NASCAR announces rule changes

NASCAR has announced a number of measures designed to make the Sprint Cup more fan friendly, including adding the two drivers with the most number of wins to the top 10 when the series switches to the Chase section run-offs, towards the end of each season. Previously the Chase had featured the top 12 in the title race, which meant that consistency was rather more important that winning. NASCAR has also introduced a new scoring system which is designed to make it easier for fans to follow the championship fight.

"The fans tell us that winning matters the most with them, so we're combining the tradition of consistency in our sport with the excitement that comes along with winning," said Brian France, the NASCAR chairman. 

The new points system - which will also be used for the NASCAR Nationwide and Truck series - will mean that race winners score 43 points and the 43rd classified runner will get one point. There will be three additional points for a win, one point for any driver who leads a lap and another point for the driver who leads the most laps. This means that the maximum score for a race will be 48 points. 

France has also confirmed that drivers must now choose which series they wish to compete in and can only score in one, although they will still be allowed to race in all three. This means that the other titles will more likely go to rising young stars. There are a variety of other minor changes to the rules, including a reduction in the number of tyres allowed, modified qualifying procedures, new fueling systems which will mean that there is not need for a sixth crew member to go over the wall.