What’s The Point? New Look At Points System

If you were expecting an anti-Chase rant, sorry… been there, done that. Chase opinions are divided here at Bump-Drafts. Jim likes it. Me?….not so much.

Regardless of what we think about it, the Chase is here to stay. Or so it seems for at least for the foreseeable future, as the regular season seems to have become dominated by the need to position teams for the Chase, and while the Championship will be decided by a 10 race playoff.

I have taken a look at the points system in an effort to insure that the most worthy contenders actually get a chance to contend. The current points system is a modification of the system first used in ‘75. This system rewards consistency.

My proposed changes still rewards consistency….to a point. To do otherwise could lead to a "checkers, or wreckers" type racing. While this might be what many fans want to see. I’m not so sure it would
always crown a worthy champion.

I have read suggestions that any team winning a race should be included in the Chase. I fail to see how a team like Joey Logano (who won a rain shortened race), or the "09" team of Brad Keselowski pulling off an improbable win in and of itself make these teams worthy of inclusion.

What I’ve tried to do is give more weight to winning, or running up front. I want there to be enough  reward that drivers will go for the win, or the top five finish, rather than being content to play it safe and settle for a top 10 finish.These tweaks  to the points could lead to better racing week to week. Plus a more deserving field for the Chase.

Under the current system the max points available per race are 195., providing a driver wins and leads the most laps. A driver running second and leading a lap would gain 180. If the second place driver were to have led the most laps. He would receive 185. while the winner gets 190. A 10th place finish currently pays 135 points 139 if they led a lap. That’s a 56 point differential, dropping to 51 if a lap was led.

The current system awards 185 for the win, falling off 5 points per position from 1st through 6th, 4 from 7th through 11th, and 3 from 11th-43rd, with a bonus of 5 for leading, plus 5 for leading the most.

Under my proposed revision, the winner gets 280,  second earns 230, third wins 200 points, fourth gets 190,  fifth- 180. Sixth wins 165, falling off 5 from 6th-10th, and 3 for 11th-30th.  31st-36th gets 85, and 37th-43rd- 70.The only reason I didn’t just award the same points from 31st on back was to help the Chase contenders who have a bad week.

I propose awarding bonus points as follows: 10 for qualifying on pole and 10 for leading the most laps. My reasoning is this: I want to see drivers wanting- and needing- to win.

Under this system, the maximum available is 300. To get 300, a driver would have to hit the trifecta: qualify on pole, win the race, l and lead the most laps.

It’s been done 3 times this year. For you bowlers, think of it as a perfect race.

The reason that I award no points for leading a lap is these can be a gift- either from a teammate, or by staying out under yellow. Both the pole and leading the most laps must be earned by besting the entire field.

By now everyone knows the Chase field is set.
                      Wins    Points
1  Mark Martin   4        5040
2  Tony Stewart   3       5030
3  Jimmy Johnson 3       5030
4  Denny Hamlin   2      5020
5  Kasey Kahne   2      5020
6  Jeff Gordon      1      5010
7  Kurt Bush         1     5010
8  Brian Vickers    1     5010
9  Carl Edwards    0     5000
10 Ryan Newman  0    5000
11 JPM                 0   5000
12 Greg Biffle        0   5000

Under my revised system the Chase field would look like this:
                            New Regular Season Points
1  Tony Stewart     4630
2  Mark Martin      4160
3  Denny Hamlin    4149
4  Jimmy Johnson  4124
5  Jeff  Gordon      3995
6  Kyle Busch       3880
7  Kurt Busch       3844
8  Kasey Kahne   3837
9  Carl Edwards   3754
10 Brian Vickers  3713
11 JPM                3712
12 Ryan Newman 3711

Notice how tight the points are for 10th on down.

13 Matt Kenseth gets 3701. Wins count for much more, but they still have to be backed up.

While I’m making changes, I would eliminate both the Past Champion’s Provisional and the top 35 rule. Instead, I’d give each team two provisionals to be used anytime they miss the show, and a car lower in points gets in. Two provisionals should be plenty for any Chase contending team. The top cars shouldn’t need any, but anything can happen. The middle, to lower tier teams might want to be very careful how they use theirs. Either way, it will make qualifying important again.

As it is, the locked in teams on lots of tracks are qualifying mostly for pit selection. While you might be surprised to hear me say it,I think NASCAR got it right with the original chase field. I would drop it back to 10. If a team can’t finish in the top 25%, then they aren’t championship material this year. Work harder next year.If the field were limited to 10 this year. Both Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman, with no wins, would have missed, but only by the closest of margins.

Other important changes I’d love to see are- when the Chase starts I would award the point leader 100 bonus points to start. After all, the regular season points lead should count for something. They have bested the entire field, and I think they deserve to start the Chase with an edge.

Remember under my proposed system, 100 points isn’t nearly what it is currently. What about bonus points for wins you ask? They are already built into the system. That’s probably what got them into the Chase. The other nine teams all start even.

Under my system, it’s still possible for a team to get in with no wins, but it’s much more difficult. Each team getting in would get a money bonus, just not as big as currently. I would pay no bonus for the 11 place. I would however, continue tabulating season points.

As it now stands, the first team missing the chase can fall in the points, but can go no higher. No chase team could be bumped from the Chase. However, the chase teams would NOT be locked into the top 10 after Homestead. For example, if at the end, say the 11th and 12th place teams were higher in season points than the 10th place chase team, then they would be awarded the 10th, and 11th point checks, with the chase team falling
to 12th.

Another change I would love to see would be for the  season money to be awarded at the banquet. No "Winners Circle", no hold over money. Period. This is a hold over from times past. When they needed to sweeten the pot to insure that the big names showed up. That time died when NASCAR entered the modern era.

It would be much fairer and easier for the fans, especially the coveted new fans to understand. Winning should pay more than second, & so on down the line.

Lastly, I would love to see Talladega replaced with Watkins Glen in the Chase. My reasoning is Talladega is generally considered the least important track for driver skill. It’s almost a total crap shoot. With drivers doing everything right suddenly collected due to someone else’s mistake. I really hate to see 10% of the chase decided on this type or track. A road course is much more of a driver test. Besides Upstate New York is wonderful in the fall.

You probably don’t agree with all of this. Some of you won’t agree with most of it. If you don’t like the Chase, my proposed changes won’t make you like it.My changes were suggested to promote better racing, and to give the most deserving teams a shot at the Championship.

I’m sure we won’t see any of it, but I invite you to tell me what you think, as well as adding your suggestions to my "Wish List"