ARCA Makes Changes To Points System
The first change eliminates the 25 point bonus for pre-entering and competing. Those 25 points become part of the total race points a driver and owner now earn. Teams who enter a race event but fail to qualify will still earn 25 owner and driver points. The maximum amount of points a single driver and car owner can earn during an event will be 250 points.
The second adjustment regarding 2016 championship points adds an additional five points to the race winner's total for both owner and driver. The race winner will receive 235 points, which is an increase of five points from last year. Second place will receive 220 points (including the additional 25 which were previously “enter and compete bonus points), third place 215 points, fourth place 210 points, and so on, in increments of five, from second place back.
Bonus points for qualifying and leading laps remain the same as 2015, with five bonus points awarded for winning the pole; five bonus points for leading a lap and another five bonus points for leading the most laps.
That means a driver who wins the pole, leads the most laps and wins the race will earn the maximum 250 total points. Under that same scenario, the second-place driver who led at least one lap would be awarded 225 points, 220 points if he or she did not lead a lap.
"Under last year's rules, a driver could finish in second-place, but by winning the pole and leading the most laps, he or she could earn the same amount of points as the race winner," said Joe Wells, ARCA's director of race operations and administration. "This change ensures the race winner will earn the most points. "The 250 bonus points will continue to be awarded to each driver and/or car owner per established eligibility requirements who compete in a five-race segment (#1-5 as run; event #6-10 as run, etc.).
The starting fields for ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards events will remain unchanged for 2016. ARCA will start up to 40 cars at Daytona, up to 36 at all tracks a mile or longer, plus Iowa Speedway, and 35 cars on all short tracks.