Subscribe to this blog's feed« The M&M’s are melting in his hands | Main | The thing called luck »
June 30, 2006
Chase, we hardly knew ye
By DAVID GREEN
Changes in the Chase for the Cup? Well, of course -- the outdated thing will be three years old this year, for cryin' out loud. In today's MTV-loving, immediate-satisfaction-demanding, attention-deficit-disorder-plagued society, NASCAR is about two years overdue in overhauling this oh-so-yesterday antique.
We should have known, when Tony Stewart won last year's Chase without scoring a victory in the final 10 races, that alarm bells were clanging in Daytona Beach. It was under the radar of most of us because Stewart, riding a season-long bulletproof consistency and a scorching mid-season streak in which he won five times, was pretty much a consensus pick as the driver most deserving of the 2005 championship.
That's in stark contrast to 2003, when poor Matt Kenseth had the same sort of season as Stewart, except for the mid-season winning spurt, and claimed the final Winston Cup with only one victory, while Ryan Newman was winning eight races. On the heels of Kenseth's title, quicker than you could say "uh-oh," NASCAR instituted the Chase for the Cup.
The problem with the Chase was that, while it did create a playoff-like dramatic atmosphere in which the season champion was determined, it did not fix the "problem" (as some perceive it) in NASCAR's championship points system -- specifically, that it does not adequately and appropriately reward the winners of races.
The only adjustment in the points that came with the 10-race Chase was an extra five points for the winner. That did, at least, address the ridiculous scenario in which a driver could finish second but, if he led the most laps, receive the same number of points as the race winner.
It was a step in the right direction, but only a microscopic step. People go home or turn off their television sets after a race remembering two things: (1) who won and (2) who might have been involved in an unusual incident (a spectacular crash, a pit-road miscue, et cetera). Somehow, that has been lost in the promotion (hyping) of a season-long championship. Races have been reduced to near-insignificance except for their equal shares in the "big picture."
A system that provides real incentive for winning races would run contrary to that way of thinking. It would award 100 points to the winner and drop by as much as 25 to 50 percent for second place. It would reward no one who did not finish in the top 25 percent of the rundown.
Such a system might well make a mockery of a 10-race playoff. It would be much less likely to produce a controversial champion over the full course of a season.
Does that mean NASCAR won't address the issue of appropriately rewarding race winners when it revamps the Chase? I won't mislead anybody by intimating that I have any idea.
The championship will be whatever NASCAR determines it will be, and that's really all that matters. The sanctioning body is never going to please everyone, especially among the ranks of spectators and the media. Competitors are going to do their best to work the system (whatever it is) to their advantage.
In that sense, anyway, the champ will almost always be the correct and deserving one.
June 30, 2006 | Permalink
Comments
Let's hope the sanctioning body of NA$CAR is listening to the fans too.
Posted by: Diane | Jun 30, 2006 11:14:09 AM
Diane they will never listen to the fans
They will follow their pocket books
Yup thats our NA$CAR
Posted by: trucker | Jun 30, 2006 12:13:18 PM
First of all, to my road racing buddy. . .weren't those two great races last night? I loved the battle between Long & Pruett and then Bergmeister pulled out the win on fuel mileage! Tony kicked some serious butt those first few laps and put on a great performace thoughout.
Re: the subject at hand. . .I hope they come up with something other than "The Chase to the Nextel Cup" or "The Chase to the Champioship" or whatever. Or maybe that's what they want to call it - just pick one.
Except for rewarding the winner with more points, I really don't know what else they can do. Do you think they would add a road course? It sounds like Brian is not happy with just 10 drivers. I'm curious as what the magic number is. I can bet you if Jr. and Gordon don't make this one, it will be the top 20. Then why bother. Reset all 43+ to zero and pretend like the first 26 didn't matter!
One thing I have not mentioned before, is I believe whatever 'system' they use in Cup, they should use in Busch and Trucks. Why does the old system work for them, but not Cup?
It will be interesting to see what the master minds of NASCAR come up with this time.
I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday weekend and hope there aren't any rain delays!
Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!
Posted by: Shirley | Jun 30, 2006 1:18:37 PM
I agree with Shirley, what else can YOU do? reset all 43 driver points and make "smear the...driver?" a king of the hill type free for all? Hmmmm the possibilites that Michial Waltrip or Carl Long COULD win a championship! "The Chase" is a JOKE, The France Family mafia SHOULD know it's game can't compete with stick and ball and pucks. If the Chase format is so good why isn't it used in Busch or Truck? the old system work well for 30 couple years! I don't wanna here "award points" for the pole winner...NOT! anyone can go fast for a lap or two, who cars WHO leads the most laps...if you didn't lead the LAST lap it doesn't really matter now does it! Keep it simple!
Posted by: Tbfka# 5 | Jun 30, 2006 1:43:16 PM
#5 - kinda like KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid! I thought the 'old' point system was around for around 50 years. And you are correct. It worked then, why not now.
But I'm in heaven right now. I'm at home watching F1 practice and the rest of the day will be NASCAR. It's a SPEED weekend in this home!
Posted by: Shirley | Jun 30, 2006 2:58:25 PM
Wasn't F1 practice cool
they sure spend a lot of money in F1
would anyone love to see Na$car try the road courses at Indy and Daytona
about the chase
After 50 plusyears of a system working and Matt Kenseth winning by being conservative we were told we need something to shake up the SYSTEM to gain market share during the NFL season.
DID IT WORK ???
I guess from King Brian's news conference
it didn't
well maybe we need a BIGGER shakeup
we are now at the halfway point and according to my reading we have had 2 increases in TV veiwer attendance
2 the same or close to last years and the rest are DOWN
I'll be watching Speed and FX and FOX and back to Speed and ABC and end on speed Monday night
Great weekend of racing
HAVE A SAFE 4RTH WEEK END WHERE EVER YOU ARE AND WHATEVER YOU DO
ps it is raining here again
Posted by: trucker | Jun 30, 2006 3:25:42 PM
F1 was fun, wasn't it, Ron. We'll be watching the same thing. Sorry about the rain, but at least it's not down here. Enjoy your weekend!
Posted by: Shirley | Jun 30, 2006 4:40:20 PM
The Chase has served to provide exactly nothing of what it originated for, which I assumed was a competition among the 10 Best drivers, guaranteed to keep us wanting more. No more low key (ala Kenseth) Championships (to be fair Matts title was certainly earned, and he certainly wasn't the only one to have ever "walked it home.") Stewart proved he wouldn't be the last.
"Brains," Oops, my bad, I meant "Brians" (and that's a big Oops) mistake was that drivers, cars and tracks obey the rules of the moment. You can write on paper how it's supposed to be all day long, but you'll be needing more paper or erasers to write how it actually went. Then his best draws went and had bad seasons and missed the show...unthinkable and unthought of...hence the "Brain" Oops.
It needs to be dumped but if its staying (Most likely until Bra...ugh, Brian changes his mind) then 3yrs is a good time to work on it. You can't knee-jerk every season and get a good product. My bet is that it will go to top 15. Do I think anyone 15th in points deserves a chance? Hell no! I stopped smoking the ganga long ago...but it gets all the pretty names into the show.
We'll see what happens, but IMO it's a pure TV creation. They should make the top 10 (15) dorm together and hang out. Then we'd see the "Chase" as it is...Reality Racing TV created to amuse.
Good post David. LOL you beat me by a nap;-)
Posted by: Keith | Jun 30, 2006 4:59:36 PM
You know Keith that is a point I never considered
Do you want the best 10 who have a good car,great crew,best of luck to run for the championship or
do you want 15 attractive to get in
lol sounds like top 35 would be better
Posted by: trucker | Jun 30, 2006 5:54:03 PM
I see Keith's started the weekend early...LOL, How about adding "Elimination" to the equation? oh wait maybe I'VE started celebrating early...anyway everyone have a safe and enjoyable weekend to all!
Posted by: Tbfka# 5 | Jun 30, 2006 7:10:06 PM
Tbfka#5,
I like elimination...it makes it more urgent to perform. At least it would give it a resemblence to a real playoff. The best teams should make it in, but in real world sports the best teams don't always win.
Posted by: Keith | Jun 30, 2006 7:20:54 PM
Did anyone hear Jimmy Johnson on FX Busch prerace show
Keep chase and only allow those within 400 points into the chase weather 6 or 15
kinda makes sense
Posted by: trucker | Jun 30, 2006 8:06:44 PM
The only bad thing about keeping the chase but only allowing those within 400 points is that theoretically, after 26 races, no one may be within 400 points of the leader and then the freakin' season is over.
Personally, I like the scoring system the way it is except they should award more points to the winner. However, it should not be an extravagantly large sum over 2nd place, because second place could dominate the whole damn race but get nudged in the last corner and finish second due to questionable tactics. Now, I now rubbin's racin' but a guy who leads 399 of 400 laps and finishes second should not take it in the shorts for not leading the last lap. At least not painfully, in the point standings.
DO NOT AWARD POINTS FOR THE POLE. This is, quite possibly the worst idea ever. It is called NASCAR racing not NASCAR poling. In fact, qualifying doesn't even happen on RACE DAY!!!!! The benefit of winning the pole is the best opportunity in the field for leading a lap, which will earn you points as it is.
I have no problem with a champion that wins once in a year. I am a huge Matt Kenseth fan and he put on a consistently dominating performance as far as Top 10's are concerned in 2003. In fact, I would have no problem with a champion that did not win at all. If a guy finishes 2nd 36 times and runs away with the title, he was a man on a mission and he earned that bad boy. Winning 10 races but finishing 40th or worse 10 times is hardly whipping the field. 5 out of those 10 wins could have been fuel mileage gambles.
The points system is nearly fine; it just needs a little tweaking. I'm out.
Posted by: Choach | Jun 30, 2006 8:35:01 PM
Choach! it's been awhile!
Posted by: Tbfka# 5 | Jun 30, 2006 11:12:01 PM
Brain - like it Keith. And like the idea of elimination. Still don't think it would beat the NFL in ratings, but it might be fun for 3 years.
Congrats to Boris - "Sell more cases, run more races!" I'm headed to Dollar General! (DW - leave his hair alone. You should be so lucky!)
Posted by: Shirley | Jul 1, 2006 11:01:35 AM
Not only should the whole Chase concept be scrapped and more points awarded to race winners, but large point bonuses, quarterly and season, should go to the winner of the most races and leader of the most laps.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Jul 1, 2006 1:48:25 PM
sleeping dog lie,sleeping dog lie,sleeping dog lie,...WHO cares about WHO leads the MOST laps!!! IF you don't lead the last one...it just doesn't matter! NO POINTS for pole winners, NO POINTS for leader at halfway, NO POINTS for most laps lead!
Posted by: Tbfka# 5 | Jul 1, 2006 5:15:06 PM
You know they just don't race like they should,most drivers just sorta hang in there to get to the end.So if you want more excitement have 15 in the Chase and each week the lowest of the 15 by points is eliminated so after Richmont there are 14 left in the chase ,and so on till only
5 are left at Homestead..
Race or get out...
Posted by: trucker | Jul 2, 2006 12:38:46 AM
Let's face it, gang -- the Chase, regardless of how it might be tweaked, is nothing more than a gimmick designed to make the championship battle more exciting. It's the same thing as a "competition caution" near the end of a race that bunches the field for a sprint shootout at the finish. From a purist's standpoint, it is indefensibly contrived. It is also what we are stuck with, and I doubt seriously that it is going away. Our options are to live with it and enjoy it for what it is or throw up our hands and find something else.
Posted by: David Green | Jul 2, 2006 10:46:43 AM
It's a sad commentary on Nascar when 'excitement' revolves around a discussion of manipulating the point system instead of the racing on the track. I think it's pathetic to lock (insert number) drivers in OR out of the top (insert number here)and eliminating their ability to move up or down in the final standings. As long as they expect all 43 teams to run every race, they should have to opportunity to improve their final standings. Chaning the point system every few years to manipulate 'competition' just shows desperation.
Posted by: sal | Jul 3, 2006 8:13:30 AM
The media has twisted this sport into a soap opera. I like Kieth's idea of eliminating drivers and think there is a lot of merit to the thought. I also think that awarding additional points to the winner of each race is a good idea as well but let's not give too many. The Championship has always been about consistency. I would rather have a champion that has only won one race but had 20+ top ten finishes than a driver who has won six races but only 5-10 top ten finishes.
Posted by: Mark | Jul 3, 2006 10:47:52 AM
Another thing about the "Chase (please rename me)" is that once a driver is solidly in "CIII" who cares? Johnson the points leader was 101 up last week and is only 8 ahead now. "No Biggie," its only 93 points, he's in the Chase. Back in the day, that was excitement when the NASCAR points lead changed that much.
I guess I'm saying they dulled up where the excitement should be...Which btw should be "The Points Leaders," and shifted it back to the "wanna get ins." Name another racing venue (Except for naked Swedish Womens Oval Skating) where the focus is on the rear and not who's #1.
Posted by: Keith | Jul 3, 2006 5:04:20 PM
I was thinking the same thing, Keith. Very well said.
But, more important, Keith. . .how many events of the Naked Swedish Womens Oval Skating have you attended?
Posted by: Shirley | Jul 3, 2006 5:15:07 PM
Shirley,
I'm the team doctor...Call me Uncle Sven ;-)
Posted by: Keith | Jul 3, 2006 5:21:23 PM
after the above exchange
I am holding my thoughts to myself
Posted by: trucker | Jul 3, 2006 6:16:02 PM
Post a comment
Advertisements
