Racing Time to change the NASCAR Cup Chase Format?

[ranbethscards]

Point Racing versus Racing to Win!

... it's that time of year again for my "NASCAR doesn't play fair" rant!

If the 2013 Cup Chase was to begin today (8/2/2013), the following drivers would be in the Chase:

TOP TEN:
Johnson (4 wins)
Bowyer (ZERO wins)
Edwards (1 win)
Harvick (2 wins)
Dale Jr (ZERO wins)
Kenseth (4 wins)
Kyle Busch (2 wins)
BIffle (1 win)
Kahne (1 win)
Gordon (ZERO wins)

WILD CARD:
Stewart (1 win)
Truex Jr (1 win)

The following drivers with WINs would not make the Cup Chase:
Newman (1 win) - 16th place
Ragan (1 win) - 28th place
Vickers (1 win) - 53rd place - (Did not have a ride for the entire season)

PROBLEM: There are three drivers with ZERO wins in the Cup Chase, while you have three drivers with ONE win apiece sitting at home. ...and I thought the Cup Chase Format was suppose to favor the WINNING drivers.

 

[camaropat]

Idk, I dont have a problem with the format. If tou take sombody who averaged a finish of 12th lets say compare them to sombody who averaged finish is 23rd with a win Id say the former had the better season without thw win. Plus once the chase starts it evens it all out and the guys with no wins are at the bottom.

Be honest Randy, this is because Jr is in the top ten, right?

 

[IQless1]

Winning isn't everything.

Seriously though, Someone could theoretically place 2nd in every race in the Season and it sounds like you'd disqualify them for inclusion.

I don't see why anyone is excluded in the Cup Chase, unless it's statistically impossible for them to win the title, given their points. Then again, I don't know much about how and why the decision to do it this way started in the first place.

 

[ranbethscards]

Be honest Randy, this is because Jr is in the top ten, right?

Absolutely! lol...

 

[ranbethscards]

Winning isn't everything.

... I don't know much about how and why the decision to do it this way started in the first place.

I do agree with winning isn't everything... but seriously, if you don't win, why should you be allowed to go after a championship? I didn't see the NFL tell the 0-16 Lions that they would get to play in the playoffs.

...and one of the main reasons the Cup Chase was set up as it is... a few years back Matt Kenseth took over the point lead mid-way through the season... not a small point lead mind you... but a very huge lead. What this did, it allowed Matt and his team to evaluate where he needed to finish in each remaining race to win the Championship... and what did Matt do? He point raced the remainder of the season... and even admitted that he was doing that.

...and this pains me to say... as I am one of the biggest Jimmie Johnson haters around... but JJ races to win EVERY race. There's no point racing in this guys vocabulary.

 

[IQless1]

Well, say you win every race for the first 25% of the season, but never race again for the rest of the season. You're saying it should count for inclusion, because races were won. I'm saying points are more important, and a 2nd-place finish in every race counts, where you appear to be saying it doesn't.

In other words: I'm fine with point-racing.

What I don't get is even bothering to let the drivers of the other cars into the championship races. They have no chance to win, and they're just bottle-necking the field. I understand there's $$$ involved, but it's pointless otherwise.

How about two races? One for the championship, one for those not included. That way, the prize and sponsorship $$$ remains in play, but the cars are not, allowing for cleaner races for both, since the fields would be thinner.

 

[camaropat]

They cant just race with 12 cars. It would be about as exciting as watching practice. with 43 in the field if you have a bad race you lose 30 points instead of 10. The Chase was brought about to make sure that sombody doesnt run away with the lead early in the season and just cruise like Kenseth did for the championship.

 

[IQless1]

They cant just race with 12 cars. It would be about as exciting as watching practice. with 43 in the field if you have a bad race you lose 30 points instead of 10. The Chase was brought about to make sure that sombody doesnt run away with the lead early in the season and just cruise like Kenseth did for the championship.

Yeah, but Danica would have more free time to mingle with the crowd my way.

 

[Leafsfan1967]

They need to put more emphasis on how many points a win should be worth. The way it's set up now it doesn't make a huge difference points wise between winning a race, and finishing in the top 10. Make a win worth 10 bonus points, or something like that. The point system is set up to reward consistancy, and it is constant top 10 finishes why Jimmie is in the points lead, and not just his 4 wins. They help, of course, but aren't the only reason why he's always up there. You can't punish a driver for being consistant, just because he didn't win a race. Heck, most of the time, the best car, or cars don't even win the race, and the final result is because of circumstances (rain, fuel mileage, pit road penalties, too many cautions etc). How many times do we see a driver lead the most laps, and not win the race? I agree they should try to find a better way, but I have no qualms about how it's done now. If a driver constantly gets top 5's, and 10's every week, then he deserves to be in the chase, because week, after week he is one of the top cars on the track. Not that hard to comprehend.