NASCAR Cup Series

31 Moments: No. 31 -- Brian France announces new Chase format

Published Dec. 1, 2014 11:30 a.m. ET

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Tom Jensen

Editor's note: For the month of December, FOXSports.com will count down 31 moments that defined the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. This is No. 31.

On January 30, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France announced a radical and ambitious overhaul of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format, expanding the field to 16 drivers and introducing elimination rounds in the Chase.

Basically, the new format meant any driver who won one of 26 races in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series regular season would automatically qualify for the Chase.

"We have arrived at a format that makes every race matter even more, diminishes points racing, puts a premium on winning races and concludes with a best-of-the-best, first-to-the-finish line showdown race -- all of which is exactly what fans want," said France. "We have looked at a number of concepts for the last three years through fan research, models and simulations, and also maintained extensive dialogue with our drivers, teams and partners. The new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be thrilling, easy to understand and help drive our sport's competition to a whole new level."

In its first year, the new format would prove to be controversial and ultimately, riveting. While some long-time fans did not like the new Chase -- especially the notion of a one-race, winner-take-all finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- the competition and tension down the stretch were phenomenal.

Chase races at Charlotte and Texas featured post-race brawls, both of which involved Brad Keselowski, and the championship wasn't decided until Lap 260 of 267 at Homestead, where Kevin Harvick made a pass of Denny Hamlin that won both the race and the series title.

"I don't think there's any doubt about the level of competition that is up, which has our fans excited, and it has the interest level of the sport as a result of that higher, and that's precisely what we want to achieve," said France.

VIDEO: Season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway highlights

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