NSCR: New Chase Format

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

With Talladega being the last race of this pod. This weekends race is super important. Anyone can win on the super speedways. I know I am more intrigued by the end of this season, than I have been in past years. Usually once football starts I stop watching.

Talladega is going to be a real wild card for any of the 11 left that want to advance. You can hang back to try and avoid the big one and try to get into a decent position in the last 2 laps or just go balls to the wall and hope you survive.
In regards to Cowgirls remarks about TV viewership going down, I also see an awful lot of empty seats at the tracks.

 

[ISUFan22]

Dega coming up to finish this round is what should make this weekend in Charlotte chaotic as well.

 

[bellzisu]

They really need to carry over more points for Chase rounds... Dale Jr or anyone winning a race early in the year could of mailed it in the rest of the year and basically have a year long test session and get into the chase. Luckily, they didn't do that. I also hate the elimination rounds. You could be the points leader all year long and have one bad race like Keselowski, Johnson, Earnhardt and be completely eliminated while people that finished with 0 wins are ahead of you because of the point reset.

I hated the chase idea when it first came out... I hate this playoffs system even more.

 

[boone7247]

They really need to carry over more points for Chase rounds... Dale Jr or anyone winning a race early in the year could of mailed it in the rest of the year and basically have a year long test session and get into the chase. Luckily, they didn't do that. I also hate the elimination rounds. You could be the points leader all year long and have one bad race like Keselowski, Johnson, Earnhardt and be completely eliminated while people that finished with 0 wins are ahead of you because of the point reset.

I hated the chase idea when it first came out... I hate this playoffs system even more.

I think the champion driver should be rewarded for a full year of work, but that wins should count most to the champion driver. I don't know how you do it, but the chase in the past hasn't worked. I do think this playoff format is interesting in getting races like Kansas last week some intrigue. NASCAR had a real problem before the chase where often the last 10 races of the season didn't matter. They should have multiple levels of sponsored championships, king of the short tracks, champion of the 1.5 mile, lord of the super speedway. Have them sponsored and give huge prize money to the driver that is best at those throughout the year. Maybe that would diminish the drivers championship, but it sure would make the rest of the season more interesting.

Or quit promoting drivers championships, and take a page from F1 and only pay for team championships. Set a car limit at say 3, payout money based on the team as opposed to the driver. I know Hendrik would win, but **** it can't be worse than what we have seen in the past.

 

[cowgirl836]

They really need to carry over more points for Chase rounds... Dale Jr or anyone winning a race early in the year could of mailed it in the rest of the year and basically have a year long test session and get into the chase. Luckily, they didn't do that. I also hate the elimination rounds. You could be the points leader all year long and have one bad race like Keselowski, Johnson, Earnhardt and be completely eliminated while people that finished with 0 wins are ahead of you because of the point reset.

I hated the chase idea when it first came out... I hate this playoffs system even more.

Completely agree. Because of the initial points reset, what point was there for Jr., Gordon, and others to really try for a win after they got their first one this year? None. What do you think Newman, Hamlin and some of the other top 4-5 in points drivers will do the next two weeks? They sure as heck aren't going to kill themselves for a win. They will play it safe. And what will NASCAR do if a 1 win driver beats guys with 3, 4 wins after all their talk about wins being the most important thing (which doesn't even make sense since a winless Dale Jr. would have won last year)?

And all this talk about brackets is SO irritating. We are not basketball nor should we try to be. Forcing this type of system would work if everybody not in the Chase is not on the track - like other sports' playoff systems - strictly head to head. Greg Biffle was eliminated, yet he very possibly destroyed Johnson's chance at a championship this week. Go back to rewarding drivers for their year long performance and stop the gimmicks.

 

[cowgirl836]

Talladega is going to be a real wild card for any of the 11 left that want to advance. You can hang back to try and avoid the big one and try to get into a decent position in the last 2 laps or just go balls to the wall and hope you survive.
In regards to Cowgirls remarks about TV viewership going down, I also see an awful lot of empty seats at the tracks.

A lot of the races have been hugely lacking in green flag passes. Races are likely too long, expensive to attend, and for the tv viewer, too many commercials. Sounds like they've made some changes for next year that should improve the ability to catch and pass cars, so we'll see. But yeah, some of those races have been incredibly empty in the stands.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

A lot of the races have been hugely lacking in green flag passes. Races are likely too long, expensive to attend, and for the tv viewer, too many commercials. Sounds like they've made some changes for next year that should improve the ability to catch and pass cars, so we'll see. But yeah, some of those races have been incredibly empty in the stands.

It's all about clean air and pit strategy anymore. Get out in front and you have clear sailing until someone has a car that does better on the long runs (Gordon 3 weeks ago) or your car goes away on the long run.

 

[cycloneworld]

I think the new format is much more interesting. It's basically 4 chases crammed into one.

That said, it's not a very fair format. I liken it to baseball's wildcard game. They play 162 games and it has to come down to a one game playoff?? Definitely more dramatic but I'm not a huge fan.

 

[cycloneworld]

It's all about clean air and pit strategy anymore. Get out in front and you have clear sailing until someone has a car that does better on the long runs (Gordon 3 weeks ago) or your car goes away on the long run.

This. The 1.5 mile races are about all the same. A Penske or Hendrick car will get out front, dominate, and win the race (unless Harvick leads and then has a problem). Give me more short tracks, road courses, and plate races. I used to be a diehard NASCAR fan but its turned into a more casual fan over the last year or two for me.

 

[ISUFan22]

Completely agree. Because of the initial points reset, what point was there for Jr., Gordon, and others to really try for a win after they got their first one this year? None. What do you think Newman, Hamlin and some of the other top 4-5 in points drivers will do the next two weeks? They sure as heck aren't going to kill themselves for a win. They will play it safe. And what will NASCAR do if a 1 win driver beats guys with 3, 4 wins after all their talk about wins being the most important thing (which doesn't even make sense since a winless Dale Jr. would have won last year)?

And all this talk about brackets is SO irritating. We are not basketball nor should we try to be. Forcing this type of system would work if everybody not in the Chase is not on the track - like other sports' playoff systems - strictly head to head. Greg Biffle was eliminated, yet he very possibly destroyed Johnson's chance at a championship this week. Go back to rewarding drivers for their year long performance and stop the gimmicks.

Then why did certain drivers rip off a series of wins? I get your point and it's not completely invalid - but there is a financial component and fan support part to winning. Plus, no one likes to use - even in intramurals.

I do think there should be a bit of a reward from segment to segment based on how a driver finishes in those 3 races. They carried over some for the first segment and I think it's a mistake for a full reset for the next ones.

But you can't deny this format will make the next 2 races a bit crazier than without it. Without it, guys like Jimmy, Dale and Brad are all but toast. Next 2 races gonna be good as those 3 drivers need to do something drastic to move on. And even Gordon/Kahne to a lesser extent. Wild that it's completely possible to see all 4 Hendrick drivers go out at the same time in this round.

Some say that is unfair and I say - well - they are all behind the 8-ball in the current format anyway. In the current format, it could be perceived as unfair tho they can get back in it with a win and then reset, so they feel none of the pain from that bad finish last week.

Fact is - change or no change - few will be completely happy. I've found the NASCAR fanbase is likely the biggest set of complainers/whiners than any other.

 

[BLRNerd]

I don't like the format because of a couple things. (Points Reset and you don't get any bonus points for winning a race in the past round, I actually have no problem with preset eliminations.) Hell for the last few years I haven't like the idea of the Chase in general because it's really unfair to some racer that kicked *** in the first 26 but got screwed over in the reset (IE Jeff Gordon one year, I think 2009? It was a year Jimmie won.)

Kyle Larson fans should be unhappy about this new format compared to the last format,
He would've been in and he'd be leading the chase with Zero wins overall. (2nd, 2nd, 7th, 2nd I believe)
There's no way Ganassi will be able to keep him for long unless they get a big time sponsor or Target throws in more money.
A Kyle Larson win by the end of the year would not be surprising, but I expect him to really break out next year.