IndyCar rewards the whole field. A win pays 50 points, then 40 for second and 35 for third, with a sliding scale on down — so every finishing position scores, and a place gained near the back still counts in the title race.
Bonus points are on offer too. Taking pole position is worth 1 point, leading a lap earns 1 point, and leading the most laps in a race is worth 2.
The Indianapolis 500 scores differently in one respect: rather than a single point for pole, its top-12 qualifiers — the Fast 12 — score on a 12-down-to-1 scale, rewarding the fierce battle for a front-row start. The race itself no longer pays double points; that was dropped after 2022, so the 500 now counts like any other round.
These points decide the IndyCar drivers' championship, won by whoever has the most at season's end.