Racing will be quite different in the Camping World Truck Series come the 2016 season, with NASCAR introducing the creation of a caution clock for the sport’s third-tier division.
The clock, which will be present at all races with the exception of Eldora Speedway, will be set in 20-minute intervals. Beginning at the wave of the green flag at each event, once the clock expires, it will automatically bring out the caution flag. If the yellow flag comes out at some point during the 20-minute interval, the clock will reset itself once the green flag comes back out.
At each race, the clock will be on until 20 laps to go, enabling the drivers to battle for the final 20 laps in green-flag conditions. However, at Pocono Raceway and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the clock will shut off with 10 laps to go due to the lower lap count. The move also means that there will be few green-flag pit stops during the season, taking away the need to conserve tire wear throughout the majority of the season.
XFINITY Series Goes Old School with Heat Races
Going back to the old school way of racing, the XFINITY Series will feature heat races during select events in 2016. With the return of the Dash 4 Cash competition, there will be an extra challenge for drivers competing for the cash incentive.
At each of the four Dash 4 Cash events, there will be two heat races, followed by a main event, similar to how qualifying is done at short tracks and dirt tracks. The heat events will set the starting lineup for each of the four contests. Odd-numbered qualifiers will start in the first heat race with even-numbered qualifiers in the second one.
Bristol and Richmond in April, along with Dover in May and Indianapolis in July, highlight the four Dash 4 Cash events throughout the year. The top two XFINITY Series regulars in each heat race will be eligible for the bonus, with the highest finishing of the four drivers taking home the $100,000 bonus. Winning multiple Dash 4 Cash events will automatically qualify a driver for the 2016 Chase in the XFINITY Series.