not many of us old timers left anymore. the chase is one big reason why in my opinion. maybe the current television contract makes it worth it to nascar. but I don't believe this way of determining a champion even increases interest from those that have never watched the sport. only makes it seem more contrived. JMO
I keep saying this.. but I believe the old format was outdated. There was a reason the average nascar fan was aged 60. Nascar lost popularity because it's market increased beyond it's original demographic, which was an older population that wasn't getting any younger, and a population that was attached to what nascar represented to them.
I may get crap for this, but nascar removing the year long system WAS the right call. I hope we never see that again. Nascar expanded it's brand, and the system was outdated. Today's short attention spanned world will have no interest in a season long format. NASCAR NEEDS some sort of post season, but they can't have a system with such lottery results like this.
I know everyone hated the Johnson era, but that particular format and era got a lot of coverage outside NASCAR media. People hated NASCARs coverage on ESPN, but the fact that espn aired races was good for the sport.
The original two or three Chase formats were great. And I'd love to see them bring that back, along with stage points.
I will never say a driver got screwed by a system. The rules to win a championship are what they are. Jeff Gordon was never screwed, Carl Edwards at Roush was never screwed. However, given Harvick's season, I will say that it feels wrong that he missed it, even though everything else he did this year doesn't matter, and hasn't mattered for almost 20 years.
I propose going back to the original Chase system.
10 race shoot out. The top 10 in points make the playoffs. Everyone is separated by 5 points, with an additional 5 points for wins. Regular season champion gains 10 extra points for winning the title.
Points per race are scored as they are today. Stages are scored, but no yellow is thrown.
Also, 2 points for leading a lap.
And bring back the 5 extra points for leading the most laps.
10 race shootout consistency matters. Winning matters. Regular season champ will likely have an advantage unless someone goes on a tear like Stewart in 2011.
Anyways, I'd bet a lot of money that in 2022, with the gen 7 car, we get a new format.
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