The NASCAR point system works like this: The first 26 races are considered the regular season. You are positioning yourself by winning as much as possible and being in the top 12 in points come Richmond.
After the "regular season," the points are reset to 5000 for the top 12 and then you receive 10 points for every win. So, even if you are leading the points going into Chase, it doesn't mean you will be leading the points as the green flag waves at the first race.
Last year, Jeff Gordon dominated the "regular season" only to enter the Chase tied with Jimmie Johnson for wins at Richmond International Speedway. We know the end result—while Gordon finished well within the top 10 week in and week out and collected wins himself, Jimmie Johnson won four races and left Gordon and his fans wondering "what if?"
This year, Jimmie Johnson was not the best driver all year long. Once again that goes to Carl Edwards, who, like Gordon in 2007, is wondering "what if?"
Not taking anything away from Johnson's amazing and historic feat this past weekend, but this writer is not going to lie, Jimmie won the 10-race shootout, while the most consistent driver settled for second again.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Now, Kyle Busch, who, like Gordon in 2007, dominated the regular season, only saw his domination quickly end early in the Chase, eliminating his chance to win the title. He might have dominated NASCAR this season, but he still doesn't win me over as the clear choice for this years jilted runner-up.
The point system sets us up for this. The one leading going into the Chase is not guaranteed a championship with the points reset. Making winning races key. Kyle Busch did just that, and he barley finished in the top 10.
I understand NASCAR's intent with the new system, making winning a priority, but then you need to find a way to reward the points leader coming into the Chase, even if they are sitting without the most wins, which is what we saw last year, when Gordon and Johnson were tied for most wins. Yet Gordon led second place Tony Stewart by 317 points and Johnson was in sixth well over 400 points out.
Johnson's early season struggles were widely documented and many "experts" had said he didn't have a shot at winning this year. The team tested and quickly rebounded. I give them the "comeback of the year" award after their slow start.
Edwards was able to win on every type of track except road courses, where Busch dominated. Edwards won early in the year, in the middle and the end. Edwards was consistent enough to win under the old system, but not good enough under the new.
Maybe rotating races wouldn't be such a bad thing. Every two years or so, change up which tracks are featured. That way other venues get featured in the Chase and maybe draw more attention to the final 10 races.
Like the Super Bowl. If the big game was played every year at Soldier Field; fans wouldn't be as drawn or as interested as they are now with the current system.
When things don't change, you lose interest. The status quo is just not good enough for the fans and that is what the NASCAR Chase has become, and fans want change and want something different and sooner rather than later fans won't stick around to see the same driver win every year.
The Chase formats sets us up for the same story different page scenario. The Chase says little about the competition and more about the point system rewarding the one driver who has the least amount of bad luck in the final 10, and this year that driver was Jimmie Johnson—again.
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about 1 month ago
I'm sorry but you can't compare the "old system" and the "new system". I am sure if Jimmie Johnson were under the "old system" he would have finished higher than 15th to win the cup but he didn't have to. You play with what you are given and he just happened to play it best.
from about 1 month ago
your right the old system means nothing today, thats why Jimmie's the champ and Edwards isn't but you can't ignore the fact that while what he did was incredible, Carl Edwards was the most consistent this season. And like I said in the past that would win you championships. The idea was not to let one driver run away with the points and make the last 10 races or so non-exsistent, but what has happened is resetting the points eliminates what the drivers are doing before the chase. Not rewarding the driver who sat atop the points before Richmond and that has nothing to do with the old system. There is no real excitement with this chase format, nor was there with the other one, eliminating this format and finding a new way to garner interest might be the best idea for teh future.. but we have to figure things won't change...
from about 1 month ago
Hate too burst your bubble, but both Trucks and Nationwide proved the Chase does work and both series experienced higher ratings than Cup.
from about 1 month ago
SM i thought the Nationwide and truck series was more exciting they don't carry the chase format . I guess the current cup format could be that exciting if teams figure out not only how to beat jimmie but how to beat the demons of the chase(mistakes). I think NASCAR intention with the chase was to have it come down to the fianl lap at homestead like the truck series and even nationwide series. I can only hope it will get better.
about 1 month ago
Its pretty simple for me, your bad finishes hurt your more then your wins and consistency help you. that was the difference in the chase. Carl had no control of the ignition box issue, but he did make a big mistake at Dega and in a 10 race pressure cooked run for the title you just cannot do that..Not only did Carl take out his own teammates, he also took out other contenders that could have also made a run at the 48...I would say Nascar should take Dega out of the chase all together and put a road course in its place...i understand that when your not a 48 fan its hard to watch someone dominate the chase year in and year out. But lets project to 2009 , lets say Jr wins the title next season or mark martin, all of the sudden the interest is rekindled....Nascar fans simply were not ready for 1 team to dominate the chase each of the last 3 seasons, that's why some have lost interest....It's unlikely that the 48 will win 4 in a row, believe me, i would like to see it happen, but the Biff, Burton, Carl, Kyle and Jr learned some big lessons this season that should propel one of those guys to a title in 09. Remember the chase was created from the outcry of fans who knew under the old points you didn't have to win a race and you could win a title. I think kenseth won 1 race the year he won the title under the old points system. Fans wanted their champions to win races, consistent top 5's are of little interest anymore. You cant take the current chase results and say that's the way they would finish under the old points system. Race teams strategize based on the system they are running under. When your 183 points ahead of the 2nd place guy what you do is different from being only 30 points ahead. And the closer Carl got to the 48 the more the 48 ratcheted up their game, just like last season with Gordon. Carl is knocking on the door but he is gonna have to learn how to minimize mistakes get the lead and not relinquish it. For me the best driver is defined by who comes home with the title, not by who is the most consistent. Carl was consistent because that's what he had to be to catch Jimmie. Kyle Busch won 21 races in truck, nationwide and sprint, what did it get him? Title runs are not about consistency in the chase format, they're about winning races and not making mistakes....That's how the 48 was able to do it 3 years in a row. Other teams were able to win but were not able to minimize mistakes or recover from them. I know some don't like that but that's what we got.
from about 1 month ago
I agree with you on that Carl made mistakes that hurt him big time in the end and really thats what this chase like you said is about, winning and not making mistakes. I also don't think that Jimmie will win it all next, not becuase I am not a Johnson fan but because to many teams have gotten better within the last two months of the season, finally figuring out handling and setups on these cars. So i think guys Kenseth and Gordon and even Jr will be factors next year just because they have started to figure things out. But i really was amazed at what Jimmie has doen this last three years and i think other teams are figuring it out. Like i said before things won't change with this format, the teams have to keep up with Jimmie and the chase.. if they want to win it all.. thanks for your comment!!
from about 1 month ago
Very well said Dave. You said better what I tried to say.
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