Crown Jewel Challenge 2019... A Million Bucks And A Big Trophy!!!

LewTheShoe

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The buzz and excitement level in the cup series garage is palpable as the 2nd annual Crown Jewel Challenge will be decided in the next two weeks at Darlington and Indy. And the race for the coveted prize is wide open as the winners of the first two legs both failed to score any points in the other leg. Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500, but limped home 17th in the World 600, out of the points. And Martin Truex won that World 600, but was relegated to Daytona's scrap heap, scoring zilch points for 35th place.

Brad Keselowski won the inaugural Crown Jewel Challenge 2018 by doubling up with victories in the Southern 500 and the Brickyard 400, thus blowing the doors off Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch. Brad reminded the press corps of the rules for this coveted trophy... "First, the trophy and the money goes to whoever gets the most wins among the four crown jewel races... Daytona 500, World 600, Southern 500, and Brickyard 400. Second, crown jewel points are the tie breaker. Third, the points scale is from F1... 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1. No crown jewel points are awarded for 11th place and lower... boo hoo to the 'cruise to collect' crowd."

Keselowski finished by adding his personal perspective... "Winning this Crown Jewel Challenge is the highlight of my career so far. I got a really cool digital trophy, solid gold and studded with virtual diamonds and emeralds, and lots of digital glitter. I use it for a screen saver. And the money ain't bad either, a million R-F bucks in the form of an electronic I.O.U. signed by something called "fury" which is danged impressive."

And so the excitement builds toward a crescendo. Will either Hamlin or Truex get a second win? What about KDB, who has a 2nd and a 3rd and would be looking strong if he could add a victory. And Logano is just half a step behind KDB, with a 2nd and a 4th. What say you about who will win this trophy?
 
I didn’t know we had this. Our version of the Winston Million
 
Didn't know it existed
Well it didn't, but it does now. And to be serious just for a moment, I believe Nascar should actually be much more proactive about promoting the special-ness of the crown jewel races. I'd favor an actual trophy and a legitimate million dollar prize and an aggressive promotional campaign to heighten the buzz around these most revered events. Yes, there is promotion of the individual races, but I believe there is a natural synergy to be realized by tying them together. I believe it is an opportunity that is being squandered by Nascar due to neglect.
 
Guess ADD is kicking in, way too much information for me that I didn't even know was out there.
 
Like, this is for real? WTF?
 
If the sport did a version of the Winston Million again or even something like golf’s major’s where some races felt more special I guess I’d choose Daytona 500, Coca Cola 600, Southern 500 and I’m torn between Brickyard 400 because it’s Indianapolis or the Bristol night race. I’d lean towards Brickyard because I’m from the Midwest and Indy is...special here.
 
If the sport did a version of the Winston Million again or even something like golf’s major’s where some races felt more special I guess I’d choose Daytona 500, Coca Cola 600, Southern 500 and I’m torn between Brickyard 400 because it’s Indianapolis or the Bristol night race. I’d lean towards Brickyard because I’m from the Midwest and Indy is...special here.

Hell do more than 4. That way both work out.
 
Like, this is for real? WTF?

It should be......................... I never understood why they withered away the specialness of the "major races".

I have no idea why NASCAR doesn't do a Dash 4 Cash/Triple Truck Challenge type of deal but with the Daytona 500/Coke 600/Southern 500/Brickyard 400 as those races.
 
I have no idea why NASCAR doesn't do a Dash 4 Cash/Triple Truck Challenge type of deal but with the Daytona 500/Coke 600/Southern 500/Brickyard 400 as those races.
I don't either, which was exactly my point in posting this thread.

As for who can win it this year, Kez is "my driver" so I'll say he has a longshot chance. But Truex and Hamlin have a leg up already, and Kyle and Joey also have a good position *if* they can reach victory lane at either Darlington or Indy. Any other thoughts?
 
Hamlin is pretty solid at Darlington, or maybe that's my recency bias. I'll go with Hamlin even though I don't like him.
 
A contest for lack of a better word within a contest has worked for Xfinity and the trucks, used to be standard practice in the cup series, everybody remembers million dollar Bill.
 
Well it didn't, but it does now. And to be serious just for a moment, I believe Nascar should actually be much more proactive about promoting the special-ness of the crown jewel races. I'd favor an actual trophy and a legitimate million dollar prize and an aggressive promotional campaign to heighten the buzz around these most revered events. Yes, there is promotion of the individual races, but I believe there is a natural synergy to be realized by tying them together. I believe it is an opportunity that is being squandered by Nascar due to neglect.
First someone has to decide which races are ‘Crown Jewels’.
 
It should be......................... I never understood why they withered away the specialness of the "major races".

I have no idea why NASCAR doesn't do a Dash 4 Cash/Triple Truck Challenge type of deal but with the Daytona 500/Coke 600/Southern 500/Brickyard 400 as those races.
No one has stepped up to pay for it.
 
No one has stepped up to pay for it.
Could be, but confidence is rising it seems under new leadership. They did blow it with the truck contest this year a bit not letting Biffle continue, but they revised the rules quickly. Kinda curious with the way they changed the rules opening it up to wringers like Biffle join in the fray. It would be pretty cool if some of the older drivers gave it a go.
 
Hamlin is pretty solid at Darlington, or maybe that's my recency bias. I'll go with Hamlin even though I don't like him.
He always has been good at Darlington

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