NASCAR To OverHaul Point System!

[karl]

NASCAR to overhaul points system

The sanctioning body has been leaning toward a playoff system that would freeze the field of competitors after the 26th race of the season.

The slate would then be wiped clean for the top 10 drivers, who would compete for the championship over the final 10 races.

Complete AP News story:
http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040109/SPORTS1201/101090359

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I think it will make the series more exciting!
Do you think it will help or hurt Nascar racing?

[BALLZZZY]

I dont like it myself. Just because Matt Kenseth did what you are supposed to do in any kind of racing,be consistent,they wanna change the points? In 2002 Stewart and Martin battled right down to the last race!

What happens if the driver in 11 or 12th place has a winning streak and could have won the championship?

I say start awarding bonus points to the top 10 qualifyers instead,that will shake up the points!!

[karl]

I can see your point.
The only good thing would be an exciting ending to each race season,
but the more I think about it, what if someone won five in a row in the
raceoff... then the last races would still be non-climatic.

[BALLZZZY]

what if someone won five in a row in the
raceoff... then the last races would still be non-climatic.

That's it Karl..not to mention the 33+ other drivers who are
running the last 10 races with no shot at moving up in the
point's! I sure hope they dont plan on having only 10 car"s
per race for the playoffs,that would BITE!!

[karl]

That would bite big time!
But I think they plan on still letting everyone race the
last 10, they just won't count much for the second tier
drivers. Most the drivers are against it so it must be bad :(

[TonyStewart09]

They did it! The system is changed. I just heard Michael Waltrip talking about it, and he said it's gonna make the season even more exciting.

[karl]

Alright! Now the fun begins. Can't wait to see how this works out...

[BALLZZZY]

Teams within 400 points of the leader also get to run for the championship..so there could be more than 10 teams going for it. Bad part is we have no say in the matter and have to wait and see how it comes out! I'm thinking it might be OK.

[karl]

It seems to be getting better and better. That sounds like anyone with a chance of winning will still get to compete. That would be ok but I don't know how it will stop someone from running away with it still.

Chazhound

[Ray Pollett]

I new here, but not as Nascar Fan. I started listening to races in the late 50's or early 60's back in Tar Heel Land. I've never really liked the point system. I do not like cars that are 45 laps down with half the body missing clogging up the track. I also feel it did not give enough to those that finish at the front of each race. And it gives credit for leading one lap when people pit stop under the green flag. Well they final changed their system, but not enough. So here is my point system:The Pollett Point system.

25 points for leading the most laps durring the race.

1 = 300
2 = 260
3 = 230
4 = 205
5 = 190
6 = 175
7 = 160
8 = 145
9 = 130
10 = 115
11 = 100
12 = 90
13 = 80
14 = 70
15 = 60
16 = 50
17 = 40
18 = 30
19 =20
20 = 10

Any car finishing 21st or lower gets no points. You should not get points for finishing that lower.

Any car that finishes more than 10 laps down gets no point.

Example a car that finishes 15th but 11 laps down gets no points for that race.

I know this is radical from what they have, but I like it better. Let the comments begin.

I have already set up a spread sheet to follow this this year.

Best Wishes,

Ray

[karl]

Hmmmm.. pretty simple system. But wouldn't it allow a dominant car/winner to just run away with it :)

[Ray Pollett]

Hmmmm.. pretty simple system. But wouldn't it allow a dominant car/winner to just run away with it :) It could, but would that be bad - having someone who wins races win the championship?

I also came up with my own shoot out if people really want one.

10 races ( over 1/4 the season) is too long.

I call mine "Run for the Championship"

All racers continue collecting points the same way thru all 36 races. This will determine position 2 on down.

After 31 races the top 10 point (could be more if two or more tie for tenth) getters would be the only ones raceing for the Championship. They all enter the final 5 races with Zero points toward the "Run for the Championship". They score points the same as done for all the races. Top point getter over the 4 races is Champion. All the others have a finishing order based on the points recieved for all 36 races.

I actually would haved liked to use points after 32 races and have a 4 race Championship run; But reviewing the last races decided 5 (which includes Martinsville) would be fairer.

Now I need a sponsor to post some good prize Money and thropy.


Ray

[Ray Pollett]

Just to further clearify the point of someone running away with it.

How many points does the 42nd place driver and the 1st place driver get under their System? What is the difference? Now how many do they get under my system and what is the difference?

I think there was not enough reward for being up front under their system. It also promoted damaged slow cars staying on the tract at the end when we want to see a race to the finish.

The hardest part of the system was actually how many points for leading a race.

A car leads 137 lapps of a 400 lap race, the most; but is caught up in a wreck on lap 367 and finishes 32nd. Why should he get less points than a car that ran 16 thru 39th the whole race and finished 23th? With NASCAR's point system he gets less points. With mine he gets more.

I tried a number of ways to give points for leading the race. One was 1 point for every lap lead. But that was not fair to the person who actually wins the race - which happens to be the main idea of racing in my opinion. I tried 5 points for any car that lead 5 laps and 50 for leading the most laps. I tried 10 points for any car leading 10 laps or more and 50 points for the most lead. In the end I liked 25 for leading the most laps and none for leading any other number of laps.

On the "Run for the Championship" I tried different numbers there also. 4 races was the number of races I liked most; but 3 of the last 4 were too close of type races. Adding Martinville made it fairer in my opinion. I even toyed with 6 races since Lowe's is my favorite track, But that was too long of of run.

I also did not like the way Nascar changed the points for the final ten races. That was like starting the NBA playoffs with the higher ranked team starting the game with a 10-0 lead, or a 1 goal lead in hockey. If it is a playoff they should all start it even that make it.

Ray

[karl]

Good insight Ray

I can see how the plan would work :)

The last 10 race thing, I don't get yet. It is like you said just stacking
the deck in a playoff.... they don't do that in football or any other sport.
Seems to me like it is just a stacked mini season.
But it is a long way until the last 10 races so we will see what happens.
bet it changes along the way...

[Ray Pollett]

Good insight Ray

I can see how the plan would work :)

The last 10 race thing, I don't get yet. It is like you said just stacking
the deck in a playoff.... they don't do that in football or any other sport.
Seems to me like it is just a stacked mini season.
But it is a long way until the last 10 races so we will see what happens.
bet it changes along the way...

Unfortunately, the can not afford to change it after the first race; they would then lose all credibility.

I know they say they thought it out, But I will be surprised if many fans like it after the season is over. Except for the fans of the winnig driver.

Ray

[karl]

haaa haaaaa haaaaaaaa!!!
Yep, the fans of the winning driver ALWAYS loves the rules :)

[StormBringer]

I have a few problems with this new system, first off, as others have mentioned, what if someone further back has a huge winning streak, or even a small one, he might not win the championship, but he might make it in the top 10 or even top 5. On the same note, there is the possibility that all the top ten drivers might all do badly in those last "playoff" races. Some claim this adds to the excitement because of the drivers not in contention who are going to try and keep those top 10 drivers from getting the points they need.

Last season is not the first time people have complained about the point system, it has always sucked, every change that has ever been made has not really made it any better either. In my opinion, if they want a playoff type deal, then they need to have some kind of wildcard system that would allow someone on a late season streak to have a chance. I also think that the existing system for giving points is still a bit flawed, but thats another discussion in itself.

[Ray Pollett]

I have a few problems with this new system, first off, as others have mentioned, what if someone further back has a huge winning streak, or even a small one, he might not win the championship, but he might make it in the top 10 or even top 5. On the same note, there is the possibility that all the top ten drivers might all do badly in those last "playoff" races. Some claim this adds to the excitement because of the drivers not in contention who are going to try and keep those top 10 drivers from getting the points they need.

I know mine is not offical, but that is one of the problems my system addresses. Everyone continues to race for points and can even get to number two with a good streak at the end. I also shorting the play off to make it more exciting.

Ray