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February 04, 2007
Past Champion Provisional limit
I guess the powers that be at NASCAR gave this a second thought, in the beginning when it was brought up they said they wouldn't change it. Now it seems they made an about face and decided that a driver can only use 6 in a season.
I was a bit disappointed to hear the new rule. I think they're still giving them too much. If they are so steadfast about not getting rid of it altogether, I think they should have limited it to 1.
I'm sure Dale Jarrett and his team are not too thrilled with this. Jarrett has not always been the greatest qualifier and in the new Toyota team, there is no guarantees, but he'll have 6 free passes to use if he needs it.
To me, if a team or driver has to use that many provisionals, they shouldn't be there. I think NASCAR should have gotten rid of the past champion provisional long ago or at least make it where the only one who can get it is the recent champion, who would probably not need it.
Your thoughts?
February 4, 2007 in NASCAR | Permalink
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Comments
Mike,
What benefit to racing will be gained by adding more than 43 cars in a starting field? Imagine adding more cars to Bristol, it is already too crowded with 43 cars on the track. I see you are continuing your theme of punishing successful teams and rewarding mediocrity
Posted by: Jon | Feb 8, 2007 8:26:20 PM
I honestly think that they should get in on qualifying alone, giving the top 35 a spot is a joke. Granted that may mean your driver or my driver may not make it in every given week, but then it'll give the teams more to strive for because there will be more at stake.
Posted by: Kathy | Feb 8, 2007 2:49:25 PM
Why not take a step back and do it the old fashion way. Lock actual top 35 cars in on speed. Then have the rest run a "B FEATURE" that should be an adjusted number of laps based on venue and number of cars, and WA-LA top top 8 tranfer to the "A MAIN"
Posted by: DLQ20guy | Feb 8, 2007 12:54:45 PM
Michael, they can accomodate more than 43 cars via making the front-running multicar teams share pits and by staggering stops under yellow. 43 cars is not enough anymore.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Feb 7, 2007 4:20:25 PM
The problem with what you lay out isn't the past champion provisional, it's the 35 provisional spots for the top 35 in points.
Posted by: Paul | Feb 7, 2007 10:10:42 AM
In my opinion the Past Champion's Provisional needs to go. If a past champion is not in the top 35 in owner's points he does not deserve to have a guaranteed spot in the race. This is an ancient rule that was created in 1990 after Richard Petty missed a handful of races in 1989. This just opens up the system for abuse. Last year Terry Labonte drove the 96 car until he had it in the top 35 for Tony Raines, and this year Toyota threw a bunch of money at Dale Jarrett to get his past champion's provisional. What will happen next? Next year Joe Gibbs could start a 4th team and transfer the 20 car's owner's points to the new car, but keep Home Depot and the number 20 on Tony Stewart's car. That would let Stewart use the past champion's provisional in the "new" 20 car that has no owner's points and let the new 4th team with the "old" 20 car's owner's points get in automatically with the top 35 rule. Or maybe this year Dale Jarrett is in the top 35 after 5 races and either Waltrip or Reutimann is not. They could just swap the owner's points and keep the looks of the cars the same and keep putting DJ in the car that is not locked into the race every week until all 3 cars are in the top 35. This rule just creates too much of a mess and needs to be abolished.
Posted by: stricklinfan82 | Feb 6, 2007 1:11:36 PM
I think 43 cars is plenty. It's the largest racing field out of any series that races on ovals. There's not enough room for any more cars at tracks like Martinsville, Bristol, and Richmond. Those races would suck with 50+ cars on the track. The tracks are designed with just enough pits to accomodate 43, some not even enough. What's the point of adding more, so we can see a few more cars ride around the back of the field? If you have a fast car you can still make the field now.
Posted by: Michael | Feb 6, 2007 9:07:37 AM
Mike Daly
What you said :)
Posted by: DonB | Feb 5, 2007 6:52:13 PM
The past champion's provisional was always a weak compromise, because it did address one issue on qualifying but ignored the larger problem that the sport can't afford to keep stiffarming teams in qualifying. The issue is that the sport needs larger starting fields and to take the importance out of qualifying - qualifying should determine where you start, not whether you start.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Feb 5, 2007 6:31:29 PM
I think the past champions or "Richard Petty" provisional as it should really be called has had it's time come and go. If it is to be kept it should be limited to one use per year. Not really fair when some up and coming young driver has to miss a race because Terry Labonte decides he wants to run a handful of races and can't qualify well.
Posted by: Bill | Feb 5, 2007 3:44:55 PM
It doesn't really matter. The bigger issue is that there are 35 provisionals. Limiting the 36th doesn't change anything.
Posted by: Paul | Feb 5, 2007 1:47:53 PM
Who cares. This only applies 2 guys anyway. 6 is fine.
Posted by: Michael | Feb 5, 2007 1:27:51 PM
I think NASCAR needs to get rid of the past champion provisional altogether. If they want to allow the reigning champion to have a provisional for the Daytona 500 if necessary then that would be ok.
Posted by: Jon | Feb 4, 2007 11:16:15 PM
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