NASCAR is breaking up … again!
The series is bringing stage breaks back for the Charlotte Roval playoffs race after eliminating them from road and street course races this year.
The policy was implemented because many teams had been opting to pit before the end of the first stage and pass up the opportunity for playoff points, in order to come out for the restart with better track position for later in the race as those who stayed out to race for the stage win pitted after the flag.
The upside to doing this is more pronounced on a road or street course than an oval.
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“We felt like ultimately it will give the fans a better race,” Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition said of the change
The move comes after the road course race at Watkins Glen lasted less than two hours due to the lack of caution periods, making it the shortest duration Cup Series race since 1972.
“We’ll take a deeper dive during the offseason to see what 2024 looks like.”