If there was any doubt NASCAR's new points system rewards winning less and punishes a DNF much more, let's put that to bed right now. One needs to look no further than where Kevin Harvick sits under the new system vs. the old one to realize this is absolutely the case.
Each week, Yahoo! Sports will provide a comparison of the two points system. Here is how the top 12 stands (and would stand) after seven races:
New vs. Old
| Rk. | New | Pts. | Old | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carl Edwards | 256 | Carl Edwards | 1,053 |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 247 | Kyle Busch | 1,026 |
| 3 | Matt Kenseth | 243 | Jimmie Johnson | 994 |
| 4 | Jimmie Johnson | 243 | Matt Kenseth | 993 |
| 5 | Kurt Busch | 240 | Kurt Busch | 962 |
| 6 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 235 | Kevin Harvick | 957 |
| 7 | Ryan Newman | 233 | Ryan Newman | 950 |
| 8 | Juan Pablo Montoya | 232 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 947 |
| 9 | Kevin Harvick | 228 | Juan Pablo Montoya | 945 |
| 10 | Tony Stewart | 213 | Tony Stewart | 883 |
| 11 | Paul Menard | 209 | Paul Menard | 866 |
| 12 | Clint Bowyer | 201 | Clint Bowyer | 849 |