2013 NASCAR Thread

[Northstar]

What is this 'Chase' thing all you lot are talking about. I genuinely have no idea...

At 10 races to go the top 10 in points(plus the two drivers with the most wins not in the top 10) are all set at the same number. It was supposed to make it more interesting but it really hasn't, 2011 was really the only interesting chase.

 

[Tornado]

And it hasn't made the end of the season the ratings darling that it was supposed to be, either.

 

[R0ssingt0n]

At 10 races to go the top 10 in points(plus the two drivers with the most wins not in the top 10) are all set at the same number. It was supposed to make it more interesting but it really hasn't, 2011 was really the only interesting chase.

So if one driver has had a great season and has built up a decent lead in the championship, they'd lose that lead and be put equal with the next 11 drivers below him? Seems kinda silly to me. But I guess it would considering this is the first year I'm actually attempting to get into NASCAR.

 

[GTPorsche]

Pretty much.

They do give extra point towards the chase for wins, but it's only 3 points per win for the beginning of the chase.

 

[R0ssingt0n]

Seems almost like the championship gets restarted for the top 10 haha.

 

[GTPorsche]

It does, which makes the first 26 races mean nothing in regards to the season championship, unless a driver makes it into the chase and can continue winning.

 

[Northstar]

Seems kinda silly to me.

It still seems silly to me and I've watched it since it began.

Just to show how imuch it changed things, here is what history would have looked like with the old format.


2004: Jeff Gordon
2005: Tony Stewart
2006: Jimmie Johnson
2007: Jeff Gordon
2008: Carl Edwards
2009: Jimmie Johnson
2010: Kevin Harvick
2011: Carl Edwards
2012: Brad Keselowski

 

[CodeRedR51]

That's really sad, that list.

 

[LancerEvo7]

Yeah, but at least we don't have to hear about how Gordon winning his 7th championship this year will strengthen his legacy.

 

[Doth1s]

Nor does it run:

Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson

 

[Müle]

I thought Jimmy Johnson was a football coach, not a NASCAR driver...?

 

[LooseLugNuts]

Yeah, but at least we don't have to hear about how Gordon winning his 7th championship this year will strengthen his legacy.

Better that than hearing "5 time".

 

[rap129]

How about only the top 10 finishers get points? The reason Johnson wins so much is because he is determined to win. Some drivers take the race off but Johnson and a few others always try to win. Hopefully that makes sense..

 

[Doth1s]

I thought Jimmy Johnson was a football coach, not a NASCAR driver...?

Har har, my mistake.

Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson

 

[RACECAR]

It still seems silly to me and I've watched it since it began.

Just to show how imuch it changed things, here is what history would have looked like with the old format.


2004: Jeff Gordon
2005: Tony Stewart
2006: Jimmie Johnson
2007: Jeff Gordon
2008: Carl Edwards
2009: Jimmie Johnson
2010: Kevin Harvick
2011: Carl Edwards
2012: Brad Keselowski

Does 2012 really count? Seems like it wouldn't have made much a difference really

 

[BKGlover]

Thing about last year's chase, It was legitimately good. Had Bowyer and Gordon not wrecked at Phoenix, things may have been different. It was able to pull me in to watch the last 5 races at length.

Aside, I was happy when the lug-nut call was made, as it leveled the championship again. Then, Jimmie broke. I was tempted to run laps around my apartment complex cheering as being a lifelong Dodge fan hasn't been easy motorsports wise.

 

[Ganon83]

So......... Ummmmm.........
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2013) – Jeremy Clements, a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s Code of Conduct. On Feb. 24 at Daytona International Speedway, Clements was found to have violated Sections 7-5 (NASCAR’s Code of Conduct) and 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing). “During the course of an interview, Jeremy Clements made an intolerable and insensitive remark,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “NASCAR has a Code of Conduct that’s explicitly spelled out in the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book. We fully expect our entire industry to adhere to that Code

 

[Tornado]

What'd he do? Drop an N-bomb?

 

[Ganon83]

What'd he do? Drop an N-bomb?

Supposedly he suggested either that qualifying was fixed for Danica or that the Gen 6 sucks (He deleted a tweet about the Gen 6 on Sunday)

 

[Yukon]

At 10 races to go the top 10 in points(plus the two drivers with the most wins not in the top 10) are all set at the same number. It was supposed to make it more interesting but it really hasn't, 2011 was really the only interesting chase.

It does, which makes the first 26 races mean nothing in regards to the season championship, unless a driver makes it into the chase and can continue winning.

Oh, wow, I didn't realise that that's how the NASCAR season played out, being a new fan to the sport myself. Thanks for elaborating. 👍

 

[MrWednesday]

At 10 races to go the top 10 in points(plus the two drivers with the most wins not in the top 10) are all set at the same number.

Not exactly. They're set to the same number, then awarded bonus points for race wins. (Plus the 11th and 12th placed drivers are also awarded the same point total, but don't get the bonus points.) So there is a little carryover from the regular season, and it's certainly not true that the first 26 races mean nothing---see 2011, where second-placed Carl Edwards would have won the title if any of his four regular season second-place finishes had been wins.

 

[Jahgee]

Here is the tweet that he deleted shortly afterwards

 

[Furinkazen]

Here is the tweet that he deleted shortly afterwards

I wonder if NASCAR basically took it as "our race was exciting, because fans nearly got killed!"

 

[Jahgee]

I wonder if NASCAR basically took it as "our race was exciting, because fans nearly got killed!"

That, and apparently he made one about how Pole qualifying was rigged, but no proof of that one exists.

 

[scarslasher]

Neither seem like grounds for such a harsh suspension. And they said it was comment from an interview, not a tweet.

 

[MustangRyan]

Oh, wow, I didn't realise that that's how the NASCAR season played out, being a new fan to the sport myself. Thanks for elaborating. 👍

If you are at all familiar with NFL football, think of the Chase as the NFL playoffs. The team that won the most regular season games has an advantage (home field advantage in football, more starting points in NASCAR), but they still have to score the most points in the playoffs to win the championship. The last three Super Bowl champions had good-but-not-great regular seasons but got hot in the playoffs, a lot like Jimmie Johnson has been known to turn it up in the last ten races after using the regular season to experiment with setups. Not always does the driver with the most points after 26 races win the Chase, just like the NFL team with the best regular season record doesn't always win the Super Bowl.

 

[ICEYOU]

It still seems silly to me and I've watched it since it began.

Just to show how imuch it changed things, here is what history would have looked like with the old format.


2004: Jeff Gordon
2005: Tony Stewart
2006: Jimmie Johnson
2007: Jeff Gordon
2008: Carl Edwards
2009: Jimmie Johnson
2010: Kevin Harvick
2011: Carl Edwards
2012: Brad Keselowski

I still think Jimmie would still have 60+ wins though!

Yeah, but at least we don't have to hear about how Gordon winning his 7th championship this year will strengthen his legacy.

Number 5 will though.

 

[Dolph Drago]

Wow. Didn't realize that Carl would have been a 2 time champ under the old system. Gordon would only be one shy of Dale and Richard's record. And Mr. 5 Time would only be Mr. 2 Time. Stupid chase. I hope Nascar doesn't come on here and fine me for saying that.

 

[RACECAR]

Wow. Didn't realize that Carl would have been a 2 time champ under the old system. Gordon would only be one shy of Dale and Richard's record. And Mr. 5 Time would only be Mr. 2 Time. Stupid chase. I hope Nascar doesn't come on here and fine me for saying that.

You have to be on Twitter for them to do that.

 

[Müle]

Wow. Didn't realize that Carl would have been a 2 time champ under the old system. Gordon would only be one shy of Dale and Richard's record. And Mr. 5 Time would only be Mr. 2 Time. Stupid chase. I hope Nascar doesn't come on here and fine me for saying that.

Nascar's Gestapo is everywhere. Watch yourself now.