Point system overhaul confirmed

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Reports have confirmed that NASCAR is preparing to announce the first change in the point system in nearly 29 years. The changes will radically effect how NASCAR determines its Nextel Cup series champion.

Among the changes are the following:

The Nextel Cup champion will be determined by a playoff style format over the last ten events of the season. The points will not be reset to zero as previously speculated, any driver sitting within a certain number of pionts from the leader with ten races left to be completed will be eligible for the playoff system. That number has not been decided yet. While the field will not be reset to zero, they will be reset to another number also which has not been revealed.

Race winners (including the Busch and Truck series) will receive extra "bonus" points for winning an event.

NASCAR will continue to award car and owner points, but will not institute giving points for qualifying.

The sanctioning body is also discussing raising the minimum required speed to avoid injured cars from returning to the track and limping through the event.

Jim Hunter, NASCAR's Vice President of Corporate Communications, is expected to formalize the details at the media tour in Charlotte in two weeks.