At first glance, the format shift may not change the whole scene of how NASCAR races unfold. But Connor Zilisch’s crew chief, Randall Burnett of Trackhouse Racing, recently peeled back the curtain with details that could ripple through the field. In the past, the elimination style boiled down to win or bust. Now, the whole race strategy may get a rewrite.
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Calls on pit road for both short and long runs could head down new roads with the renewed Chase format. Teams that once short-pitted just to grab tires and fuel for a chance to visit victory lane may now still duck in early but keep one eye on points and finishes, rather than throwing the dice at the front, while others might take a different route altogether.
Burnett said, “I think you’re going to see a mixed bag on that.” He figures some teams, mainly those near the front, will still pit early to guard track position and keep clean air. But with stage points carrying more weight, more teams may stretch runs to scoop up points in Stage 1 and Stage 2. He also hinted that teams running fifth or worse may start thinking twice.
If they lack a car to win, they may play the long game and pocket points instead of rolling the dice on a swing-for-the-fences call. “But I do feel like, there may be some different strategy for guys fifth on back on that of that that might normally pit before the stage break that might reconsider that and kind of look at and evaluate their pace for the day and say, ‘Man, we don’t have a top five car. Let’s go ahead and get the points in front of us.’”
“So, I do think you’re going to see a little bit of variability from that from what we’ve seen in the past on who stays out and who doesn’t,” he continued. Still, only 10 spots pay out points, leaving the rest staring uphill. Many will still chase positions and wins, even if it means living on the edge, because without those top 10 positions or wins, the playoff door stays shut.
Burnett expects a spread of strategies, and the first stage could turn into a chess match played at speed. No one strategy will rule the garage anymore accprding to him. Fast teams will guard track position, mid-pack cars may hoard points, and those at the back will gamble however they can. So, fans can expect more wrenches and more split calls on the pit box.
