Brian France, ruining NASCAR right before our eyes...moronic new pts system as early as this year...

[laughedatbytime]

I don't want to say that this sucks sh!t, but this sucks sh!t. Seems to me that the main rationale behind this is for the 48 not to tie the 3 and the 43 at 7. Not a 48 fan, but this is BS.

 

NASCAR is planning a vast restructuring of the points system in its premier Sprint Cup Series that would greatly emphasize winning races and feature eliminations in its Chase playoff system, according to multiple sources briefed on the plan this week.

 

In addition to expanding the Chase field from 12 to 16 drivers, a win in the season’s first 26 races would virtually ensure a driver entry into the championship Chase. If there were more than 16 winners, the 16 with the most wins and highest in points would gain entry.

 

Once the Chase field was set, a round of eliminations – similar to the NCAA tournament – would take place after the third, sixth and ninth race of the Chase, culminating with the championship determined by a winner-takes-all season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

 

Under the proposed system – which could still change before an expected announcement later this month – winning would become virtually a necessity to make the Chase and win the championship.

 

In an interview on Motor Racing Network earlier this month, NASCAR Chairman Brian France said he was “not satisfied” with the current points structure.

 

“We think we can make some tweaks that continue to incentivize risk-taking, racing harder and so on,” he said.

 

NASCAR vice president and chief communications officer Brett Jewkes would not confirm the changes shared with the Observer but offered the following statement:

 

“NASCAR has begun the process of briefing key industry stakeholders on potential concepts to evolve its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship format. This dialogue is the final phase of a multi-year process that has included the review of extensive fan research, partner and industry feedback and other data-driven insights,” he said.

 

“NASCAR has no plans to comment further until the stakeholder discussions are complete. We hope to announce any potential changes for the 2014 season to our media and fans very soon.”

 

According to sources briefed on the proposal on Friday, 16 teams would make the Chase, with positions first going to full-time series contenders who won a race through the first 26 races of the season. Should 16 drivers not win races, the remaining slots would be filled by the drivers highest in points.

 

Once the field is set for the Chase and re-seeded, the four lowest in points among Chase contenders would be eliminated from title contention after the third, sixth and ninth race in the Chase.

 

The four remaining contenders would enter the season finale reset with the same amount of points. The driver who earned the most points in the season finale would be the series champion.

 

Participants have been told changes could still occur in the format but the proposal addressed this week was the direction NASCAR was now seemingly headed.

 

NASCAR has used a consistency-based points structure for the most part since its inception, determining the season champion by a season-long accumulation of points through the 2003 season.

 

The 10-race Chase format to determine the series champion was adapted in 2004 and has been used with some variations – including bonus for wins – ever since.

 

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/17/4620805/nascar-to-overhaul-points-chase.html#storylink=cpy

[Narps]

Guess I am not the only one that doesn't give a sh*t about this one..... :)

[goose]

What I'm reading is that a drtiver must win to get into the final championship hunt. What's bad about that?

[laughedatbytime]

What I'm reading is that a drtiver must win to get into the final championship hunt. What's bad about that?

Well, there almost certainly won't be 16 different winners in the first 26 races. And guys like David Ragan who do win the crapshoot plate races will be eliminated early in the Chase. So I don't have a real problem with that part of it.

 

The ridiculous part is that there will be four drivers with a chance to win the championship, based on the results of a single race. What a joke!

[thesweetscience]

It used to be that winning a championship in NASCAR was about being consistent. Scratching to stay relevant has caused them to make a mockery of the whole thing. I basically quit watching it when they went to the chase format. On top of that the new breed of drivers leave something to be desired when compared to the guys I grew up watching. Not so much in skill but in personality. A bunch of spoiled arrogant little pricks out there now.

[goose]

What I'm reading is that a drtiver must win to get into the final championship hunt. What's bad about that?

Well, there almost certainly won't be 16 different winners in the first 26 races. And guys like David Ragan who do win the crapshoot plate races will be eliminated early in the Chase. So I don't have a real problem with that part of it.

 

The ridiculous part is that there will be four drivers with a chance to win the championship, based on the results of a single race. What a joke!

Well, that's what other sports do, a successful model in terms of tv audience share. Golf has tried to build a similar approach with the FedEx Cup, and college football is going that way now.

 

Personally, I agree with you that a play-down system isn't the best model for all sports at all levels.

[goose]

It used to be that winning a championship in NASCAR was about being consistent. Scratching to stay relevant has caused them to make a mockery of the whole thing. I basically quit watching it when they went to the chase format. On top of that the new breed of drivers leave something to be desired when compared to the guys I grew up watching. Not so much in skill but in personality. A bunch of spoiled arrogant little pricks out there now.

That could apply to just about any pro sport these days.

[KenJennings]

Pitiful attempt to peel viewers away from the NFL. Not going to work.

 

My solutions for NASCAR? Thought you'd never ask:

 

Shorten the season by 8 calendar weeks, but add those races, plus two to four more, to the middle of season. How can this be accomplished? Run regional legs through the summer where a mid-week primetime race is followed by a nearby Sunday big-show. For instance, a midwest leg can be run through august with races at Iowa Speedway on Sunday 8/3, Eldora on Thursday Night 8/7, Road America on Sunday 8/10, IRP on Thurday Night 8/14, Indianapolis on Sunday 8/17, Chicagoland on Sunday 8/24...

 

Packing 6 races into a month, some mid-week at smaller local venues, allows for more racing over the course of a shorter period of time. By scheduling the races geographically, teams can plan ahead and transport their cars and equipment more economically. This has the added bonus of allowing NASCAR to put more money and resources into more small, local venues. Rather than cannibalizing the lower levels of the sport by competing for primetime slots on Saturday; NASCAR's premier show could be supporting local venues by renovating facilities and drawing in crowds.

 

I would also widely vary the type and configuration of tracks on the schedule. Save the big 1.5 mile fast tracks for the big show on Sunday, but run dirt tracks and road courses between. Don't let anyone get too comfortable in one type of track.

 

I would keep the reforms to the way points are awarded. 1 point per position is a good policy. But I would go back to the 2003 system as far as the total season tallying goes.

 

I would shorten the races, while the special events like the Daytona 500 and the Cocacola 600 can remain the same, other events should be shortened to 300 or 350 miles instead of 400 or 500. Let the viewers at home have some of their day remaining after watching.

 

I like many of the changes of the mechanics of the car, but I would like to see the tires narrowed and the spoilers and air dams reduced. Let's make the cars a little more unstable, so that running the entire race flawlessly just isn't an option for drivers in high end equipment anymore. With changes to the handle and grip of the car, devices like Restrictor plates could be done away with- because cars just wouldn't be able to handle at top speeds. The drivers would be forced to self-regulate.

 

On the safety end of things, I would like to see NASCAR funding soft wall projects at all tracks. That saves lives, and it's something I applaud them for doing a lot of thus far. I would also like to see mandatory suspensions for any driver who causes an intentional accident- during or after the race- in the vicinity of pit road. That's a serious, serious situation waiting to happen, and they're lucky it hasn't yet.

 

Oh, if I could have control of the sport for just a year...

[thesweetscience]

It used to be that winning a championship in NASCAR was about being consistent. Scratching to stay relevant has caused them to make a mockery of the whole thing. I basically quit watching it when they went to the chase format. On top of that the new breed of drivers leave something to be desired when compared to the guys I grew up watching. Not so much in skill but in personality. A bunch of spoiled arrogant little pricks out there now.

That could apply to just about any pro sport these days.

It's true. And when I was a kid I watched any sport that was on and now I follow hockey and to a much lesser degree, football and pretty much nothing else.

[thesweetscience]

Pitiful attempt to peel viewers away from the NFL. Not going to work.

 

My solutions for NASCAR? Thought you'd never ask:

 

Shorten the season by 8 calendar weeks, but add those races, plus two to four more, to the middle of season. How can this be accomplished? Run regional legs through the summer where a mid-week primetime race is followed by a nearby Sunday big-show. For instance, a midwest leg can be run through august with races at Iowa Speedway on Sunday 8/3, Eldora on Thursday Night 8/7, Road America on Sunday 8/10, IRP on Thurday Night 8/14, Indianapolis on Sunday 8/17, Chicagoland on Sunday 8/24...

 

Packing 6 races into a month, some mid-week at smaller local venues, allows for more racing over the course of a shorter period of time. By scheduling the races geographically, teams can plan ahead and transport their cars and equipment more economically. This has the added bonus of allowing NASCAR to put more money and resources into more small, local venues. Rather than cannibalizing the lower levels of the sport by competing for primetime slots on Saturday; NASCAR's premier show could be supporting local venues by renovating facilities and drawing in crowds.

 

I would also widely vary the type and configuration of tracks on the schedule. Save the big 1.5 mile fast tracks for the big show on Sunday, but run dirt tracks and road courses between. Don't let anyone get too comfortable in one type of track.

 

I would keep the reforms to the way points are awarded. 1 point per position is a good policy. But I would go back to the 2003 system as far as the total season tallying goes.

 

I would shorten the races, while the special events like the Daytona 500 and the Cocacola 600 can remain the same, other events should be shortened to 300 or 350 miles instead of 400 or 500. Let the viewers at home have some of their day remaining after watching.

 

I like many of the changes of the mechanics of the car, but I would like to see the tires narrowed and the spoilers and air dams reduced. Let's make the cars a little more unstable, so that running the entire race flawlessly just isn't an option for drivers in high end equipment anymore. With changes to the handle and grip of the car, devices like Restrictor plates could be done away with- because cars just wouldn't be able to handle at top speeds. The drivers would be forced to self-regulate.

 

On the safety end of things, I would like to see NASCAR funding soft wall projects at all tracks. That saves lives, and it's something I applaud them for doing a lot of thus far. I would also like to see mandatory suspensions for any driver who causes an intentional accident- during or after the race- in the vicinity of pit road. That's a serious, serious situation waiting to happen, and they're lucky it hasn't yet.

 

Oh, if I could have control of the sport for just a year...

I agree with some of this. I think Restrictor plates ruined super speedway racing.

 

I also think it was a bad idea to try and model every new track after Charlotte. Everything built now is a 1.5 mile double doglegged D shape track.

 

I don't think they need more races but I think the races should be shorter with a few exceptions and I also think if they took them all to "Saturday night under the lights" format, except for maybe the first Daytona race.

 

I like the idea of changing the cars that you suggested.

[KenJennings]

Saturday Night races are a problem for the sport. It cannibalizes viewers from local venues, who otherwise might be out watching a dirt race or a local street stock event. Night races are fine, but they need to be moved back into the week when people get home from work, and are going to be sitting in anyways. Saturday nights should be reserved for up and coming racers. One of the biggest problems in NASCAR is the lack of a foundation structure. People aren't getting involved in racing anymore, they don't feel a connection to it. That reduces the fan base, and it make the remaining fan-base less knowledgeable, less attentive, and more 'in it' just to watch crashes.

[thesweetscience]

Saturday Night races are a problem for the sport. It cannibalizes viewers from local venues, who otherwise might be out watching a dirt race or a local street stock event. Night races are fine, but they need to be moved back into the week when people get home from work, and are going to be sitting in anyways. Saturday nights should be reserved for up and coming racers. One of the biggest problems in NASCAR is the lack of a foundation structure. People aren't getting involved in racing anymore, they don't feel a connection to it. That reduces the fan base, and it make the remaining fan-base less knowledgeable, less attentive, and more 'in it' just to watch crashes.

Yeah I hadn't thought about that. I was not one to ever go out to local races.

[pjbear05]

Pitiful attempt to peel viewers away from the NFL. Not going to work.

 

My solutions for NASCAR? Thought you'd never ask:

 

Shorten the season by 8 calendar weeks, but add those races, plus two to four more, to the middle of season. How can this be accomplished? Run regional legs through the summer where a mid-week primetime race is followed by a nearby Sunday big-show. For instance, a midwest leg can be run through august with races at Iowa Speedway on Sunday 8/3, Eldora on Thursday Night 8/7, Road America on Sunday 8/10, IRP on Thurday Night 8/14, Indianapolis on Sunday 8/17, Chicagoland on Sunday 8/24...

 

Packing 6 races into a month, some mid-week at smaller local venues, allows for more racing over the course of a shorter period of time. By scheduling the races geographically, teams can plan ahead and transport their cars and equipment more economically. This has the added bonus of allowing NASCAR to put more money and resources into more small, local venues. Rather than cannibalizing the lower levels of the sport by competing for primetime slots on Saturday; NASCAR's premier show could be supporting local venues by renovating facilities and drawing in crowds.

 

I would also widely vary the type and configuration of tracks on the schedule. Save the big 1.5 mile fast tracks for the big show on Sunday, but run dirt tracks and road courses between. Don't let anyone get too comfortable in one type of track.

 

I would keep the reforms to the way points are awarded. 1 point per position is a good policy. But I would go back to the 2003 system as far as the total season tallying goes.

 

I would shorten the races, while the special events like the Daytona 500 and the Cocacola 600 can remain the same, other events should be shortened to 300 or 350 miles instead of 400 or 500. Let the viewers at home have some of their day remaining after watching.

 

I like many of the changes of the mechanics of the car, but I would like to see the tires narrowed and the spoilers and air dams reduced. Let's make the cars a little more unstable, so that running the entire race flawlessly just isn't an option for drivers in high end equipment anymore. With changes to the handle and grip of the car, devices like Restrictor plates could be done away with- because cars just wouldn't be able to handle at top speeds. The drivers would be forced to self-regulate.

 

On the safety end of things, I would like to see NASCAR funding soft wall projects at all tracks. That saves lives, and it's something I applaud them for doing a lot of thus far. I would also like to see mandatory suspensions for any driver who causes an intentional accident- during or after the race- in the vicinity of pit road. That's a serious, serious situation waiting to happen, and they're lucky it hasn't yet.

 

Oh, if I could have control of the sport for just a year...

 

I would love to see NASCAR running at a bullring like Eldora. Hell et 'em run Daytona on the Rolex course.

[KenJennings]

I would love to see NASCAR running at a bullring like Eldora. Hell et 'em run Daytona on the Rolex course.

 

Did you see when they ran the Truck Series there last year? One of the finest races NASCAR has run in ages. Went off without a hitch.

Edited January 20, 2014 by KenJennings

[Cygnus 2112]

I hate this format. Consistency wins championships but Kenseth won the 2003 championship with 1 win and 11 top 5 and 25 top 10 finishes. Now he would squeak into the chase and possibly be eliminated early on. Not a fan of that. Lets just keep it how it is.

[laughedatbytime]

WTF, France.

 

NASCAR has knocked out its traditional qualifying format in favor of a more exciting elimination-style event.

 

In a drastic change to what the Sprint Cup Series has used for most of its history, cars will no longer qualify for the race based on a two-lap, solo run around the track.

 

Beginning the week after the Daytona 500, NASCAR will use knockout qualifying -- popularized in Formula One and IndyCar -- to set the field.

 

Here's how it will work:

 

-- On tracks 1.25 miles or greater in length, drivers will need to make it through three sessions to win the pole. All cars will run for the first 25 minutes, with the top 24 advancing to the next round. Those cars 25-43 will have their positions set based on their lap times.

 

The top 24 cars will then run for 10 minutes, with the 12 fastest advancing to the final round. Then a five-minute final round with those 12 cars will determine the pole winner.

 

-- On tracks less than 1.25 miles, there will only be two sessions. The full field will get 30 minutes to attempt a fast lap, followed by a 10-minute final round with the top 12 cars.

 

The new rules also apply to the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series, but will not be implemented for the Truck race at Eldora Speedway or any non-points events.

 

If there is a wreck or a driver blows a tire during a session, the car goes to the garage and the fastest completed lap is used to determine the qualifying slot. No repairs are allowed on pit road or in the garage. NASCAR would red flag the session and stop the clock if there is an incident.

 

Just one set of tires will be allotted for qualifying.

 

If qualifying is rained out, slots will be determined per usual by the rule book. If more than one driver notches the same speed, owner points will be used to break the tie.

 

The pit box selection process remains unchanged, with drivers picking in the order they qualify.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/01/22/nascar-qualifying-new-cup-race-format/4779785/

 

Can we find a judge who would declare this guy incompetent?

[Babycat]

Thanks for the tag, LABT! :ebert:

[laughedatbytime]

Yet another complete fiasco with that idiotic knockout qualifying yesterday...the 14, 20, 24, and 48 didn't even get on the track...

 

F you, you alcoholic twit France.