2017 NASCAR Discussion threadNASCAR 

  • Thread starter MustangRyan
  • 3,756 comments
  • 154,312 views
As I said back in 2015, if we didn't have this format, where people will do these crazy things, and just had points racing like we did back in '03, we wouldn't have these chaotic melees.
 
The problem with the chase format has always been that the price for all the short-term excitement and drama is a history book full of artificial champions.
 
No sense in getting worked up about the old points system since it's been gone for like 13 years. It's obviously not coming back. It's unfortunate people like Larson get eliminated as well as Truex last year for an engine failure but it is what it is.
 
ukfan758
Probably an unpopular opinion here but I think Hamlin deserves a three race ban after those wrecks.
Click to expand...
It was viewed more like Logano dumping Kenseth for the win at Kansas than it was when Kenseth paid it back to Logano while ten laps down at Martinsville the following week.

Chase had just finished moving Keselowski out of the second lane the lap before Hamlin did it back to him.

NASCAR isn't going to punish the drivers for doing this for the lead at the end of the race. The win-and-advance elimination format practically demands that they do it if presented the chance to win the race.
 
In kinda-news:

Smithfield and RPM have settled their quarrel, will have a minor relationship next season.

David Starr is gonna attempt the Texas cup race, keeping that 40th place warm for Cope to reclaim next week.

Danica may be going to Roush-Fenway... OK, my family has established a few unwritten rules to life. #1 on all of our lists is "Never work with family.", and I really think Danica & Ricky on the same team directly is a reeeeeally bad idea for them.
 
BKGlover
Danica may be going to Roush-Fenway... OK, my family has established a few unwritten rules to life. #1 on all of our lists is "Never work with family.", and I really think Danica & Ricky on the same team directly is a reeeeeally bad idea for them.
Click to expand...

Frankly, Roush has been nothing but bad ideas the last few years. This year was looking like the spell was gonna be broke until Ricky decided to be Ricky again. Not like a massive difference will be made should this happen, they'll never be on the same level as SHR and Penske, yet Ford will continue to waste money on them. At least their road racing team is still there being competitive. Oh wait...
 
Matt Crafton staying at ThorSport. He stated he's a Truck lifer, and at 39 there's not much moving up he can do now, but we need more drivers like that who take a non-cup series, stay near the top regularly, and make it their own thing. Xfinity could definitely use more of them.
 
RACECAR
Ford will continue to waste money on them.
Click to expand...

Roush-Yates still makes great engines even though Roush hasn't performed well overall. If Ford were to cut that funding they would have to hope Penske or SHR can build an entire engine program on short notice.
 
Northstar
Roush-Yates still makes great engines even though Roush hasn't performed well overall. If Ford were to cut that funding they would have to hope Penske or SHR can build an entire engine program on short notice.
Click to expand...

Surely they can stop spending money on the team while still helping the engine program, can't they?

Also, don't Penske still have an engine program themselves?
 
RACECAR
Surely they can stop spending money on the team while still helping the engine program, can't they?

Also, don't Penske still have an engine program themselves?
Click to expand...
Not since Dodge, I thought. They are using Roush-Yates engines.
 
14 team gets an L1 penalty for an underweight thingamajig in place of the onboard camera. Sounds pretty weak but it's unknown if if was just a few ounces or a blatant thing.
 
GroupB
The problem with the chase format has always been that the price for all the short-term excitement and drama is a history book full of artificial champions.
Click to expand...

That is a problem unless who wins is a fan favorite. If Chase Elliott wins it all this year people will think it's great but the same people rooting for him to win it are probably the same people who made a huge fuss when Kyle Busch won it all in 2015 after missing 11 races but winning 5 races of the 25 he entered while a fan favorite like Chase Elliott can theoretically win it without winning a single race thus far in his whole career.
 
Blood Eagle
That is a problem unless who wins is a fan favorite. If Chase Elliott wins it all this year people will think it's great but the same people rooting for him to win it are probably the same people who made a huge fuss when Kyle Busch won it all in 2015 after missing 11 races but winning 5 races of the 25 he entered while a fan favorite like Chase Elliott can theoretically win it without winning a single race thus far in his whole career.
Click to expand...
Ryan Newman almost won the championship three years ago without winning a single race in the first 35 events. If it wasn't for the final caution, he probably would have held off Harvick and won the championship.
 
MustangRyan
Ryan Newman almost won the championship three years ago without winning a single race in the first 35 events. If it wasn't for the final caution, he probably would have held off Harvick and won the championship.
Click to expand...

I remember. Just think people wouldn't make so much of a deal about the chase if a fan favorite wins the whole deal after a decent season but no wins.
 
GroupB
On the flip side, the chase was created because Kenseth won the title with one win in a year that Newman had dominated.
Click to expand...

Now that you bring that up (and looking at the drivers who should've won, but got taken out by small things), I just realized this chase is basically bringing back the very issue NASCAR tried to get rid of. It makes it even more puzzling and all the more reason to question what was even the point?
 
Another key component that gets overlooked is that Bob Latford, the guy who designed the 1975-2003 points system, passed on during the 2003 season. With him out of the way, Brian France felt free to start tinkering.
 
GroupB
Another key component that gets overlooked is that Bob Latford, the guy who designed the 1975-2003 points system, passed on during the 2003 season. With him out of the way, Brian France felt free to start tinkering.
Click to expand...
I think the change would have happened anyway, since '03 is when NASCAR started coming down off its golden period and France was really getting hooked on the idea that overtaking the NFL in fall ratings was the key to fixing that. Latford might have at least been able to act as a voice of reason and help with hammering out the finer details though, so they wouldn't had needed to spend the next several years monkeying around with the format and further eroding the fanbase in the process.
 
EngieDiesel
I think the change would have happened anyway, since '03 is when NASCAR started coming down off its golden period and France was really getting hooked on the idea that overtaking the NFL in fall ratings was the key to fixing that. Latford might have at least been able to act as a voice of reason and help with hammering out the finer details though, so they wouldn't had needed to spend the next several years monkeying around with the format and further eroding the fanbase in the process.
Click to expand...
It sure didn't help that they kept watering the field down. It was okay with 10 drivers. Then Gordon and Jr. missed out, so they increased it to 12. Now we're at 16. And with this goofy system, a top 3 driver gets knocked out before it even gets to the 2nd to last round.
 
One thing about the truck series that always amazes me?

How on earth does Jennifer Jo Cobb make minimum speed every week?
 
Dolph Drago
It sure didn't help that they kept watering the field down. It was okay with 10 drivers. Then Gordon and Jr. missed out, so they increased it to 12. Now we're at 16. And with this goofy system, a top 3 driver gets knocked out before it even gets to the 2nd to last round.
Click to expand...
Given how they seem to keep copying more things from football's playoff system, it wouldn't surprise me if the next move was putting the Chase drivers in a bracket system and if Driver A performs better over 3 races than Driver B, they move on to the next round. But of course winning a race would trump everything, so if one pair had both drivers win they would both go through and the pair opposite them on the bracket would be cut, or some other roundabout nonsense that makes zero sense.
 

Latest Posts

Back