I brought this article in because it is different than most of the opinions on this subject. Some of these ideas are unique and could certainly make the chase more interesting and more competitive!




Chasing perfection
Ten ways to improve NASCAR's playoff system
Posted: Wednesday August 23, 2006 4:35PM; Updated: Wednesday August 23, 2006 4:36PM

A simple tweak of the Chase rules would allow fan favorite Kasey Kahne to compete in the Cup playoffs.
AP


If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But NASCAR officials are on record as saying that they are looking to tweak the Chase for the Cup format. One goal is to have more drivers qualify for the 10-race playoff.

It will be hard to make any changes -- even for NASCAR -- that would screw things up. The fans and teams would likely adapt quickly to any changes. With that in mind, and keeping with the symmetry that has 10 drivers competing in 10 Chase races, here's my 10 suggestions for NASCAR when it goes to the drawing board.

1. Put more importance on winning races. This just has to be done somehow, and not just for the final 10 races, but for all season. Give the winner more of a bonus -- as much as 50 additional points. The days of just being consistent and racing for a spot in the top 10 every event, those days need to be over.

2. Speaking of wins, add more drivers to the Chase by making a victory part of the qualifying format. Drivers would need to do more than just win a race, however. How about win a race and be within 750 points of the leader? For this season, that would make the final races interesting for several drivers. Right now, three drivers with victories are out of the top 10: Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Kurt Busch. Kahne and Biffle are both within 750 points, but Busch would need to pick up 13 points in the next three races to earn a spot in the Chase. Perhaps even more exciting under this scenario would be the saga of Carl Edwards, who is out of the Chase right now but within the 750 points. Instead of passing everyone to get to 10th in the standings, Edwards, under this proposal, could qualify by winning a race.

3. NASCAR needs to resist temptation, especially when it comes to getting the fans involved. Giving the fans the chance to "vote" in a driver would be easy to do -- much like most pro leagues do now with their all-star games and Nextel does with its all-star race. But it would also be a bad idea. Teams need to earn their way into the playoffs, somehow, someway

4. Also, please don't make the Chase an elimination-type event in which one driver gets bumped out every time. Realistically, the points system already does that. If you finish 43rd in the first Chase race after getting in a wreck, you probably aren't going to come back from that deficit.

5. Also, please don't start keeping points just for the Chase drivers during the last 10 races. If you are going to do that, just send the other drivers home.

6. Don't jack with the schedule too much. Keep the road courses out of the 10-race playoffs. It would be fun if there were another short track or two in the final 10 races. Is there a way we can give Bristol a race during the Chase playoffs? Racing at Bristol three times in a season would be all right with most of the NASCAR nation.

7. Make it simple. If you want to increase the number of drivers in the Chase, just make the rule so that the top 12 or 15 drivers in the standings qualify. That was easy, wasn't it? Many times, the drivers lower in the standings are bunched even tighter than those at the bottom. This year, for example, there are five drivers bunched with 71 points and battling it out for the 15th spot in the standings. They could be battling for a playoff spot.

8. Instead of rules focusing on the standings leaders, concentrate on the last spot in the Chase. That's where all the excitement is, battling for that last spot.

9. Throw out each driver's worst finish in the pre-Chase. Or maybe even their bottom two finishes. This would let an injured driver sit out a race without a penalty or keep a freakish turn of events from determining a championship. Perhaps it would also cut down on all of the foolishness that seems to be escalating between drivers. Accidents happen, but they wouldn't be so frustrating if you had a mulligan.

10. Throw out the driver's worst finish in the Chase. This would undoubtedly close the gap, probably creating a situation where at least half of the Chase drivers would be mathematically able to win the title at the last race of the season. That would be exciting, if that's what NASCAR wants.

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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I do not like the Chase, plain and simple. It doesn't crown the real NASCAR champion what so ever, you have to be lucky in 10 races to earn it. NASCAR needs to go back to the Winston Cup rules so we can actually watch the good racing rather than watching the Chase contenders all the time because they are contending for the Chase. Instead of expanding it to where you have more drivers in the Chase, just get rid of the Chase For The Nextel Cup all together and go back to Winston Cup points rules.

I pretty much agree. Right now I think the system leaves out drivers that should be having a shot at the championship and locking in drivers that have won NO races. I just can not see how someone who has not won a race could ever be considered a champion. I understand the point system, OK.
To me a champion is a winner, not someone consistant. I do think more points should be awarded for a win that the whole idea of racing, and I think the pole sitter should get points.

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As always I. have an opinion. Not always compatable to what everyone else believes in but here goes. I see consistency as something vital and important as far as a champion goes. I understand the view that if you can't/don't win you shouldn't be a champion but ..... I'd rather see a guy win the championship who has consistantly been a top 5 driver all year instead of someone who has 4 wins, 6 DNF's, 1 top 5, 3 top 10's and the rest spread out all over the place. I don't argue too much that the point system is a wee bit out of whack. It could be looked at. I do hate the chase as it allows for 28% of the regular season to be taken out of play for all of the remaining drivers and the reality is that someone other than the top 10 could actually win and it is very possible that someone out of the top 10 could make it into the top 10 thus giving them more money at seasons end

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~LOL~ I read this article and wanted to share it with y'all. He actually has some valid points!

Aug 26, 2006 09:59 PM


If I was NASCAR chairman of the board....

I would like to make the following changes:

1) The fastest 43 drivers make the race. No more provisionals. No buying your way in.

2) No more Lucky Dog. Race to the caution. Too many free passes being given out. In the name of safety, institute a caution light indicator with a different color for seriousness. If the spin happened in turn 2 & the leaders are in turn 3, there is no reason while racing to the yellow can't occur.

3) Eliminate cookie cutter tracks. Let's see some new & exciting tracks with new dimensions. The 1 1/2 mile tracks all look like Charlotte(Lowes, whatever) or Atlanta. How about another superspeedway in the 2+ mile range.

4) Eliminate the Chase for the Cup. Why reward someone for being the best driver for 10 weeks when they stunk up the track the other 26 weeks? The Champion is suppose to be the driver that has been the best for the season, the WHOLE season.

5) Implement new point system. More weight on winning, top 5 & top 10. 5pts for the 43rd place driver then 5 more for every position afterwards until you reach the top 10. An additional ten points would be added to drivers in 6th to 10th place. An additional 25pts to drivers in 2nd to 5th place. Winner would have 50pts added to total. First would be worth 265pts before bonus pts. Bonus points are earned by leading non-yellow flag laps. 1pt for every lap lead under competition. No more cheap bonus points for leading under yellow. If you're not strong enough to lead under race conditions, you should not be rewarded for just hanging out during cautions. Bonus points will be awarded for Top 10 qualifiers. 10pts for pole & 10th would get 1pt.

6) Return a race to Rockingham & reinstitute the Labor Day race in Darlington. In fact, Darlington should have 2 races every year.

7) Add one more road course to schedule. I personally am not a fan of road courses, but they do add spice to the racing season & the points race. Elkhart Lake, Sebring, or Daytona would be great tracks for a third road course.

Negotiate a contract with ESPN to be the soul provider of coverage. The current coverage is all over the dial. The current networks are still not up to the standards that ESPN provided before. Sorry DW, you will be out of a job.

In closing, I would like to implement these rules effective immediately. Fontana will have only 1 race next year to make room for Darlington. Rockingham will take the spot of the second New Hampshire race. As new tracks come on board, other races will be evaluated & decisions will be rendered as to whether they stay or go.

Sincerely,

DonComado1
Chairman of NASCAR

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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Cool article, MrsRyan! I agree with every single one of his points. If I was Chairman of the Board I would add...

8) Cup drivers in the top 35 in owner points can only run 5 Busch races per year. There will not be any monetary rewards for these drivers so if you run, you will not receive any share of the prize fund.

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September 7, 2006

Lee Spencer

After the August 26 race at Bristol, track president Jeff Byrd apologized for the lack of racing.

Yes, it was a bit tongue-in-cheek. Byrd quickly qualified his statement by adding, "We only have a bad race every 10 years." Still, the frenetic pace that is synonymous with the Bristol night race is waning -- and Bristol is not alone.

It's certainly not the track's fault. The Bristol Busch Series race was a blast. No one can blame Matt Kenseth for being completely dialed in during the Cup race. He used a combination of car control, patience and luck to run away from the field.

Given the pressure for drivers to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup, we are witnessing a pattern that extends beyond Bristol. If a driver is riding the Chase bubble, taking chances isn't worth the risk.

Unless there still are a handful of drivers jockeying for the 10th position as the race winds down Saturday night, expect NASCAR's finest to exercise the same caution that was exhibited at Bristol. Certainly the cautious trend will continue among the Chase drivers over first half of the final 10 races.

Last season, 16 drivers were eligible for the Chase heading into the final regular-season race at Richmond. Rivalries had developed -- such as the one between Ryan Newman and Dale Jarrett that had started at Bristol -- and many believed the September Richmond race would be outrageous. And it delivered. It was every man for himself, and the racing was hard-core.

But after a year of NASCAR's sanitizing the sport by reiterating its play-nice philosophy, Nextel Cup does not resemble the stock car racing of old. It's more like a Sunday drive in the park. Trading paint? When was the last time that happened? God forbid Mr. GQ behind the wheel screw up his manicure.

NASCAR needs to eradicate this problem now. Brian France has talked about awarding more points for wins. Well, there's no time like the present. If these boys won't get up on the wheel, then reward the winner 50 bonus points for bringing home the checkered flag. That would get their attention.

Lately, teams have put more emphasis on qualifying. Make qualifying a race before the race by kicking in an additional 25 points for the pole sitter. That would add some incentive.

Bottom line: No guts. No glory. No Nextel Cup.

All I can say to this is "Amen, Sista"! The last 3 races where not real races, but very boring!!! I don't want a p.c. version of Nascar. Bring back the real racers and racing!!! Nascar has to do something to make it more competitive. Will the COT help? We will have to see, but do something with the point system that is now in place!

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