Kyle Larson has raised new questions about NASCAR stage points, arguing that strong race results sometimes carry too much weight compared with the final finishing order.
However, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon has defended the system, explaining why NASCAR introduced stages to keep fans engaged throughout races.
Larson, who leads the NASCAR Cup Series Chase standings, does not want NASCAR to remove stages completely.
Instead, he believes the points awarded during stages deserve another look under the current championship format. Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion who helped shape the stage system, acknowledged its flaws but stressed that NASCAR must balance fair competition with entertainment. Their comments have renewed debate over how NASCAR awards points during the 2026 season.
NASCAR Stage Points Debate Grows After Kyle Larson’s Criticism
Larson discussed the NASCAR stage points system on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio ahead of the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte. He explained that the current Chase format makes every point more important than under the previous system.
“I’m not completely against it,” Larson said. “I understand why we have it.”
However, Larson believes stage points sometimes have too much influence on the championship compared with a driver’s final result.
“I like the improvement of the winner scoring a lot more points than we used to, but I just I don’t know. I feel like second place in a stage shouldn’t be the same as second place in the race points.”
Larson clarified that the points are not exactly equal, but the difference feels too small when drivers compare their stage results with their finishing positions.
Earlier, at Las Vegas, Larson described stage points as “little participation awards in competition.”
He also explained that a driver who consistently finishes near the top 10 might struggle to gain ground on rivals who collect stage points, only to suffer problems later in the race.
Larson has earned more stage points than any other driver in the Chase, so his criticism doesn’t come from being disadvantaged by the system.
Jeff Gordon Defends NASCAR Stage Racing Format
Gordon, a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, helped develop the stage system. He told On3 that NASCAR introduced stages because long stretches of green-flag racing sometimes failed to keep viewers interested.
“Yeah, for me I debate it, just because I was a part of the conversations in the committee that you kind of came up with stages, or got it to where it is,” Gordon said.
He explained that NASCAR wanted to create more action during races and reward drivers who performed well before the finish.
“The race was just missing a little bit to keep people engaged. And then it’s how do we reward the guys? We’re gonna have these stage breaks; how do we reward them to make it a race within the race?”
Gordon admitted the NASCAR stage points system is not perfect, but he defended its purpose.
“But it’s not perfect by any means. And I understand why it exists,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of keeping fans interested in NASCAR.
“But also it’s an entertainment sport. You always have to remember that. If you folks out there aren’t tuning in and watching, then we don’t get to do it at this level.”
NASCAR Chase Format Puts More Weight on Every Point
NASCAR introduced stage racing in 2017 as part of changes designed to create more action throughout races. The format divides races into stages, with drivers earning points based on their positions at the end of each stage. The race winner also receives a larger points reward than in previous systems.
Other changes, including the choose-cone rule and two-wide restarts, have also increased competition during races.
The current NASCAR Chase format places added importance on stage points because drivers accumulate points throughout the ten-race postseason rather than relying only on wins to advance.
Larson’s concerns focus on whether stage points reward in-race performance too heavily compared with the final result. Gordon’s response highlights NASCAR’s need to balance competitive fairness with fan engagement.
NASCAR has changed its points systems several times since introducing stages. For now, neither Larson’s comments nor Gordon’s defense confirms that another change is coming. The debate continues as drivers compete for the 2026 Cup Series championship.
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