“The Chase”- to some NASCAR fans, this is a profanity. I hear a lot of people railing against it, yet I have never heard anybody really offer up a well-articulated argument against it. More often than not, I sense that fans who hate NASCAR’s answer to a “playoff” are just using this as one more argument against Brian France and Mike Helton and their governing of NASCAR.
By now you know I have no problem taking up an unpopular opinion. After all, I’m a Jeff Gordon fan- NASCAR’s 2nd most-loved and at the same time, probably the most hated driver in the sport. I suppose if Tony Stewart (according to Gordon) is the “Rosie O’ Donnell of NASCAR”, then The Rainbow Warrior is the “Howard Cosell of NASCAR.” According to a poll in the 1970’s, Cosell was the most popular and the most hated announcer in sports.
I digress. My best guess is the simple fact of the human condition that people hate change. Until 2004, NASCAR ran for some 55 years without a playoff format. Certainly, I’m not aware of any other governing body in auto racing that has a format quite like this. I think most chase “haters” would say that there are 30+ other drivers on the track that should be accounted for. What if Mr. #13 goes on a tear and would have enough points to win were it not for the chase. It could happen. There are still others who point out that Jeff Gordon would have won the Cup in 2004 were it not for the chase instead of Kurt Busch. Many interesting comparisons of the old format versus the new have been made, and there’s no denying it is different.
“So why do you like it, Jim?” you may ask. I like the idea of a playoff format. Though I root for the #24 Dupont Chevrolet, I’ll admit to being bored if he ran away with it. The chase is NASCAR’s best answer for the best drivers of the year to square off against each other. I mean, you really can’t just have the 12 best do a drag race, can you? Just 12 cars on the track would be boring, and after all, as we saw at Dover, there’s a skill to weaving your way through lapped traffic- just ask Denny Hamlin. It’s a part of racing man! I think it sets a part of a group of the best to square off for the title, just like every other sport does.
Does the team with the best regular season record win the title every year? No. Ask the Seattle Mariners. They won a staggering 116 of 162 games and didn’t even make it to the World Series! The Yankees were a very good time that got hot at the right time- kind of like Tony Stewart! Are you going to argue that he doesn’t deserve a shot at the title though he didn’t catch fire until late? How would he have any shot at catching Gordon without the Chase? The fact is the season is too long and there are too many factors that go into points. If you ask me, what’s happening in the Busch Series is a good case for the chase. Carl Edwards has made a joke of the run for the title. There’s just no way David Reutimann or Jaons Leffler will have any chance at catching him. Think about the years the wild card team has won the Super Bowl. I can remember one NBA playoff series where the eighth seeded Denver Nuggets completely shocked the number one Seattle Super Sonics.
Maybe I’m all wet, but the chase has been fun for me so far. I personally think it’s a travesty that Matt Kenseth (though I find him likable) won a Cup with only one victory under his belt that year. Something’s goofy with that. Look at the standings with intellectual honesty. If you look at the wins, and all the finishes, I think the chase standings reflect it well.
Is this a perfect system? No. After years of watching baseball make few good changes for the sake of tradition, it’s refreshing to see a sports governing body with the cajones to try to do things differently to make the sport better. For all you detractors- here’s some good news: if you hate the chase bad enough, and there are enough of you, it WILL change.
Now if we can only change the top 35 owner points rules for qualifying, then we’re on to something.
SHAMELESS PLUG: If you want a great explanation of how points are scored in NASCAR, check out Charle’s NASCAR 411 update at “nascarlfordummies.” Very nicely done.
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OMG!!!!!
There is someone else in Gods Green Earth, who thinks that the chase is enough to keep NASCAR just spicy enough to keep it on its toes. No I do not allways agree with NASCAR’S rules, or with their decisions, but, if your gonna be a true fan you have to repect that the decision was theirs to make.
I do agree with Jim that it does make the end of the season races more fun. I do have to admit that even when our fav drivers does get a run with the points and he takes off with it, and every body know he is the winner before the season is done with, it gets boring.
Well look at it this way, a race with out lead changes and going 200 miles an hour with out passing, and no lead changes would get boring and they would loose their fan base.
So until all you BRAIN CHILD GENIUS’S get the preferred job at NASCAR let them do their jobs so we can enjoy racing.
Amanda