Using the overwhelming success of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format introduced in 2014 as a guidepost, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France announced today the implementation of a playoff system in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

On the heels of a 2015 Chase that saw the highest season-finale viewership in nearly a decade, record-breaking page views on NASCAR.com and unparalleled volume on social media, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will each feature a seven-race Chase to decide its respective championships starting in 2016. The announcement was the first of a number of racing innovations presented by NASCAR on Tuesday.

“Fans, partners and the industry have embraced the new Chase format like nothing we’ve seen in the sport’s history,” said France. “Winning never has been this important, and the excitement generated the past two seasons in the Sprint Cup Series has led to this implementation of the Chase format in all three national series. Competition in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will undoubtedly elevate to new heights and shine a spotlight on the rising stars of our sport.”

The NASCAR XFINITY Series, where “Names Are Made,” and the rugged NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will implement seven-race, three-round Chase formats with unique characteristics but very much in the same spirit of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. All three series will conclude the Chase with a Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway to crown a champion. However, all three will begin at different tracks: Chicago (Sprint Cup Series), Kentucky (XFINITY Series) and New Hampshire (Camping World Truck Series)

Drivers still must declare a series in which they will earn points, and will only be eligible to compete for a championship in that series. The 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who qualified for the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be ineligible to compete in the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

NASCAR XFINITY SERIES CHASE
The seven-race NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase will begin at Kentucky Speedway on Sept. 24, and feature 12 drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

A win in the first 26 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase, provided the driver is in the top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race. Drivers who win two Dash 4 Cash bonuses are also all but guaranteed a Chase berth.

The first round, called the Round of 12, consists of the races at Kentucky, Dover and Charlotte. All drivers will start with their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 12, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.
Each driver who advances to the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 8 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver will be crowned the NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES CHASE

The seven-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase will begin at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 24. It will feature eight drivers and two elimination rounds, with four drivers competing in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A win in the first 16 races all but guarantees a driver entry into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase, provided that the driver is in the Top 30 in points and has attempted to qualify for each race.

The first round, called the Round of 8, consists of the races at New Hampshire, Las Vegas, and Talladega. All drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 16 races. If a driver wins a race in the Round of 8, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions (1-6) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

Each driver who advances to the Round of 6 (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix) then will have their points reset to 3,000. Drivers who win a race in the Round of 6 automatically advance to the Championship 4. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points.

The four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Homestead will have their points reset to 4,000. The highest finishing Championship 4 driver will win the championship. All rules outlined above also apply to both series’ owner championship structure.

The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season will kick off with the 58th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Daytona International Speedway. The Great American Race® will be broadcast live on FOX, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

-- Press release courtesy of NASCAR

Volkswagen returns to CES 2016 with two ground-breaking, zero-emissions vehicles: the BUDD-e concept and the e-Golf Touch. BUDD-e is a concept vehicle that will take CES attendees on a quick time-hop to the year 2019. In contrast, the e-Golf Touch, with its next-generation infotainment system, shows that technologies showcased at CES 2015 are close to production.

Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson and his wife, Chandra announced today that the Jimmie Johnson Foundation (JJF) Wellness Challenge, presented by Penn Mutual, will return in 2016.

The JJF Wellness Challenge is a series of four athletic events that attract a wide range of participants, from beginners to advance. Three of the four events are located in and around Charlotte, North Carolina. New to the JJF Wellness Challenge in 2016 is the “JJF Virtual Triathlon” an event that allows anyone living in the United States to participate by registering and completing 2.4 miles swim, 112 miles bike and 26.2 miles run (in their own time), during the month of October.

“This marks the 10th anniversary of the Foundation and during that time, we have supported some great projects and non-profit organizations,” said Johnson, co-founder of the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. “The JJF Wellness Challenge is one of the many ways we raise money for programs that support public education.”

As Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) prepares for the start of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, TaxAct, the official tax preparation software partner of SHR and driver Danica Patrick, has launched the Race to Your Refund Sweepstakes. Race fans can now enter the Race to Your Refund Sweepstakes for a chance to win a number of prizes, including an exclusive 2017 VIP Daytona race experience featuring Patrick and SHR co-owner Tony Stewart.

“TaxAct does a great job of engaging NASCAR fans and the Race to Your Refund program is another strong example of their efforts,” Patrick said. “The sweepstakes provides an opportunity for our fans to have some fun and connect with TaxAct, all while helping them to get the best deal when they file their own income tax return.”

As temperatures fluctuate this winter in Michigan, one thing for sure is snowy, icy and even cold rainy days are here through March and warm winter boots and socks are still a “must have” in Michigan. Without adequate clothing, often low-income families and people experiencing homelessness have a much higher risk than the general population of developing exposure-related conditions such as hypothermia and frostbite.

To protect families from the cold, Toyota Motor North America through its “Toyota Walk In My Boots” community outreach project and North American International Auto Show activities, is stepping in to help area low-income and homeless families by providing new insulated boots and socks to more than 200 participants of The Salvation Army Conner Creek Corps Community Center located on Detroit’s Eastside and The Salvation Army Booth Services of Detroit, a homeless shelter for primarily women and single mothers and their children.