Series points pumped up for V8 Ute Race Winners

A modified series points system will be introduced from the first round of the 2012 Auto One V8 Utes Series - Protected by Armor All at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide this year.

The new system will award the top three place getters with bonus points. First place will receive 35 points, second place 33 points, third place 31 points and fourth place 29 points; it then reduces one point for every position to 32nd place.Category Manager from SPHERIX, Craig Denyer believes the new system has been introduced to reward drivers who push hard to make it to the front of the field.

"We trialled a system last year where each driver received 1 point for every car passed, (similar to NASCAR,) however again we have taken the NASCAR model and now added bonus points to the podium positions," explained Denyer.

"It's only a slight tweak to the system and given that in the past three years there have been over 4 drivers with the chance of winning the title at the final round, there is nothing really wrong with the overall matrix. We think this will make a number of drivers push a bit harder in qualifying, which also carries series points, and reduce the opportunity for foxing to take advantage of any reverse grid draw in Race 2."2011 runner up, David "Sideways" Sieders, is looking forward to the new system and thinks it will be very beneficial for the drivers who win races.

"It will definitely be great for me, last year I won four races but the points didn't help me gain too much of a lead or put me in a better position for the next race. It will definitely make some drivers push to win races instead of coming in fourth and they still gain a good spot on the grid. I still would've lost to Pither last year but it would've been a lot closer as I won more races and had five Pole awards," said Sieders.

The 2012 Series consists of 24 races over eight rounds raced throughout Australia covering six states and one territory