What Does "Leading Laps" in NASCAR Signify?
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was created in December of 1947. Two months later, the first NASCAR-sanctioned race was held on February 15 in Daytona, Florida. Winning a NASCAR race requires a driver to be the first contestant to complete a predetermined number of laps on a race track. NASCAR bestows a championship title to the racer who accumulates the most points over the course of a race season.
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NASCAR Point System
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NASCAR drivers are awarded points for finishing a race, and they receive more points if they place higher in the race. The first-place driver receives 185 points, with each subsequent driver receiving fewer points based on where they finished the race. A driver can also earn an additional five points for leading the race for a lap, and the driver who leads the most laps during the race receives five additional points. Drivers can earn a maximum of 195 points in any one race.
Leading Laps
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The term "leading laps" refers to the number of laps a driver has led the race. A driver leads for a lap by circling the track while ahead of the pack. Laps-led statistics are shown throughout NASCAR broadcasts so fans know which driver can receive the five-point bonus for leading the most laps.
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NASCAR Championship
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The NASCAR season encompasses 36 races held at tracks around the country. The 12 drivers with the top point totals after the first 26 races qualify for "The Chase for the Cup." These top 12 drivers are awarded 5,000 points, plus an additional 10 points for every race they won up to that point. Drivers earn points over the last 10 races in the same way as the previous 26. The driver with the most points after the final 10 races wins the championship.
Importance of Extra Points
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The 2010 NASCAR champion, Jimmie Johnson, won six races and finished 23 races in the top ten. Johnson finished the season with 6,622 points, 39 points ahead of second-place finisher Denny Hamlin, who won eight races during the season. Johnson defeated Hamlin by having more top-ten finishes than Hamlin and by leading more laps. The five additional points given for leading the most laps can determine who wins the championship when the point totals are very close.
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