NASCAR needs to get rid of the top 35 rule. Agree?

Question

First and foremost I am a Mikey Waltrip fan, make fun of me, bash me whatever.
But seriously he qualifies 20th and misses the race, that is absolutly ridiculous. It appears that if you arent in the top 35 you shouldn't even bother trying to qualify since that just proved you can qualify good and be knocked out. Does anybody agree? And this isn't the first time that he's made it on speed and been knocked out either.

I just checked all the speeds and every single one of the go or go home cars was fast enough to make the race, yet they miss it because of the top 35, why bother qualifying when only 8 out of 16 cars are going to make it even if you qualify well enough to make it on speed?

cooliz, thats why they made the stupid rule in the first place, so tell me kasey khane is out of the top 35 he qualifies 20th, and doesnt make the race, are you still going to like the rule then?
That's my whole point is how can you qualify 20th and not make the race you beat at least 24 cars, and if theres a bigger field then you beat more. Mikey was faster than 32 cars and he missed the race. Something isn't right there.

Answer 1

I think they should all qualify on time.

Answer 2

The highest qualifiers should be able to race. Get rid of the top 35 being safe. Wouldn't it be a better race if the best cars were on the track for any given race? This last weekend was an impound race and the top 35 didn't necessarily have to go out in qualifying trim...what's wrong with this picture? Shouldn't all of the teams have to qualify and race under the same conditions?

Answer 3

I'm in the same boat with ya. I'm a Ken Schrader fan, and he will be sitting at home tomorrow also. However, it is a product of poor finishes in the first few races this season that has the 21 team missing this race. In your case, Mikey, the Red Bull teams and a few others were brand new teams and therefore had no owner's points to fall back on for the first few races. I believe more consideration should be given to the new teams for the first few races, just not quite sure how. Now AFTER the first 7 races or so, I DO agree with the top-35 rule. I still think they should eliminate Past Champions provisionals however.

Answer 4

Yeah bad break for Mikey. I do not like the rule either even though I am a #24 fan. I think it either should be qualify or don't; or just allow the top 10 or 15 a pass to make more room for others. 8 remaining spots is not very fair. And to top that off, some of those are filled in by owners points or past winning rep. Definitely needs to go.

Answer 5

There has to be some sort of rule that helps the big names like Kasey Kahne, what if he crashed and missed the race? I mean alot of people and his sponsors would be happy there has to be a way to benefit the guys in the top say like 20.. Now Michael didn't make his race because his employee qualified better then he did. Most everyone qualified on speed BUT.. and I say BUT... they weren't the fastest. The guys who got knocked out where beat by someone who was faster then them. David Reutamann knocked out his owner, because he was faster. Dale Jarrett had to use his last championship provisional so there is going to be more spots available because he won't be able to use it and he won't qualify in on time.. You have to please someone and no matter what your going to have people who love it and hate it. You're basically going to please someone and make someone else mad and you gotta choose who is more important to please.. the drivers or the sponsors... and that basically means the sponsors because without them there really wouldn't be a sport to race at because they pay for the advertising, the paychecks, and the owners get moneys from the sponsors to build the cars...So I think you need to please them more then anyone..

You don't have to worry about Dale Jarrett anymore since he has no provisionals and after a few laps he would be told to get off the track because he wasn't meeting the speed, and as a matter of fact the smaller guys even without the top 35 would still get screwed, they don't have teammates, money, or good sponsors, and all of that makes you a successful race car driver and organization. If you have sucky equipment your not going to make a race and if you don't have a teammate your going to have to find friends on the track to help you thats why its important to have teammates so you can use their setups and notes and use other information and actually make some decent cash.

Answer 6

Couldn't agree more something has to change and Mikey has some goods thoughts about it.You run all the cars not in the top 35 out on the track back to back so the track temp. is about equal.Makes sense.What mikey has to also acknowledge tho is the rules have permitted Dale Jarrett to run every race.But he's out of championship provisionals.So look for Bill Elliot to be wearing a Toyota uni soon.By the way Mickey is way cool.Who else could be called Mikey at his age and get away with it.lol.

Answer 7

Yes I agree, and I'm also a Mikey fan - - - YAY !!! But I also think that they should DO AWAY with the Top 35 Rule - - - everybody needs to qualify their way in - - - if you are Junior or Jeff Gordon or anyone else, and you don't make it - - - oh well - - - there's always next week or the next season. Let's see how some of them boys like it in the "go or go home" group, I guarantee you that you'd see ACTION on nascar's part then !!!

My other idea is to only qualify the "go or go home" group - - - the rest of the boys can draw straws for the pit boxes - - - that gives plenty of time for qualifying. Just a thought.

Answer 8

I agree mostly because my favorite drive has missed a few races. Jeremy Mayfield. He is a good driver and has missed because of a new team. I think Mikey is a good driver, but hes also got to compeate with Mike Bliss, Ward Burton, jeremy, and his drivers David and dale to get in. Now I don't like it when Boris Said (who I do like) or Mike Wallace knock out drivers like jeremy or Mikey. NASCAR needs to alow 35-42 be the fastest drivers outside the top 35 in points with the most attempts to qualify. That would have gotten jeremy and Mikey in to Talladega. 43rd place would go to the next on the list who is not in the race. So if Boris Said qualifys 5th and Mike Wallace Qualifys 6th then Mike would go home. NASCAR needs to reward those teams that show up every week and bust their asses to make the race.

Answer 9

Hawk, today really showed the "35 rule" is stupid.

NASCAR has a legitimate reason to have the top drivers protected so there is some "consistency" of top drivers in each race.

However, the top 35 is too many. I believe it should be the top 25. It is outrageous that Waltrip was faster than so many cars, yet could not get in. NAPA, for example, really got screwed. I am going to buy some NAPA auto parts in support of Waltrip--I feel bad for NAPA that Waltrip did so well yet failed to make the race.

The 35 rule stinks--make it the top 25 instead.

Answer 10

It happens at every race it seems like. The top qualifiers have never been on the same track together this year, as you have provisionals, and the top 35 rule. Keeps the small teams down and lets the big teams stay on top, thats how it works.

Then again if a driver said they didnt like it, they would just be kicked out of the series.

Answer 11

Nascar has to regroup and be a Stock car racing group again. There are so many issues today with it heading towards the way of pro hockey Soon you will see a driver strike. The car of tomorrow has no place in Nascar either. If they want all the cars to be the same they could go back to the Iroc series or just for get about the old big 3 car makers and how much people root for their favorite Chevy-Ford or Dodge driver.