Doing the math on my two cents
By DAVID POOLE - The Charlotte Observer
Give Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith credit for resorting to a new tactic to make his case that points penalties against drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup are unfairly harsh.
Smith’s argument is mathematical. Since Chase drivers only have 10 races in which to garner points in the championship season, Smith argues that a 25-point Chase penalty was 250 percent more severe than the same penalty in a 26-race regular season. (Actually, that’d be 260 percent, but he rounded down.) Smith suggested that a 10-point penalty would have more appropriate.
I choose to look at it another way. The winner of this year’s Chase will likely get around $7 million from the points fund, while the first driver not making the Chase will get about $750,000. I’ll round down, too, and say that means the stakes for Chase drivers are about nine times higher.
Using that scale, if the infraction was worth 25 points in the regular season then Edwards should have been penalized 225 points for it in a Chase race.
That adds up, too, doesn’t it?
LOL…I like David’s idea. Let’s penalize Edwards more! When I heard that Roush was going to appeal on the reasoning that because they were in the Chase, that they should be treated differently I darn near choked. Talk about ridiculous! I just couldn’t believe my ears when Smith said that. Neither could my husband. What a CROCK!
By DAVID POOLE - The Charlotte Observer
Give Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith credit for resorting to a new tactic to make his case that points penalties against drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup are unfairly harsh.
Smith’s argument is mathematical. Since Chase drivers only have 10 races in which to garner points in the championship season, Smith argues that a 25-point Chase penalty was 250 percent more severe than the same penalty in a 26-race regular season. (Actually, that’d be 260 percent, but he rounded down.) Smith suggested that a 10-point penalty would have more appropriate.
I choose to look at it another way. The winner of this year’s Chase will likely get around $7 million from the points fund, while the first driver not making the Chase will get about $750,000. I’ll round down, too, and say that means the stakes for Chase drivers are about nine times higher.
Using that scale, if the infraction was worth 25 points in the regular season then Edwards should have been penalized 225 points for it in a Chase race.
That adds up, too, doesn’t it?
LOL…I like David’s idea. Let’s penalize Edwards more! When I heard that Roush was going to appeal on the reasoning that because they were in the Chase, that they should be treated differently I darn near choked. Talk about ridiculous! I just couldn’t believe my ears when Smith said that. Neither could my husband. What a CROCK!
