NASCAR reverses previous rule change for playoffs

NASCAR will be bringing back stage breaks for the road course race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the round of 12 of the playoffs.

NASCAR introduced stage racing in 2017, and the new format included breaks after the first two stages (three for the Coca-Cola 600) of each race. The end of the final stage is the end of the race, when an overall winner is crowned.

Stage racing was utilized at all tracks from 2017 to 2022, but NASCAR changed that ahead of the 2023 season and eliminated stage breaks from road and street course races. Stage points were still in play, but there was no longer a planned caution flag at the end of each stage.

Five of such races were contested during the regular season. Circuit of the Americas, Sonoma Raceway, the Chicago Street Course, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Watkins Glen International played host to those events.

The plan was for the same format to be used in the round of 12 finale at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, but that will no longer be the case. As was the case for all road course races in stage racing’s first six seasons, there will again be two stage breaks during the Bank of America Roval 400 on Sunday, October 8.

Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval has never hosted a NASCAR Cup Series race without stages, as it was added to the calendar in 2018.

The change was made for two primary reasons. First of all, NASCAR wanted to be consistent in terms of officiating throughout the playoffs. They did not find that having nine oval races with stage breaks and one road course race without them was in their best interest.

And secondly, NASCAR saw what everybody else saw during the two most recent road course races at Indianapolis and Watkins Glen: an overall lack of action and differing strategies, especially compared to past road course races with stage breaks.

With their eyes on making the 109-lap race around the 17-turn, 2.28-mile (3.669-kilometer) course in Concord, North Carolina a much more intriguing event, the preseason rule change has officially been reversed.

The Bank of America Roval 400 is set to be broadcast live on NBC from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET. If you have not yet begun a free trial of FuboTV, do so now and don’t miss any upcoming playoff action!