I know that we have had a thread similar to this one: http://www.nascarspace.com/nascar/sh...st4114post4114, but I thought I would bring the subject back up for discussion and see what y'all think about what can be done to "tweak" the chase and make it more fair and exciting. So what would you do if you were king/queen of Nascar?!?!?!?!

Here are 2 opinions:


NASCAR report: Officials to consider altering points system
Updated 9/12/2006 7:52 PM ET
From staff reports

NASCAR officials are considering alterations in the points system that determines which drivers will qualify for the Chase for the Cup.
Until Saturday night, there was every chance that the winningest driver in Nextel Cup, Kasey Kahne, might not qualify for this year's Chase. "I don't know of too many situations you'd be in with five wins and be on the outside looking in," Kahne said.

"You work so hard to win these races," said Kahne's teammate Elliott Sadler. "This is not like normal stick-and-ball sports where you have one winner and one loser. We have one winner and 42 losers, so why not give the winner more points. I think that's something (NASCAR) needs to look at for the Chase and the regular season as well."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he'd like to see drivers rewarded for strong qualifying efforts. "Qualifying should play a little more of a factor in the points system," he said. "If you qualify in the top 10, give those guys one point apiece — nothing major but something, because it is a lot of effort. A lot of work goes into qualifying for really nothing more than picking a pit box."

Series looks at adopting limits to past champs' free passes

NASCAR President Mike Helton said there's a "good possibility" the rule that guarantees a past champion a spot in each Nextel Cup race could be tweaked for next season.

The changes might prevent a past champion from having unlimited use of the rule. For start-up teams that enter Cup without owner points, hiring a past champion has become a method of circumventing the rule that guarantees spots only to the top 35 in points. Hall of Fame Racing employed two-time champ Terry Labonte for the first five races this year, and Team Red Bull has relied on Bill Elliott to make races in a part-time schedule this year.

Michael Waltrip Racing hired 1999 champion Dale Jarrett to drive one of its Toyotas next year.

Kyle Petty blames the trend on a lack of developing youth in the Busch Series.

"You're talking about that because there's a shortage of drivers," Petty said. "Everybody is going to get Terry Labonte and Bill Elliott. Next in line will be Darrell (Waltrip) and we'll go get The King (Richard Petty).

"Part of what's hurting that is, when they drop the flag on a Busch race on Saturday, 21 of the drivers are Cup drivers. How are the Busch drivers going to get any experience? They can't because there are no slots for them."

Petty, though, didn't necessarily agree with limiting past champions from being guaranteed a spot. His Petty Enterprises teammate, Bobby Labonte, could benefit from the rule by virtue of being the 2000 titlist.

"Maybe I don't like the fact that an ex champion can just show up and make the race," he said. "But he's an ex-champion. He should be able to show up and do whatever he wants to do."

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Cool Down: Chase set; start tweaking
Posted: September 11, 2006
Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service


Memo to Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO.

RE: Tweaks to the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup

Dear Brian,

During Pepsi 400 week at Daytona, I was delighted hear you say NASCAR is contemplating some tweaks to the Chase for next season. Though the Race to the Chase produced more than its share of drama, culminating in Saturday's suspenseful Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond, I agree that a few minor changes might serve to enhance interest in the final 10 races.


I don't believe the field for the Chase should be restricted to 10 drivers, the number the current system has produced in each of its first three seasons. With that inclusive attitude in mind, I offer the following additional qualifications for potential Chase participants:


1. Immediate Past Champion's Provisional. One of the prizes for winning the championship should be a free pass into the following year's Chase. What good is a title, if you don't have the opportunity to defend it? Welcome back, Tony Stewart.


2.Throwback Provisional. Let's provide an automatic berth for the most recent champion under the old points system who's not otherwise eligible for the Chase. That would take care of Bobby Labonte.


3. Freedom of the Press Provisional. Consensus preseason choices of the media must be included in the Chase. To maintain credibility, the press can't be perceived as that far wrong. So Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle must have berths in the Chase.


4. Sibling Exception. Sensitive to the self-esteem issues that success and failure within the same family can produce, NASCAR should include any sibling of a driver already qualified for the Chase. So Kurt Busch is in, and since Bobby Labonte is already qualified under Item 2 above, so is Terry Labonte, despite his limited schedule.


5. Uprooting Exception. To protect the fragile psyches of Nextel Cup drivers, NASCAR should include in the Chase any contestant who has changed teams during the season, announced a change of teams at the end of the season or has replaced another driver before the second Richmond race. Accordingly, Jeremy Mayfield, Elliott Sadler, Dale Jarrett, Casey Mears, Brian Vickers, Michael Waltrip and David Gilliland just had their tickets punched.


6. Rookie Reward. As competitive as Nextel Cup racing is, any Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate who scores a top-10 finish in a Cup race deserves a bonus. That takes care of Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. and J.J. Yeley.


7. WMD Exception. Any car that appears on the official State Department list of weapons of mass destruction is automatically included, under the assumption that it might be more dangerous not to do so. Welcome to the Chase, Robby Gordon.


8. Single-Car Provisional. Single-car operations competing against the multicar juggernauts of Nextel Cup need a handicap. Ken Schrader, Jeff Green, Travis Kvapil, Tony Raines, Scott Wimmer, Kevin Lepage and Kenny Wallace are in the Chase. Robby Gordon also qualifies under this provision.


9. Charity Begins At Home Provisional. Any driver who raises millions for the less fortunate deserves a little charity in return. You're in the Chase, Kyle Petty, and we're glad to have you. Tony Stewart also qualifies under this category.


10. Sponsor Exemptions. A typical PGA Tour event awards eight sponsor exemptions to players of its choice. NASCAR can reward its loyal sponsors by choosing as many as eight additional drivers for inclusion in the Chase. This year's sponsor exemptions go to Ryan Newman, Scott Riggs, Jamie McMurray, Dave Blaney, Joe Nemechek, Sterling Marlin and David Stremme.


If my calculations are correct, these minor tweaks bring the number of Chase participants from 10 to . . . let's see . . . 43!


Damn! That's not far different from what we had before the Chase.


Sorry, Brian. Never mind. Why don't we just keep the Chase the way it is?

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

yea thats a good idea to keep it the way it is, becasue I couldnt NASCAR giving Kyle Petty anymore hopes then he already needs

Iknow there are allot of improvements that could be made, but enough is enough. I've spent more time trying to figure out the "what the hell are they doing that for" than I've enjoyed having discussions about what we saw on Sunday, because by the time you post on a board Sun. night, you look like an ass on Mon. morning 'cause NASCAR made a change at 12:01am est time. I say leave it be lets get caught up, then give a driver more points for wins and strong qualifing...............

I know how to tweak the Chase. Get rid of the Chase. It does not reward who the real champion is.

How about points for poles?

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

ZoomenNewman

Well, this is the problem I have with that. If you give points for the pole, someone will win the championship because of the pole. But NASCAR needs to find some way to award the pole, because it is worth nothing with the way you can come to the front these days with pit strategy, etc. The pole needs to be worth more than a 1st place starting position.

Nope! Going fast for 1 lap shouldn't make you a contender.

How about a "Wild Card" for the driver with the most wins that is not already in the chase.

Amen brotha! We all know the REAL champ was locked out of the Chase.

Really, I haven't given much thought to what all they need to do, but more points for winning is a must to me. I'm sick of this "we don't have to win" nonsense. They also need to seperate the Chasers by more points when they reset them. Why would you put 2nd just 5 points behind 1st when they can make up those 5 points just by leading a lap?

Everyone is talking about how NASCAR is going to change the chase format for next year. My idea is this: Once the chase field is set, reset the points and give the chasers their own point system; 10 points to the highest finishing chaser down to 1 point for the lowest. Keep the 5 bonus points for leading a lap and leading the most laps. To me, this would give the chasers incentive to run up front, and one bad finish would not wipe out one's title hopes. Based on this year's points reset and my points scheme, this is how the field would look after today's race at Martinsville: 48(5110); 17(-4); 29(-24); 11(-29); 5(-33); 8(-36); 31(-38); 24(-49); 6(-50); 9(-51). Just another point to ponder while we wait to see what changes the NASCAR Head Shed will make for '07....