[Batpuff]

Following the first 26 races, the 12 drivers that now contend for the Chase will experience a different twist: All 12 drivers will have their points totals adjusted to 5,000 points entering the Chase plus an additional 10 points will be allocated to every driver in the postseason for every win earned during the first 26 races.

The Chase contenders for the Nextel Cup championship can now be called the Dirty Dozen since 12 drivers — not 10 — will be battling in a completely restructured postseason that will take a calculator for race fans to compute.

NASCAR unveiled its new formula for the Chase and announced that five additional bonus points will be awarded throughout the seasons for the race winners. The 2007 points system will award a driver 185 points for a win and a possible 195 points should a driver win the most laps (five points for leading and lap and an additional five points for leading the most laps).

"We wanted to make winning more important," said NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France








The standings will be based on those points entering Race 26 at New Hampshire. NASCAR has eliminated the 400-point margin between first in points and the field that would have allowed drivers outside the top 10 to compete in the Chase.

"I think it's easier with no 400-point formula," France added. "It simplifies (the Chase). ... We had the 400-point provision that didn't get used or activated."

Tiebreaks will be determined by second-place finishes, then third-place finishes, and so on.

France added that the Chase accomplished NASCAR's initial goal and "created more excitement," but the sanctioning body wanted to make sure "the balance was right" with the overall point system for winning the championship.

[Playboy5]

I don't like it..it is fair, but too early to make a change! Like Mark Martin said, it is 12 now, next it will be 14 and then 16..

[TidesHoss32]

and if its close between 12th and 13th this year, in a couple of years itll be the sweet 16, wait and see..

I don't like it..it is fair, but too early to make a change! Like Mark Martin said, it is 12 now, next it will be 14 and then 16..

[Playboy5]

Prolly right TH32..

[Doc Holliday]

I have always liked the old formula 1 point system.

David Person said it best I could have cared less about the championship i wanted to win the race.

5 points for 1st
4=2nd
3=3rd
2=4th
1=5th

to bad for all the rest.

this would put winning where it should be.

Bad thing is if one team runs away with it.

I have always felt that it looked foolish to see a car, out ther just running laps so he can finish 39th.

but im sure that if you did this then the drivers would actually start driving to win rather than coasting along saying " Hey Man we had this Gatoraid/Depends undergarment family truckster up there in the top 20 most of the day" to having an attitude of an AJ Foyt that each race is the most important race you ever drive.