What about this Chase format?

Question

As a long time Nascar fan I'm starting to question this chase format and other Nascar rule changes!
In any other sport, that I know of, once you are out of championship contention you don't play anymore!
All you hear is chase this and chase that. I even notice that the chase drivers get the most TV coverage.
The rules seem to be inconsistant at times between chase and non chase drivers.
Only in Nascar would you find the Lucky Dog! This sounds like something from a game show. I guess it's OK with me up until the time that a driver that is given a lap back wins the race. It might have already happened and I didn't notice?
What is happening with this top 35 in points stuff. I don't like the idea that a car that qualifies faster goes home!
I always thought speed was what it was about?
And it's very unfair to make a team and driver suffer next season for what they did this season.
Put it all back like it was!!!
Elmer Fudd must be running this deal!
But I will still watch!

Answer 1

The chase blows.It is a favortisum contest to assure certain teams and sponsors that put large amounts of money to NASCAR are rewarded.
As for the top 35 this is the biggest crock of crap.It makes new teams with very good drivers unable to race.Some of the "non" top 35 have faster times but are bumped because of this.The fastest 43 should run.
And while we're at it cut out the provisionals,just another free ride.
But NASCAR has to protect the BIG buck teams and sponsors and screw the smaller ones.

Answer 2

Well there are 12 drivers chasing the cup Then the next 15 or so are chasing the million dollar bonus for 13th place and they're all chasing the coveted top 35 so that they're garunteed a starting spot in the first five races next year. I think the top 35 rule sucks but i understand why it was created. you are a full time team and you crash in qualifing then some underfunded team with no pit crew makes the race by qualifying 5 or 6mph off the pace starts the race and parks after a couple laps just for the prize money. the problem is now there are more than 43 fully funded teams showing up each weak. the luck dog was a safety rule but still allows a team to get back on the lead lap and contend for a win without driving thru a multi car crash at 180 mph. The rules violation is to inconsistent both with enforcement and punishment but it's there house and they make the rules

Answer 3

I think that they are trying to improve the sport by making all these changes and by making it more interesting however, I dont really think that its working to their full potential. I mean the top 35 rule is sending alot of good drivers home. Thats why NASCAR is looking at the top 25. I like that idea better personally. I think that the Lucky Dog is a great thing, that way if your leading the race and racing a lap car and he makes a mistake or something then you have less of a chance of getting caught up in that mistake. That way they just give it back to you and you start in the back far far away from the leader. Its usually about speed but more times then none its about handling and the race setup. Unless your trying to qualify in they dont really care about qualifying setups on some tracks and some it matters others its not a big deal and you work more on race then qualifying anyhow. I love it and will always watch.

Answer 4

Here we go, I can explain all of this:

Top 35 in Owner Points: The top 35 cars in owner's points, generally ARE the fastest ones in the field, which is why they have the points. There are then other spots a team OUTSIDE the top 35 can get, by qualifying fast enough. The last spots are provisionals, which drivers earn by being past champions.

Chase: The chase is a great addition to NASCAR. Take for example this year. Jeff Gordon was running away from the field for much of the year. Without the chase, if his good running were to continue, he could have locked up the championship earlier, making no point to the last few races (Much like he did in 1997, they crowned him champion two weeks early). The chase prevents that, making the top 12 drivers (the class of the field) bundle up, to make the standings more fair. It basically is placing more emphasis on WINNING a race, as opposed to just finishing in the top 10. For example, Matt Kenseth in 2003 (the last Winston Cup) only won TWO out of THIRTY SIX races. But he won the cup due to being more consistent. The driver's didn't like that, so they increased the amount of points given for a win.

Lucky Dog: The lucky dog is a post-Earnhardt saftey rule. What it does, like someone said before me, is eliminates the racing back to the yellow. Another benefit to the Lucky Dog, is, like you hinted at, it brings more driver's into competition. Would you consider it fair if you went a lap down in the race due to a flat, when you had the fastest car in the field? I surely wouldn't.

There's your daily Teenage Insight. =]

Answer 5

It is the same in other sports. A football team with all wins and no losses starts the playoffs with no advantage over a team with a .500 record. Same with baseball.

Many of the top 35 teams do little to prepare for qualifying because they are guaranteed a spot. Take away the guarantee and every team will put qualifying first and the same teams would end up running the race. There is a reason the top 35 are top 35.

Dave Blaney had top 35 points starting the season guaranteed the first 5 races and he has dropped out. Dale Jarret had a guarantee the first 6 races yet couldn't make the top 35. If they get lucky and run one good qualifying lap should they put someone who races every week and scores in the top 35 out of the race?

Answer 6

Thats what the chase is, its for the contenders and there are 12 of them! The "Lucky Dog" rule was made because it was getting too dangerous to race to the yellow when there would be a wreck, racing back to the yellow before the "Lucky Dog" caused other wrecks to happened. Provisionals are what the driver and team earn during the year, by making races and finishing well, all drivers have a chance at that. Nascar has changed the format, and being a Nascar Fan we have to deal with it. Go with the changes and enjoy the race!!!!

Go RCR!!!
Go Jeff Burton!!!

Answer 7

Chase format sucks, it's only for TV ratings and money.
Top 35 also sucks, only past champions and past winners
should get a provisional. The Lucky Dog is for safety
reasons. To many of the newer drivers were getting stupid
trying to race back to the start/finish line and causing wrecks
trying to get a lap back, so NASCAR nipped that one in the
bud and froze the track when the yellow came out. To
compensate the possibility of being able to get a lap back by
racing to it, they instituted the Lucky Dog.

Answer 8

I will address the "Lucky Dog" portion. This rule was instituted after several instances of drivers in disabled cars blocking the track were almost hit by drivers racing back to the yellow flag. It freezes the field at the time the yellow is thrown. It doesn't allow drivers to pass the leader to make up laps before crossing the start/finish line. Rusty Wallace was famous for doing this and won more than one race after being several laps down.

Answer 9

The Chace is a BAD BAD gimmick! If someone is running away in any other sport they don't get penalized! And if someone is capable of making a late season run they shouldn't be penalized either.

Nascar is messing around too much with the rules. Let racers race!

Answer 10

I'm old school...I gave up trying to keep up with all the gimmicks and changes, I just watch the racing.. I'll still watch, I'd rather see more pts during the yr for winning, than the way they do it now..