January 24 2017: during the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
Photo – HHP/Jim Fluharty
Tuesday morning’s portion of the 35th Annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway saw four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers discuss the three-stage race format enhancements announced on Monday.
Seven-time and defending series champion Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott believe the three-stage format will make each race more dramatic for drivers, teams and fans.
“There’s incentive to go out there and perform,” Johnson said. “As a competitor, it’s tough to say that’s going to change much of what I do. But I know there will be opportunities where that (bonus) point (for winning one of the first two stages) matters for someone. It might take people from being at the 100-percent mark to being even more desperate and creating those storylines.”
Elliott said he looks forward to the challenge.
“I think we’re all trying real hard, as is, but I do think it’s going to add another level of strategy and how you’re going to approach a race, whether you want to win a segment or position yourself for the next round,” he added. “If you’re leading the race, why not be rewarded for it?”
Furniture Row Racing drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones also spoke in favor of the enhancements.
“I think everybody’s excited about it. I know I am,” Truex said. “You can get points throughout the whole season and being able to those into the playoffs is really exciting for us, coming off a year like last year when we did a lot of great things and had a lot of high moments and bright spots that we could’ve gained those bonus points that would’ve helped us in the playoffs. It’ll be a benefit to our race team in particular.”
Jones, fresh off an XFINITY Series title-contending year with Joe Gibbs Racing, will compete in his third different series and format in as many years.
“Growing up, the only format I knew was the traditional (championship) format,” Jones said. “This is different but it’s pretty well-understood by the drivers and we know what we need to do … It’s challenging but as drivers we adapt pretty well and we just run the best we can.”