NASCAR Rookie of the Year format updated

NASCAR has repaired the Rookie of the Year format

NASCAR has announced an updated version of the Rookie of the Year battle.

Previously, the Rookie of the Year was selected on more factors than just points alone. They were judged based on the way they handled the media, on-track points and a host of other items.

It was more or less of a mystery who would win the title each year. The end decision was up to a committee. But, at the conclusion of the Homestead event, fans would still be unaware who won the Rookie of the Year battle. It for the most part, left fans uninterested in the Rookie points battle.

The performance on track mattered but it wasn’t the only thing that mattered. Essentially, the rookie that accumulated the most points in a season could still lose the Rookie of the Year award due to the weight of off-track evaluations.

NASCAR has fixed that. From 2018 on, points are all that matter.

Read the announcement below:

William Byron wins at Phoenix International Raceway
AVONDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 11: William Byron, driver of the #9 Liberty University Chevrolet, celebrates after winning NASCAR XFINITY Series Ticket Galaxy 200 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 11, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

NASCAR Announcement:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –  Exactly one month from today, the green flag will wave over what is expected to be the youngest DAYTONA 500 field in NASCAR history. And today, NASCAR announced an update to the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points structure in all three national series, placing a brighter spotlight on some of those young stars.

Beginning this season, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point system will mirror the points structure that awards the season-long championship, including stage points and playoff points, with the eventual Sunoco Rookie of the Year earning the most points throughout the season.

As is the case with the season-long points structure, a race win will earn a Sunoco Rookie 40 points and five playoff points. A second-place finish will earn a Sunoco Rookie 35 points; a third-place finish nets 34 points, and so on. A Sunoco Rookie who wins a stage will earn 10 points and one playoff point.

“The focus on our rising stars has never been stronger and simplifying the Sunoco Rookie of the Year system made perfect sense,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.

“Our fans track closely the progress of our young drivers and matching the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points structure with the championship points will help them follow this prestigious program and award more closely than ever before,” Cassidy concluded.

The new Sunoco Rookie of the Year guidelines will take effect in all three NASCAR national series – the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’). For race tickets, visit www.NASCAR.com/tickets.

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