later entry)	35/95/160
Talladega Superspeedway	60/120/188
Indianapolis Motor Speedway	50/100/160
Bristol Motor Speedway	125/250/500
Charlotte Motor Speedway	100/200/300/400
Circuit of The Americas	20/45/95
Watkins Glen	20/50/100

Racer did not explain the numbers in that report, so check NASCAR’s rule book before relying on them. The lists show that the stage breakdown differs by track, and Charlotte has four numbers where the others have three.

For how fast the field is running on these tracks, see our guide on how fast NASCAR drivers go, and for the circuit types, see whether all NASCAR tracks are oval.

How Stage Points and Playoff Points Work

The 2017 launch rules

The NASCAR announcement of January 23, 2017 set out these rules:

• Top-10 finishers of the first two stages earn additional championship points, on a descending scale: the stage winner receives 10, second place 9, and so on.
• The winner of each of the first two stages receives one playoff point, and the race winner receives five. Playoff points are added to the driver’s reset total after race No. 26 if the driver makes the playoffs.
• All playoff points carry through the end of the third round of the playoffs (Round of 8), with the Championship 4 racing straight-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the title.
• The race winner after the final stage receives 40 championship points, second place 35, third 34, fourth 33, and so on.
• The regular-season points leader is honored as regular-season champion and earns 15 playoff points added to the playoff reset of 2,000.

What changed for 2026

The NASCAR.com report of January 12, 2026 said race winners now collect 55 points, a 15-point increase over the previous system, while points awards for all other positions and stage results remain the same. The report calls the 55-point win the first major revision to the NASCAR points system since 2017, when stage points became part of the race procedures. Bankable playoff points are no longer part of the format, and neither is the win-and-you’re-in rule. The table compares the two systems.

Element	2017 launch	2026 (as of January 12, 2026)
Race win, championship points	40	55
Other finishing positions	35 for second, 34 for third, 33 for fourth	Unchanged
Stage points	Top 10 in Stages 1 and 2, 10 for the winner	Unchanged
Playoff points	1 per stage win, 5 per race win, carried to the Round of 8	No bankable playoff points
How the field is set	Playoff field with elimination rounds	Top 16 in regular-season points; no win-and-you’re-in
Championship decided	Winner-take-all Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami	The 10-race Cup Chase; most points at season end is champion
Regular-season champion bonus	15 playoff points added to a 2,000 reset	25-point premium; top seed starts the Chase at 2,100

Stage points in the bigger picture

Under the 2017 launch rules, a driver who won both stages and the race could earn 40 + 10 + 10 = 60 championship points. Under the 2026 rules the same weekend is worth 55 + 10 + 10 = 75 championship points (this excludes any other bonus). Stage points are therefore 20 of 60 (about 33 percent) of that maximum at launch and 20 of 75 (about 27 percent) in 2026. That is our calculation from NASCAR’s published numbers, not a NASCAR figure. NASCAR’s O’Donnell said in January 2026 that the extra 15 points for a win were meant to keep the incentive to push for victories.

Criticism and Changes Since 2017

Caution laps and race length

The ESPN review of July 2017 looked at the main complaint, wasted laps under caution, using numbers after 18 races. The average number of cautions per race was 9.1, against 7.5 over the same stretch in 2016 and 8.4 in 2015. Average caution laps were 45.1, against 39.9 in 2016 and 47.1 in 2015. Races averaged seven minutes longer than in 2016. These are July 2017 figures for 18 races, not full-season totals. The review also noted that some fans see stages as an artificial way to bunch up the field and give teams extra time to adjust.

A race without a stage-break caution

Racer reported on March 22, 2023, ahead of the Circuit of the Americas race, that it would be the first in seven years where NASCAR would not throw a yellow flag on a predetermined lap for a stage break, although points would still be awarded to the top-10 running drivers on those designated laps. Racer also noted that some events had seen the two stage-break cautions as the only cautions in the race, with Road America in 2022 as an example, while at other times the break bunched the field and led to more cautions.

The August 2026 stage-break rule

Motorsport.com reported on August 6, 2026, that NASCAR responded to fan complaints about long caution periods with a new rule effective that weekend at Iowa Speedway. If a caution falls within 10 or fewer laps of the advertised end of Stage 1 or Stage 2, the stage is deemed official at the time of the caution. The leader returns to the start-finish line to receive the green and checkered flags along with the yellow, and the caution that follows serves as the stage break. Points are paid out immediately, and pit road opens as soon as it is safe.

The trigger was the Brickyard 400, where a late Stage 1 caution was followed by a one-lap shootout and then the stage break, leaving more than 30 of 35 minutes under caution according to the Motorsport.com report. NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said fans had been heard and that NASCAR wanted no more elongated cautions and more action. The September 2026 explainer adds that any leftover laps carry into the next stage.

Does NASCAR Still Use Stages?

Yes, as of the 2026 sources read for this guide. The Motorsport.com explainer, edited September 3, 2026, says stage racing has been commonplace in NASCAR for almost a decade, and the August 2026 rule change adjusted how stages end rather than removing them. NASCAR’s January 2026 points overhaul also left stage results unchanged. None of the 2026 announcements covered here removes stages, but rules can change again, so check NASCAR.com for the current rule book.

How Stages Change Race Strategy

Motorsport.com describes several strategy effects. On road courses and the few ovals where pitting under green does not cost drivers a lap, some drivers short-pit before the stage ends to gain track position for the restart, giving up stage points in the process, while drivers who are not running up front or who need points stay out and collect the stage points left on the table. At drafting tracks, teams know when cautions will fall, which leads to more fuel saving, and crew chiefs sometimes split a stage in half to decide when to pit.

For what happens on track during a caution, see our explainer on the pace car in NASCAR, and for what happens when weather interrupts a race, see whether NASCAR can race in the rain.

For more motorsport reading, see our guides on IndyCar race days, the Indy 500 field and what race car drivers make.

Frequently Asked Questions About NASCAR Stages

When did NASCAR start stage racing?

NASCAR announced stage racing on January 23, 2017, and used it in the 2017 Cup Series season.

How many stages are in a NASCAR race?

Three for a points-paying race, except the Coca-Cola 600 (Motorsport.com, September 2026).

How many points does a stage win pay?

The stage winner receives 10 championship points, second place 9, and so on down the top 10 of Stage 1 and Stage 2. NASCAR said in January 2026 that stage results remained the same.

Does NASCAR still use stages?

Yes, as of the 2026 sources cited here. In August 2026 NASCAR changed how a stage ends after a late caution, but did not remove stages.

What changed in NASCAR points for 2026?

A race win now pays 55 points, bankable playoff points are gone, and the Cup title goes to a 10-race Chase. Stage points are unchanged (NASCAR.com, January 12, 2026).

What This Guide Does Not Cover

• Stage lengths for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series; check NASCAR’s rule book.
• The Coca-Cola 600 stage format and stage-point rules; check NASCAR’s rule book.
• Any rule change made after the source dates above (January to September 2026).