To foster healthy competition among New York area clubs, encourage excellence in running, and help boost NYRR race participation and spectator interest, NYRR and Club Council designate 11 NYRR scored races per year as Club Points races.

These races vary in distance. Clubs accumulate points based on their finishing places in these races. At the end of the year, each club's point totals in the ten best races of the 11-race series (the lowest score for each club is automatically dropped) are added to determine the club's overall ranking for the year. The club with the most points is the winner, the club with the second-highest number of points places second, and so on. At NYRR's annual Club Night, the previous year's top clubs are honored and receive special awards.

Clubs can score points at club points races in eight different divisions: men's and women's open (all ages), men's and women's masters (age 40+), men's and women's veterans (age 50+), and men's and women's super veterans (age 60+). The men's open divisions are grouped into A and B subdivisions.