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84-573: MRN is one of the two main radio broadcasters of the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series , covering events held at tracks owned by NASCAR, along with Pocono Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway . It also broadcasts the NASCAR All-Star Race , and the entire Truck Series season (although clearance of Xfinity and Truck Series events may vary by station). Almost all of the remaining Cup and Xfinity races are broadcast by

168-462: A front engine rear-wheel-drive design. A roll cage serves as a space frame chassis and is covered by a 24-gauge sheet metal body. They have a closed cockpit, fenders, a rear spoiler, and an aerodynamic splitter. Fielding a car for one season usually costs $ 10–20 million. Each team may build its own cars and engines (per NASCAR's specifications) or purchase cars and engines from other teams. Mid-Ohio Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

252-404: A 15-turn, 2.40 mi (3.86 km) layout was established. The back portion of the track allows speeds approaching 200 mph (320 km/h). A separate starting line and flagstand is situated on the backstretch to allow for safer and more competitive rolling starts. The regular start/finish line is located on the pit straight. In 1990 the track underwent a refurbishment. A new retaining wall

336-737: A 15-year hiatus in 2001, but departed after 2012, leaving just Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota. Chevrolet has been the most successful manufacturer as of 2023, with 851 race wins and 42 manufacturers championships. Ford ranks second with 728 victories and 17 manufacturers championships. Dodge is third in wins with 217 and two manufacturers championships (albeit no longer in NASCAR), Plymouth fourth with 191 with one manufacturer championship (albeit no longer in NASCAR), Toyota fifth with 180 wins and three manufacturers championships, and Pontiac sixth with 154 and one manufacturer championship (albeit no longer in NASCAR). Cup Series cars (often called "Cup cars") adhere to

420-590: A fistfight on national television. This underlined the drama and emotion of the sport and increased its broadcast marketability. The race coincided with a major snowstorm along the United States' eastern seaboard, successfully introducing the sport to a captive audience. In 1981, an awards banquet began to be held in New York City on the first Friday evening in December. The first banquets were held in

504-475: A new awards program called the Winston Million . From 1985 to 1997, any driver who won three of the four most prestigious races in the series was given one million dollars. The prize was only won twice; Bill Elliott won in 1985, Darrell Waltrip nearly won in 1989, Davey Allison nearly won in 1992, Dale Jarrett nearly won in 1996, and Jeff Gordon won in 1997. The Winston Million was replaced with

588-459: A number of awards are given to drivers finishing outside the Chase. The highest finishing non-Chase driver (13th place at the end of the season from 2007 to 2013 and potentially anywhere from fifth to 17th place starting in 2014) is awarded a bonus of approximately one million dollars and was originally given a position on stage at the post-season awards banquet. The awards banquet now focuses solely on

672-413: A pair of checkered flags in flight. By 2009, the popularity boom of the 1990s had ended, and television ratings over the previous ten years had become more or less stagnant. Some long-time fans have criticized the series for losing its traditional appeal because of abandoning venues in the southeastern United States in favor of newer markets. They have also voiced discontent over Toyota 's presence in

756-562: A playoff held within the final ten races. This number was increased to 12 teams in 2007. The Chase participants had their points increased to a level mathematically unattainable by anyone outside this field (roughly 1,800 points ahead of the first driver outside the Chase). From the inaugural Chase in 2004 to the 2006 Chase, the drivers were seeded based on points position at the end of the regular season, with first place starting with 5,050 points and tenth place starting with 5,005. From 2007 to 2010,

840-851: A points system with equal points being awarded for all races regardless of length or prize money. This system ensured that the top drivers would have to compete in all the races in order to become the series champion. This system remained unchanged from 1975 until the Chase for the Championship was instituted in 2004. Since 1982, the Daytona 500 has been the first non-exhibition race of the year. ABC Sports aired partial or full live telecasts of Grand National races from Talladega , North Wilkesboro, Darlington, Charlotte, and Nashville in 1970. Because these events were perceived as less exciting than many Grand National races, ABC abandoned its live coverage. Races were instead broadcast, delayed and edited, on

924-449: A quarter-mile to over a half-mile, or on dirt fairgrounds ovals usually ranging from a half-mile to a mile in lap length. Of the first 221 Grand National races, 198 were run on dirt tracks. Darlington Raceway , opened in 1950, was the first completely paved track on the circuit over one mile (1.6 km) long. In 1959, when Daytona International Speedway was opened, the schedule still had more races on dirt racetracks than on paved ones. In

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1008-477: A similar program, the Winston No Bull Five, in 1998. This program awarded one million dollars to any driver who won a prestigious race after finishing in the top five of the most previous prestigious race. The series underwent a large boom in popularity in the 1990s. In 1994, NASCAR held the first Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Between 1997 and 1998, the winner's prize money for

1092-418: A tall, three-sided scoreboard tower was constructed in the infield, strategically placed such that it was visible from nearly all spectator areas around the track. In 1986 Trueman had died from cancer, making his wife and daughter taking over management for the facility. In 1989 Truman's daughter, Michelle Trueman, was named the president of the circuit in 1989 and saw day-to-day operations of the track. In 1990

1176-416: A way to spend their excess advertising dollars and to circumvent the ban. RJR's sponsorship became more controversial in the wake of the 1998 Tobacco Industry Settlement that sharply restricted avenues for tobacco advertising, including sports sponsorships. The changes that resulted from RJR's involvement in the series as well as from the reduction in schedule from 48 to 31 races per year established 1972 as

1260-604: Is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio , United States , just outside the village of Lexington . It hosts a number of racing series such as IndyCar , IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship , and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series , along with other club events such has SCCA and National Auto Sport Association . There is grandstand seating for 12,000 spectators and three observation mounds alongside

1344-531: Is divided into two segments. After the first 26 races, 16 drivers, selected primarily on the basis of wins during the first 26 races, are seeded based on their total number of wins. They compete in the last ten races, where the difference in points is greatly minimized. This is called the NASCAR playoffs . The series holds strong roots in the Southeastern United States , with about half of

1428-552: Is doing radio broadcasts of NASCAR races, they also produce daily radio programs that are carried by some of their affiliates. They also stream the programs on their website and offer most shows as a podcast on Apple iTunes. Three MRN announcers also host daily call-in shows on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio channel 90 year round. Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone co-host The Morning Drive Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. Eastern time. Dave Moody hosts Sirius XM Speedway from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Moody

1512-890: The ARCA Menards Series and once had exclusive coverage of the United SportsCar Championship (IMSA now does the radio broadcasts) and Formula One , including the United States Grand Prix , which returned in the 2012 season at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas and offers other race related programs. The MRN flagship station is WNDB , which serves Daytona Beach, Florida . The network headquarters moved near Charlotte, North Carolina in 2008. While MRN's primary role

1596-544: The American Le Mans series the next year. The track continued to host the two series until 2012 when ALMS dropped the race, Grand-Am would follow suit the next year. In 2018, track would host the WeatherTech SportsCar championship . Mid-Ohio would host its first CART race in 1980 as a 156 mi (251 km), 65 lap race. There would be a brief hiatus as the race would not return until 1983, and

1680-655: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series . The unofficial lap record is 1:03.8700, set by Simon Pagenaud during the qualifying of the 2016 Honda Indy 200 . As of August 2024, the fastest official race lap records on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course are listed as: Founded in 1993, The Mid-Ohio School offers licensed drivers and motorcycle riders programs in defensive driving, high performance driving and performance track riding programs. Students in each course partake in classroom and private instruction and group drills. Participants test their newly refined skills in

1764-542: The Road to Indy , Global Mazda MX-5 Cup , and Stadium Super Trucks . In 2015, hometown favorite Graham Rahal won at Mid-Ohio for the first time, thirty years after his father, Bobby Rahal , won his first race at the track. Scott Dixon has the most wins at the track with six. In 2013, the track hosted its first NASCAR event as a 200 mi (320 km) race with the NASCAR Xfinity Series . The length of

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1848-631: The Speedway Motorsports -owned Performance Racing Network (PRN), besides the Brickyard 400 (which is broadcast by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network in association with PRN); many stations have affiliations with both MRN and PRN in order to air a full NASCAR schedule. All races are also carried on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio . In addition to NASCAR races, MRN broadcasts the majority of

1932-696: The United States Road Racing Championship . The race was 168 mi (270 km) and was won by Ken Miles . The race would be held until the race series was folded in 1968, but the race would return as a 6-hour enduro under the IMSA GT championship in 1972. The track would also hold the U.S. Formula 5000 series from 1970 to 1976 and was replaced by the revived Can-Am series in 1977–1980. The track continued to host IMSA GT until 1993, and would not return until 2000 with Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. The track would also add

2016-675: The Waldorf-Astoria 's Starlight Room and in 1985 were moved to the much larger Grand Ballroom. For 2001, the banquet portion was dropped in favor of a simpler awards ceremony, which was also moved to the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center the following year. However, in 2003, the festivities returned to the Waldorf's Grand Ballroom, and the banquet format was reinstated. In 1985, Winston introduced

2100-495: The 10th place car. The points earned are added to a driver/owner's regular season points total, while the winner of the stage receives an additional point that is added to their point total, after the reset, if they get into the NASCAR playoffs. The stage lengths vary by track, but the first two stages usually combine to equal about half of the race. The final stage (which still pays out championship points to all drivers) usually equals

2184-502: The 1960s as superspeedways were built and old dirt tracks were paved, the number of races run on dirt tracks was reduced. The last NASCAR Grand National race on a dirt track (until 2021 ) was held on September 30, 1970, at the half-mile State Fairgrounds Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina . Richard Petty won that race in a Plymouth that had been sold by Petty Enterprises to Don Robertson and rented back by Petty Enterprises for

2268-456: The 1960s with the Hemi, never won a Manufacturers Championship until Ford pulled out of racing in the early 1970s. GM was still using four different brands in NASCAR in 1991, but within three years, Buick and Oldsmobile were gone. Pontiac survived until 2004, leaving only Chevrolet. 2007 saw the first new brand since 1971, when Japanese manufacturer Toyota joined. Chrysler's Dodge brand returned after

2352-481: The 2020 season similar to other U.S. based professional sports leagues, where it was simply known as the NASCAR Cup Series, with the sponsors of the series being called Premier Partners. The four Premier Partners are Busch Beer , Coca-Cola , GEICO , and Xfinity . The championship is determined by a points system, with points being awarded according to finish placement and number of laps led. The season

2436-494: The ABC sports variety show Wide World of Sports . In 1979, the Daytona 500 became the first stock car race that was nationally televised live from flag to flag on CBS . The leaders going into the last lap, Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison , wrecked on the backstretch while dicing for the lead, allowing Richard Petty to pass them both for the win. Immediately, Yarborough, Allison, and Allison's brother Bobby were engaged in

2520-443: The Championship. The first driver to win multiple Championships was Herb Thomas in 1951 and 1953, while the record for the most Championships, seven, is shared by Richard Petty , Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson . Johnson has the record for most consecutive Championships; he won five Championships from 2006 to 2010 . So far every Champion has originated from the United States. The Cup Series Owner's Championship operates in

2604-491: The Chase, with all of the series' sponsored and contingency awards moved to a luncheon at Cipriani the day before the banquet. This playoff system was implemented primarily to make the points race more competitive late in the season, and indirectly, to increase television ratings during the NFL season, which starts around the same time as the Chase begins. The Chase also forces teams to perform at their best during all three stages of

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2688-567: The Daytona 500 tripled. This coincided with a decline of popularity in American Championship Car Racing . In 1999, NASCAR made a new agreement with Fox Broadcasting , Turner Broadcasting , and NBC . The contract, signed for eight years for Fox and six years for NBC and Turner, was valued at $ 2.4 billion. In 2001, Pixar visited NASCAR tracks as research for the 2006 animated film Cars , which included

2772-718: The Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, when the series began leasing its naming rights to the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company , it was referred to as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series (1971–2003). A similar deal was made with Nextel in 2003, and it became the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series (2004–2007). Sprint acquired Nextel in 2005, and in 2008

2856-544: The Strictly Stock division, after sanctioning Modified and Roadster division races in 1948. Eight races were run on seven dirt ovals and on the Daytona Beach beach/street course. The first NASCAR "Strictly Stock" race was held at Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949. Jim Roper was declared the winner of that race after Glenn Dunaway was disqualified for having altered the rear springs on his car;

2940-477: The backstretch at Dover , turn 2 at Pocono, and the backstretch at Daytona and Talladega. He has been used by NBC Sports in a similar rule since 2017 at Watkins Glen International and Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2018 (Indianapolis is technically an SMI venue for radio purposes, as SMI's radio network works that race). Both men also work these same positions for the Xfinity and Truck Series when they share

3024-669: The backstretch at the short tracks ( Martinsville and the September Richmond race (Mike Bagley works the April race), turn 1 at Pocono and the esses at Watkins Glen . When the Truck and Cup Series share a weekend at an SMI venue (except for the All-Star Race), Dave Moody works the booth for the Truck race. This occurs during both Las Vegas Motor Speedway races. Mike Bagley primarily works turns 3 and 4 at most tracks,

3108-568: The beginning of NASCAR's "modern era". The season was made shorter, and the points system was modified several times during the next four years. Races on dirt tracks and on oval tracks shorter than 250 miles (400 kilometres) were removed from the schedule and transferred to the short-lived NASCAR Grand National East Series , and the remaining races had a minimum prize money of $ 30,000. NASCAR's founder, Bill France Sr. , turned over control of NASCAR to his oldest son, Bill France Jr. In August 1974, France Jr. asked series publicist Bob Latford to design

3192-441: The car in the 43rd position. If more than one car did not qualify, owners' points continued to be assigned in the manner described, decreasing by three for each position. Under the post-2010 point system, only cars that actually start in a given race earn owner's points. There is a separate "Chase for the Championship" for the owners' points. A 2005 rule change in NASCAR's three national series, revoked from 2013 onward, affects how

3276-462: The case of the NASCAR Cup Series' longest race, the Coca-Cola 600. A stage consists of normal green flag racing followed by a stoppage on a designated lap signified by the waving of a green and white checkered flag, then a yellow flag. The top-10 finishers in each of the first two stages are awarded bonus championship points, 10 points to the winner, 9 points for the 2nd place car, down to 1 point for

3360-562: The chicane straight with the backstretch. The additional layouts allow simultaneous use of the multiple courses, for instructional and competitive uses. The improvements also included a motocross facility, that has since been used for the AMA Vintage Motorcycle days event. In 2019 the ARX came to the track which was the first time rallycross had come to the circuit. The course was a 10-turn, 0.7 mi (1.1 km) and utilized

3444-417: The chicane, while motorcycles and amateur/ club racing typically use the 2.4-mile layout (with the chicane). In 2006 another major refurbishment saw several improvements. The entire circuit was repaved and the concrete patches in the turn apexes were removed. A new motorcycle "short course" was created by connecting turn one with the backstretch and another motorcycle/ autocross oval was created by connecting

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3528-591: The conclusion of the 2003 season. NASCAR negotiated a contract with Nextel , a telecommunications company to replace Winston, and in 2004 the series became known as the Nextel Cup Series. The 2006 merger between Sprint and Nextel resulted in the Cup Series being renamed the Sprint Cup, beginning with the 2008 season. The Sprint Cup trophy was designed by Tiffany & Co. and is silver, with

3612-577: The controlled environment of the facility's Vehicle Dynamics Center and on the track. The Mid-Ohio School is AAA Approved and recognized as a recent recipient of the Ohio State Highway Patrol's Partners for Safety award. 18 programs are available to drivers and riders of all ages and ability levels from defensive driving programs for teens and adults, on-track high performance courses for the automotive enthusiasts to current and aspiring racers. There have been over 50,000 graduates from

3696-530: The creation of a charter system (in association with the Race Team Alliance , formed in 2014), which would guarantee 36 teams' entry to all 36 races. Eligibility for a charter would depend on a team's attempts to qualify for every race within the previous three seasons. In conjunction with this rule, NASCAR also reduced the size of the Cup field to 40 cars. Along with the change in title sponsorship for

3780-518: The current schedule. Rather than having a fixed schedule of one race per weekend with most entrants appearing at every event, the Grand National schedule has included over sixty events in some years. Often there were two or three races on the same weekend and occasionally two races on the same day in different states. In the early years, most Grand National races were held on dirt-surfaced short oval tracks that ranged in lap length from under

3864-490: The engines are powerful enough to reach speeds of over 200 mph (320 km/h), their weight coupled with a relatively simple aerodynamic package (based on the body styles of cars currently available for retail sale in the United States) make for poor handling. The bodies and chassis of the cars are strictly regulated to ensure parity, and electronics are traditionally spartan in nature. In 1949, NASCAR introduced

3948-541: The final exemption is not used because all past Champions are already in the field, it will pass to another car based on the number of owner points. In some circumstances, a team's owners' points will differ from the corresponding driver's points. In 2005, after owner Jack Roush fired Kurt Busch during the next-to-last race weekend of the season, the No. 97 team finished in eighth place in owner's points, while Busch ended up tenth in driver's points. In 2023, after Chase Elliott

4032-410: The first driver outside the Chase. (Under the new point system, a race winner can earn a maximum of 48 points, as opposed to 195 in the pre-2011 system.) The ten automatic qualifiers received a bonus of three points for each win during the regular season, while the two wild card qualifiers received no such bonus. As in the past, the race layouts for the remaining ten races were the same, with no changes to

4116-524: The first race under the current points system, the 2011 Daytona 500 . Under another rule newly implemented for the 2011 season, drivers are only allowed to earn drivers' points in one of NASCAR's three national series. Trevor Bayne , who won the race, did not earn any drivers' points because he chose to run for the Nationwide Series championship. However, he earned 47 owner's points for Wood Brothers Racing (43 base points, three bonus points for

4200-405: The first series champion was Red Byron . The division was renamed "Grand National" for the 1950 season, reflecting NASCAR's intent to make the sport more professional and prestigious. It retained this name until 1971. The 1949 Strictly Stock season is regarded in NASCAR's record books as the first season of GN/Cup history. Martinsville Speedway is the only track on the 1949 schedule that remains on

4284-465: The fourth, two for the fifth, and one point for the sixth positioned manufacturer. This meant that if Chevrolets placed first through tenth in a given race and a Ford was 11th and a Dodge 12th, Chevrolet earned 9 points, Ford 6 and Dodge 4. Starting in 2014, NASCAR changed the system to mimic the Owner's Championship. Under this system, each manufacturer's best finishing representative effectively earned them

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4368-468: The keyhole section of the track. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, the track was once again fully repaved after utilizing a test section in turn one. The track was opened in 1962 by Les Griebling and several Mansfield-area businessmen as a location for weekend sports car racing. The track originally had 16 turns, with a left turn in what is today known as "thunder valley," but the turn was straightened after just one year of operation due to complaints of

4452-415: The new sponsor of NASCAR's premier series. On December 19, 2016, NASCAR announced the new name for the series, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as well as the new series logo and new NASCAR logo. On April 11, 2018, Monster Energy announced an extension of their sponsorship of the series through the end of the 2019 season. In 2017, stage racing was introduced. Races were broken up into three stages, four in

4536-550: The number of manufacturers involved, and the manufacturer's championship was a major marketing tool. In the Xfinity Series , the championship is known as the Bill France Performance Cup. Up to the 2013 season, points were scored in a 1960–1990 Formula One system, with the winner's manufacturer scoring nine points, six for the next manufacturer, four for the manufacturer third among makes, three for

4620-463: The other half. Also, a regular season points championship is awarded to the driver who scored the most points in the first 26 races (regular season). This championship does not award any bonus points to the winning driver. Otherwise, the points system and playoff format remained the same. The MENCS trophy was in the form of a chalice that stood at three feet tall and weighed 68 lbs. Made of machined aluminum and taking over 300 hours of craftsmanship,

4704-402: The owner's points are used. Through the 2012 season, the top 35 (NASCAR Cup Series) or top 30 (other series) full-time teams in owner points are awarded exemptions for the next race, guaranteeing them a position in that race. These points determine who is in and who is out of the next race and have become crucial since the exemption rule was changed to its current format. At the end of each season,

4788-401: The points reset were changed as well. From 2011 to 2013, the ten drivers with the most points automatically qualified for the Chase. They were joined by two "wild card" qualifiers, specifically, the two drivers with the most race wins who were ranked between 11th and 20th in drivers' points. Their base point totals were then reset to 2,000 points, a level more than 1,000 points higher than that of

4872-405: The points totals of each driver who made the Chase were reset to 5,000 points, plus ten additional points for each race victory during the first 26 races. Points would still be awarded as usual during the affected races. The driver leading in points after the 36th race would be declared the champion. As part of a major change in the points system that took effect in 2011, the qualifying criteria and

4956-575: The race at Cleveland instead. In addition, some observers felt that the powerful Champ Cars had "outgrown" the narrow, winding course, citing a lack of passing and competition over the previous several years. The race would return in 2007 under the Indy racing league and would partner as a doubleheader with the American Le Mans Series until 2012 when ALMS dropped the circuit from the calendar. The race has also featured support series such as

5040-491: The race was shortened in 2018 to 170 mi (270 km). The race has partnered with Trans-Am , Stadium Super Trucks, F4 United States Championship and partnered ARCA in 2020. Unlike most of the events held at the track, the Xfinity Series uses the normal start/finish line located on the pit straight to start the races, instead of the start line on the back straight. NASCAR realigned the race in 2022, moving it to

5124-510: The race would be extended as a 200 mi (320 km) race. CART appeared annually until 2003, when CART president Chris Pook hinted at dropping Mid-Ohio from the CART schedule going forward, citing various issues. For many years, Mid-Ohio was on the schedule alongside the Grand Prix of Cleveland , and Pook stated it was not viable to have two races in such close proximity, and favored keeping

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5208-700: The race. Between 1971 and 2003, NASCAR's premier series was sponsored by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company cigarette brand Winston , dubbing it the Winston Cup Series. The series was originally called the Winston Cup Grand National Series before "Grand National" was dropped in 1986. In 1971, the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act banned television advertising of cigarettes. As a result, tobacco companies began to sponsor sporting events as

5292-569: The races in the 36-race season being held in that region. As of 2020 , the schedule includes tracks from around the United States. There have been races held outside the United States with exhibition races previously held in Japan and Australia , and a one off race held in Canada . The Daytona 500 , the most prestigious race, had a television audience of about 9.17 million U.S. viewers in 2019. Cup Series cars are unique in automobile racing. While

5376-516: The replacement of all remaining old-style catch fencing and the standardization of curbing throughout the circuit. These changes have resulted in a faster, safer, more competitive and attractive facility for drivers, riders and race fans. On March 2, 2011, it was announced that the track had been purchased from Truesports by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which also promotes other IndyCar races, ending Truesports' 29 years of ownership. The course had first hosted SportsCar racing in 1963 as part of

5460-677: The same manner as the Driver's Championship, except that points are awarded to each individual car. If an owner enters more than one car, each car is viewed and scored as a separate entity. The points in the Owners Championship is identical to the Drivers' list, with one minor exception: Drivers who are not eligible to earn points toward the Drivers' title can still earn points toward the Owners' Championship. An example of this occurred in

5544-483: The same number of points as that team earned, including any bonus points from leading a lap or winning the event. In NASCAR's earliest years, there was a diverse array of machinery, with little support from the car companies themselves, but by the mid-1960s, participation was exclusively American manufacturers with factory support. Chrysler, Ford and General Motors were the primary, if not only, competitors for much of NASCAR's history. Plymouth, while somewhat successful in

5628-559: The same track and weekend with the Cup Series as well as standalone Xfinity and Truck races (usually road course races that aren't shared with the Cup Series (like Mid-Ohio ). NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States . The series began in 1949 as

5712-455: The scoring system. On November 20, 2011, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards ended the season in a first-ever points tie. Stewart's five season wins (all in the Chase) over Edwards' one win (in the third race of the season) gave Stewart the tie-breaker. Hence he was named the winner of the 2011 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. For 2014, NASCAR announced wide-ranging changes to the Chase format: To encourage continued competition among all drivers,

5796-503: The season, the first half of the regular season, the second half of the regular season, and the Chase. Previously, the champion could have been determined before the last race, or even several races before the end of the season, because it was mathematically impossible for any other driver to gain enough points to overtake the leader. The title sponsorship with Sprint ended after the 2016 season. On December 1, 2016, NASCAR announced it had reached an agreement with Monster Energy to become

5880-591: The series was renamed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (2008–2016). In December 2016, it was announced that Monster Energy would become the new title sponsor, and the series was renamed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (2017–2019). In 2019, NASCAR rejected Monster's offer to extend the naming rights deal beyond the end of the season. NASCAR subsequently announced its move to a new tiered sponsorship model beginning with

5964-616: The series, the 2004 season also introduced a new system for determining the series champion, influenced by the system used in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series . Originally known as the Chase for the Nextel Cup (or simply "The Chase" , and later changed to Sprint branding), the ten highest-scoring drivers and teams (plus ties) in the first 26 races of the season became eligible to win the championship by competing in

6048-596: The series, with Coca-Cola also assuming naming rights of the regular season trophy. The MENCS trophy design was retained under the new series name, though it was renamed the Bill France Cup. The NASCAR Cup Series Drivers' Championship is awarded by the Chairman of NASCAR to the most successful Cup Series driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on race results and victories. First awarded in 1949 to Red Byron , 32 different drivers have won

6132-463: The series. Japanese telecommunications corporation SoftBank acquired Sprint in July 2013. While NASCAR was suspicious of diversity promotion and aware of the negative implications of the redneck image, it also recognized the opportunities to expand the sport. NASCAR's CEO Brian France has become a prime target for criticism among fans during his tenure from 2003 to 2018. In 2016, NASCAR announced

6216-403: The top 35 contenders in owner's points are also locked into the first five races of the next season. Beginning in 2013, the rules reverted to a system more similar to the pre-2005 rules. In the NASCAR Cup Series, the first 36 places in the field are determined strictly by qualifying speed. The next six places are awarded on owner points, with the final place reserved for a past Series Champion. If

6300-405: The track again underwent extensive renovation. The track and pit lane were completely resurfaced and connectors were added to the track's famed Keyhole section to allow for three separate road course configurations. Also completed was the removal of concrete patches from the track, the relocation of the wall and guardrail at Turn 1, the expansion of gravel traps at the exits of Turn 1 and the keyhole,

6384-487: The track being too slow. The track hosted Can-am and F5000 through the 1970s and in 1980, it would host its first CART race with Johnny Rutherford taking victory with Chaparral . In 1982 Mid-Ohio was purchased by Jim Trueman , a renowned road racer and the founder of Red Roof Inns . Trueman added permanent grandstands, amphitheater-style seating, garages with spectator balconies, a five-story media and hospitality center, tunnels and an updated paddock area. In addition,

6468-401: The track raise the capacity to over 75,000. Mid-Ohio is classified as an FIA Grade Two circuit. The track opened in 1962 as a 16-turn road course run clockwise. After only one year, the "Oak Tree Bend" series of turns (in the northeast corner) was removed due to being too slow. It was replaced by the "Thunder Valley" downhill straight, which remains to the present day. For 1963 and beyond,

6552-414: The track underwent a refurbishment. A new retaining wall was built, the entire track was resurfaced, widened, and concrete was paved in the apexes of the turns to prevent asphalt deterioration. In addition, a straightaway was paved through the chicane, allowing for two different track layouts, the original 2.400 mi (3.862 km) circuit and a new 13-turn, 2.258 mi (3.634 km) circuit. In 2006

6636-486: The trophy's exterior was decorated with the outlines of all 23 NASCAR Cup Series tracks. The cup portion was said to hold approximately 600 ounces of liquids, or 37 cans of Monster Energy. Beginning with the 2020 season NASCAR's top level of competition became known as the NASCAR Cup Series . As part of a tiered sponsorship model, Busch Beer , Coca-Cola , GEICO , and Xfinity became the Premier Partners of

6720-468: The voices of NASCAR drivers Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. To avoid advertising tobacco in a Disney film, "Piston Cup" served as Pixar's allusion to the Winston Cup (however, by the time the film came out, Nextel had replaced Winston as the series title sponsor). During the 2002 season, R.J. Reynolds notified NASCAR leadership that they would terminate their title sponsorship prematurely at

6804-419: The win, and one bonus point for leading a lap). Before a major change to the points system was implemented in 2011, there was a slightly different addition to the system of allocating owner's points. If more than 43 cars attempted to qualify for a race, owner's points were awarded to each car in the following manner: the fastest non-qualifier (in essence, 44th position) received 31 points, three points fewer than

6888-588: Was also the first NASCAR personality to host a show on satellite radio back in 2003 on Sirius Satellite Radio despite the fact NASCAR races and other NASCAR-related shows were exclusively on XM Satellite Radio . This changed on January 1, 2007 when MRN's Barney Hall announced the launch of Sirius XM NASCAR Radio on Sirius XM. MRN has about 600 affiliate stations, including: (For Companion Races; Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, Steve Post, Dave Moody and Mike Bagley Rotate Week to Week) Dave Moody primarily works turns 1 and 2 at most tracks (i.e. Daytona and Talladega ),

6972-483: Was built, the entire track was resurfaced, widened and concrete was paved in the apexes of the turns to prevent asphalt deterioration. In addition, a straightaway segment was paved through the chicane, allowing for two different track layouts, the original 2.40 mi (3.86 km) circuit and a new 13-turn, 2.258 mi (3.634 km) circuit which bypasses the chicane. Major series including CART / Champ Car , IndyCar , IMSA , and NASCAR have mostly elected to bypass

7056-444: Was injured, his No. 9 car continued to earn owner points during his absence, which ultimately culminated in a playoff berth in owners points, though Elliott himself didn’t make the playoffs as a driver. The team finished 10th and Elliott finished 17th. A Manufacturer's Championship is awarded each year, although the Driver's Championship is considered more prestigious. In the past, manufacturer's championships were prestigious because of

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