Life is change, growth is optional. Someone else said that long before I came along, but I love that statement, mostly. And every year NASCAR embraces the part about change. This year, there's been a lot of change.
There's the new qualifying rules and now there's the new Chase rules, which "we" did chat about almost two weeks ago.
Well, it's official. Each race is going to be even more important, and bad luck will be even more evil than ever before.
NASCAR is going to make a few changes.
First up, they're allowing up to 16 drivers into the Chase. It used to be 12. And before that, 10, but Tony Stewart missed the field once, and they then upped it to 12.
A driver can get into the Chase by various methods and one of them is by winning a race. This new aspect over-rules the process of having the most points. If there are fewer than 16 drivers with wins, then points will settle out the field to 16.
This means that one can be the absolutely most consistently performing driver of the season, have 26 second place finishes, and not be rewarded for it.
This new focus on wins is designed to induce a tizzy about winning a race during the season. Or, technically speaking NASCAR is putting the focus on winning.
And here's another new and interesting wrinkle.
After the Chase for the trophy commences, every three races, the field or contenders for the Championship will be reduced by 4 drivers. I don't know about you, but adding 4 eligible drivers who will be getting eliminated in a few races seems moot. But it should add some drama or excitement to talk about during this post season.
And then, after every few races of these final 10 of the year, we won't be playing the "mathematically possible" options any more.
To be honest though, most contenders who aren't in the top-five to begin with, usually aren't competitive. Usually, I said.
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And then for me, here is the MOST DISAPPOINTING aspect of the entire process, because it's not about points in the last race, it's about who has the least amount of bad luck, which means someone could barely squeak into the final race and still win the championship:::
"Four Drivers, First-to-the-Finish Championship Finale
The 36th and final race of the season will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Simply stated, the highest finisher in that race among the remaining four eligible drivers will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.
Bonus points for laps led will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion."
Word is that some drivers are surprised and not so happy with the change,
I think the diagram leading off this article says it all, but I'll let the press release speak for itself.
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press release (after the page break):
NASCAR Announces Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup
Championship Format Change
16-Driver Chase Grid Introduced; First-To-The-Finish Finale Unveiled
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2014) – NASCAR announced a new championship format today that will put greater emphasis on winning races all season long, expands the current Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field to 16 drivers, and implements a new round-by-round advancement format that ultimately will reward a battle-tested, worthy champion.
“We have arrived at a format that makes every race matter even more, diminishes points racing, puts a premium on winning races and concludes with a best-of-the-best, first-to-the-finish line showdown race – all of which is exactly what fans want,” said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. “We have looked at a number of concepts for the last three years through fan research, models and simulations, and also maintained extensive dialogue with our drivers, teams and partners. The new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be thrilling, easy to understand and help drive our sport’s competition to a whole new level.”
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Changes announced by France to the championship format include:
- A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup – a change that will put an unprecedented importance on winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race all season long
- Expanding the Chase field from 12 to 16 drivers, with those drivers advancing to what now will be known as the NASCAR Chase Grid
- The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will decrease after every three Chase races, from 16 to start in the Chase Grid; 12 after Chase race No. 3; eight after Chase race No. 6; and four after Chase race No. 9
- The first three races of the Chase (27-29) will be known as the Challenger Round; races 30-32 will be known as the Contender Round; races 33-35 will be the Eliminator Round and race No. 36 will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship
- A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round
- Four drivers will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.
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Eligibility for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
The top 15 drivers with the most wins over the first 26 races will earn a spot in the NASCAR Chase Grid – provided they have finished in the top 30 in points and attempted to qualify for every race (except in rare instances). The 16th Chase position will go to the points leader after race No. 26, if he/she does not have a victory. In the event that there are 16 or more different winners over 26 races, the only winless driver who can earn a Chase Grid spot would be the points leader after 26 races.
If there are fewer than 16 different winners in the first 26 races, the remaining Chase Grid positions will go to those winless drivers highest in points. If there are 16 or more winners in the first 26 races, the ties will first be broken by number of wins, followed by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver points.
As was implemented in 2011, prior to the start of the Chase, all Chase Grid drivers will have their points adjusted to 2,000, with three additional bonus points added to their total for each win in the first 26 races.
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Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Structure
After the third Chase race, the Chase Grid will be left with 12 drivers. After the sixth Chase race, the field will drop to eight drivers, and following the ninth Chase race, only four drivers will remain in championship contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title.
The first round (races 27-29) will be called the Challenger Round. If a driver in the Chase Grid wins a Challenger Round race, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-12 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 3,000.
The second round (races 30-32) will be called the Contender Round. Likewise, if a driver in the top 12 in points wins a race in the Contender Round, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-8 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 4,000.
The third round (races 33-35) will be called the Eliminator Round. If a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in the Eliminator Round, the driver automatically advances to the next round. The remaining available positions 1-4 that have not been filled based upon wins will be based on points. Each will then have their points reset to 5,000.
Additionally, drivers who are eliminated in the Contender and Eliminator Rounds will have their points readjusted. Each eliminated driver will return to the Chase-start base of 2,000 (plus any regular season wins bonus points), with their accumulated points starting with race No. 27 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-16th still up for grabs.
Four Drivers, First-to-the-Finish Championship Finale
The 36th and final race of the season will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Simply stated, the highest finisher in that race among the remaining four eligible drivers will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title.
Bonus points for laps led will not apply in the season finale, so the official finishing position alone will decide the champion.
All rules outlined above also apply to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner championship structure.
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I am trying to be optimistic about NASCAR's new Chase format. However, this new format does not reward a team that is consistent for 36 races. Instead, it is all about having ten great races, after the "regular season', the first 26 races. And even more importantly, having a great Homestead race!
ReplyDeleteThe first criteria to gain entry into the Chase is to win a race, which externally seems to not be thought out totally. There are some strange ramifications that could arise. That being said, in 2013 David Ragan would have been in the Chase, notwithstanding the fact that his team finished the regular season in 28th place! I find that fact very hard to swallow! That team met the criteria of winning a race, and also being in the top 30 in points. However, that team was in now way a championship caliber race team, but it would have been in the first 3 races of the Chase.!
The elimination of drivers at the 3, 6. and 9th races totally precludes a "mulligan"! Additionally, making Homestead a winner take all type of race could have some really unforeseen consequences! The team that had been dominating the Chase could have a hiccup at Homestead, and loose the championship that was all theirs!
It is not that I don't like change, I am just now sure that this is exactly the "right change"!