The "regular season" seems almost pointless with this Chase for the Cup format. You could have a baller season through 26 races, but it can all mean nothing if you just go ice cold in the final 10 races. So I feel a bit indifferent seeing the standings as they are considering this doesn't mean too much unless you don't win a race or make it into the Chase some other way. Sometimes, I even imagine what if the Chase was implemented during the real hey days of NASCAR. Like, would Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt Sr. have amassed their championship glories if there wasn't as much importance on the majority of races as there is on the final races of the season? Some people still argue Jimmie Johnson only became modern legend because he exceled during clutch time and money time- the Chase. Let's look at it elsewhere in other motorsports. That would be like saying Michael Schumacher didn't have to dominate most of the races in becoming a 7-time F1 World Champion. It would be like Audi not having to lead every lap and every hour to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Or what about all of Valentino Rossi's skill to become the decorated multiple-time MotoGP World Champion he is? Saying all of this, I am not real sure whether to think the leading racers so far are doing great or if I should wait until starting this September to think of certain drivers as being for real. The Chase format simply can be a purpose defeater as far as its relation to it vs. the regular season.
Have your say about the Chase for the Cup. Heck- say the same thing our RACECAR said about the Chase long ago- "kill it with fire." I still take nothing away from the talent of these drivers or the quality of challenge in these events. A critical view I'd take on NASCAR is that it somehow had to model itself in a way like it's just another American-style pro sport to be better recognized now than it used to be. You trade becoming less of a traditional motorsport and try to basically model your sport more like almost any other traditional American pro sport. You might as well draft NASCAR drivers to certain cars. Maybe even draft certain team personnel and crew chiefs to different teams. Imagine if Joey Logano gets drafted to race Kevin Harvick's car or maybe Harvick in Logano's car. Now please note- I mean draft as in drafting athletes and not as in slipstream battling somebody in a race.
I still am a racing fan. While I don't watch NASCAR as intently as I used to, I am still a fan of the series as a motorsports enthusiast. Just wanted to share these semi-random musings. You're welcome, world.
