Jimmie Johnson's Sixth Championship Perfect Example of Why Chase Is Bad for NASCAR

wolfcub

wolfcub

Team Owner
Joined
May 25, 2004
Messages
492
Points
338
Interesting Article, your thoughts??

By Matt Fitzgerald

COMMENTARY | With Jimmie Johnson winning his sixth championship with a ninth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it just further proves why the Chase has been a negative thing for NASCAR and the sport as a whole.
This championship pulls Johnson within one of tying the record of seven championships won by Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. Without the Chase, this would only be his third title and put him in line to still be a huge part of the history of this sport. By no means should what Johnson has put together this year be taken away or downplayed, but he has been over-glorified by a system that he has found a way to take advantage of.
The only other drivers that would have won a championship specifically because of the Chase are Kurt Busch in 2004 and Tony Stewart in 2011. While it would hurt their legacies to no longer have this recognition, it shows gives backing to how the Chase has been a bad thing.
Both of these drivers drove just well enough to make it into the Chase to finally come through and perform at a championship level. The fact that Stewart was able to come into the Chase saying that he did not deserve to even be in the Chase, only to win five of the final 10 races and win on a tiebreaker is crazy. While what he did in being able to close out the season in such a way as amazing, his consistency throughout the season as a whole did not warrant his championship.
Along with helping to build Johnson's legacy within the sport, the Chase has also been a great detriment to many drivers that would have won championships during the past 10 years. The biggest example of this would be Jeff Gordon losing out on two championships that would put him on the doorstep of history as Johnson now finds himself. The Chase has also taken two championships from Carl Edwards and one from Kevin Harvick, two drivers that have proved that they deserve to be in the history books by being at the top of the class within the sport.
Many will say that these drivers would have driven differently throughout the years that could have changed the outcomes of the seasons as a whole, but 2008 was the only year that Chase champion lost and was within 50 points of the championship. That year was also under the old points system where larger gaps were much more common as well.
This next common argument that seems to come up within many in the pro-Chase groups is that every other sport has a playoff system, why shouldn't NASCAR? Every other sport doesn't have direct competition between every team on a per-day basis.
NASCAR is truly unique in the fact that with weekly competition, every bad week for a certain time provides direct advantage to every other team that week. Why promote an attitude of driving just well enough to make it to the next stage before you actually start becoming competitive?
Click to expand...
 
Blah blah blah, same tired arguments we've heard before about why the Chase is bad for NASCAR and how it robbed all the other drivers of Championships etc.

You know what, honestly I'm tired of this at this point. When The Chase was implemented in 2004, every single driver knew the rules going into The Chase, it wasn't like some big, well kept secret that only Johnson and Knaus knew about. They were simply the first one to figure out how to win under The Chase format and win it five times in a row. The same has been true for every year since The Chase was implemented. I bet you my bottom dollar that in 2014, every driver knows what the rules are going into the 2014 Daytona 500.

You want to know why Johnson won six Championships? It's not because The Chase gave him an unfair advantage, it's not because he cheats or that NASCAR hands him the six Championships. He wins Championship because he's the best ******* driver of this era of NASCAR and Chad Knaus is this era's best damn Crew Chief.

People just need to get over it and accept that they're witnessing history here as Johnson will undoubtedly win two or more Championships before his run is done.
 
Funny how the cries against the Chase are always a little louder whenever Jimmie wins the championship. I'm a little surprised about it this year though, since he would have won the title Chase or no Chase.
 
The Chase wouldn't be "bad for NASCAR" if he didn't win so much. Had he won five in a row under the old system, I guarentee you'd hear a ton of people crying for a rules change. Nobody likes a winner (unless they're a fan), so everybody will try to downplay the 48's successes. Like SpeedPagan said, the Chase is the way the championship is decided now. There's no changing it; every team understands the rules and understands exactly what needs to be done to win. The 48 team is the only team to have made it into the Chase every single year. The 48 team has won half of the seasons they've raced in. The team is the best team of this new era, old system or new.

The fact that Jimmie would "only have three" under the old system is completely irrelevant. We don't know how the team would have performed if they had to try to conserve every single point throughout the entire year. Chad Knaus has explicitly stated on multiple occasions that the team sort of kicks it into overdrive once the Chase starts. They understand that the Chase is what matters when it comes down to winning the championship. Without the Chase, I guarentee that they'd race differently throughout the season, as would every other team.

Keep in mind that Jimmie finished 5th and 2nd during his first two years in Cup (under the old system, by the way), which is absolutely astounding when you see the way rookies usually perform. Whatever way you look at it, Jimmie and Chad are the best driver/CC combination in the business right now, and will go down in history as two of the best that this sport's ever seen.


Something I always like to ask anti-Chasers: If a 8-8 NFL team makes it to the Superbowl and somehow beats a previously undefeated team, does that make the 8-8 team's championship illegitimate since they weren't as "consistent" throughout the entire season? Nope. Same goes with NASCAR; there is now a playoff season, and that's how playoffs work.
 
Last edited:
What was NASCAR's attitude when Dale was "on the door step" of Petty's record and then tied it?

Besides the point system overhaul, how is this any different?
 
ChexOrWrex said:
What was NASCAR's attitude when Dale was "on the door step" of Petty's record and then tied it?

Besides the point system overhaul, how is this any different?
Click to expand...
There wasn't any outcry about changing the system back then because they were still based on the yearly performance. unlike today.
 
Some people think Jimmie's 7 titles won't mean as much as Petty's or Earnhardt's if he gets there. I strongly disagree with that, because Jimmie is winning them based on the points system of his era, just like 3 and 43 did.

Richard Petty won one of his titles in 1974, a season that had the most ridiculous points system ever devised. Points were based on money, and the Daytona 500 was by far the highest paying race on the schedule. So basically, if you won the Daytona 500, there was about a 95% chance you were going to win the Championship. Petty won both in '74.
 
I didnt even read this but the fact that Jimmie can run 10 races better thana nyone most often doesn't have anything to do with the chase... where is everyone else? Its been good battles for the most part... but if they couls step up for the final 10 like the 48 team.. maybe he wouldnt have 6 in 8 years... this coming from a non 48 fan......
 
Smoke14 said:
To be the man, you must beat the man...
Click to expand...
I used to hate the guy.. now I respect him. He's the bar.. and he's raising it... it is what it is... if you cant step up and compete with the 48 then you might as well let him pass you. Ive seen Joey racing the 48 a few times this year and I get more excited just because its him. Passing Jimmie means you can most likely drive to the front.... like it or not... Augh! I hate coming to my senses sometimes..
 
SlicedBread22 said:
I used to hate the guy.. now I respect him. He's the bar.. and he's raising it... it is what it is... if you cant step up and compete with the 48 then you might as well let him pass you. Ive seen Joey racing the 48 a few times this year and I get more excited just because its him. Passing Jimmie means you can most likely drive to the front.... like it or not... Augh! I hate coming to my senses sometimes..
Click to expand...

Impressive how you always get that JL commercial in... ;)
 
operating within the rules is exactly what the 48 does, they are testing things and developing a chase package all during the regular season. They set aside the best cars and setups so that they can have the best for the chase. That may mean giving up something during the regular season and I am sure if you asked them they would tell you YES we do give up things during the regular season to be better during the chase. The problem is other teams are much more influx with personnel changes to deal with this a well as the 48 does. They have been there and done it and know what they need to do. Other teams may try to do the same thing but if its the first time they have been in that spot how can they be as good at it. change the rules back to non chase and I say the 48 team adjusts and still wins. this guy has won in the old car the COT wing and spoiler and now the gen 6 car. I think rules changes actually helps this team as they are better at adjusting and operating under THAT system. Ricky craven pointed out that dale sr on average there were 12 different winners on during his title years. Richard petty's there were an average of 10 winners /season. with jimmie there have been on average of 14 different winners /season. The point is that more teams can and do win and the series is more competitive than its ever been.

I think the 48 team liked the notion of having 1 more title than jeff gordan and leveled out, I predict the lure of a 7th and even 8th title will happen for them. after 8 titles I think the team finally breaks up after tearing up the record books and throwing the pieces in everyone's faces. 8 titles and 90+ wins is where the dust will settle out, so just get used to it. I would be surprised if they catch pearson with wins but you never know.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
after 8 titles I think the team finally breaks up after tearing up the record books and throwing the pieces in everyone's faces. 8 titles and 90+ wins is where the dust will settle out, so just get used to it. I would be surprised if they catch pearson with wins but you never know.
Click to expand...

Nah, no way Hendricks would let the 48 team break up. He'll keep them together as long as possible. I can see Chad Knaus staying on till Jimmie wins 8 Championships and if Hendricks plays his cards right, he'll stay on till Jimmie beats Pearson's win record.
 
To those of us who didn't like the Chase format when it was first introduced, Johnson winning six championships has nothing to do with why we don't like it.

When it was introduced, I don't recall anyone saying that the old system was broke and that the Chase was a superior way to determine the season championship.

It's all about fabricated excitement which, like debris cautions that crew chiefs now factor into their race strategy before a race even starts, I've regrettably become resigned to.
 
pjmolo said:
To those of us who didn't like the Chase format when it was first introduced, Johnson winning six championships has nothing to do with why we don't like it.

When it was introduced, I don't recall anyone saying that the old system was broke and that the Chase was a superior way to determine the season championship.
Click to expand...
This.
 
If I'm not mistaken wouldn't JJ be in points lead anyways with old points system?
 
Just for the record, I'm not a JJ hater, I'm just tired of watching him win everything.
 
MRM said:
The way I look at is winning a championship over 30+ races carries more clout than winning it over a 10-race period. Stewart's title in 2011 should be a good example of that.
Click to expand...
did you watch the same chase in 2011 that I did. tony stewart looked like god was driving the race car. I don't think I have ever seen a driver will a car the way tony did at that time. You let tony sniff a win a title whatever, dangle it in his face and from what I have seen he is the best at taking it.

I think the 48 team does breakup after 8 titles, and it will be beyond ricks ability to stop it. look what pulled ray evernham away. The same sort of situation could pull chad away. after 8 titles another daytona 500 a couple more brickyards what more is there to do??
 
DSquad48 said:
Something I always like to ask anti-Chasers: If a 8-8 NFL team makes it to the Superbowl and somehow beats a previously undefeated team, does that make the 8-8 team's championship illegitimate since they weren't as "consistent" throughout the entire season? Nope. Same goes with NASCAR; there is now a playoff season, and that's how playoffs work.
Click to expand...
I'm a Giants fan so I know all too well about a mediocre football team getting hot at the right time and winning it all. It is a little cheap, but at least there are legitimate reasons for a playoff - with 32 teams and only 16 games per team there are so many scheduling inequities that a playoff is really a necessity. MLB had it perfectly for the longest time but then they expanded and goofed it up.
 
pjmolo said:
To those of us who didn't like the Chase format when it was first introduced, Johnson winning six championships has nothing to do with why we don't like it.

When it was introduced, I don't recall anyone saying that the old system was broke and that the Chase was a superior way to determine the season championship.

It's all about fabricated excitement which, like debris cautions that crew chiefs now factor into their race strategy before a race even starts, I've regrettably become resigned to.
Click to expand...
This
 
hidesert cowboy said:
did you watch the same chase in 2011 that I did. tony stewart looked like god was driving the race car. I don't think I have ever seen a driver will a car the way tony did at that time. You let tony sniff a win a title whatever, dangle it in his face and from what I have seen he is the best at taking it.

I think the 48 team does breakup after 8 titles, and it will be beyond ricks ability to stop it. look what pulled ray evernham away. The same sort of situation could pull chad away. after 8 titles another daytona 500 a couple more brickyards what more is there to do??
Click to expand...

Stewart looked that way for 10 races, never factored into any wins in the first 26 races. That was my point.
 
MRM said:
Stewart looked that way for 10 races, never factored into any wins in the first 26 races. That was my point.
Click to expand...

Stewart had thirty one drivers worse off than him in 2011 because he made the chase.

You got to strike while the iron is hot.
 
SpeedPagan said:
People just need to get over it and accept that they're witnessing history here....
Click to expand...

That will happen when the JJ fans accept the fact that some people don't like him and some of those people will rationalize that anyway they can.

In other words, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for everyone to give JJ credit for what he's done.

SpeedPagan said:
Maybe if Johnson was a "good ol' boy" instead of being from California, people wouldn't bitch so much?
Click to expand...


Or... maybe if JJ had accumulated the most points over the entire season 6 times, people wouldn't bitch so much.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
gordonite said:
Or... maybe if JJ had accumulated the most points over the entire season 6 times, people wouldn't bitch so much.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't really put much stock into "how the old points system would have turned out" articles anymore. Those articles are based on the fact that everything would have played out the exact same way if there wasn't a chase. That I do not agree with.
 
Me neither, shuffle em up, start them from the back, I've seem all kinds of different ways to race cars. The cream always comes to the top whatever format they choose to run.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom