An Idea Worth Thought
Bill Center, Union-Tribune (San Diego) staff writer has an interesting proposal to solve the raging controversy swirling throughout NASCAR over race dates. More specificlly, which tracks is blessed with a second race date and who is left with a solo event on their schedule.
My first impression is great! Fair, equal for all and should work. My final assesment is at the end of the article and is summed up in 4 words.
So here’s an idea:
Throw out the present system.
With certain exceptions
Why not have a true play-off or Race-Off for the Championship. Divide the series in into two divsions. Teams would be allowed to cross over divsions at a selected number of events. Teams would also be allowed to drop their lowest scoring events (the same number as the cross over events). The highest scoring 21 teams plus one would then have a Race-Off for the Championship. The Race-Off would consist of the Top Traditional Venuses plus the Top Performing Venues (# of fan and quality of race). The Race-Off would be required to have all style of tracks represented. By allowing teams to subtract low scoring events they could decide which weekends they wanted to take a break . Requiring all style of tracks in the Race-Off would keep them honest (it would not be to their advantage to skip the tracks where they have probelms)
My first question is with this part of your proposal: “By allowing teams to subtract low scoring events”
It would depend on your definition of low scoring, to me and most people I suspect, that implies finishing in the back half of the field, not sitting at home watching the boob tube. Racing is competition not sitting at home.
Secondly is this: “The Race-Off would be required to have all style of tracks represented.”
Based on your criteria Watkins Glen (and Martinsville) most likely never have a chance to be included in the Chase because it’s seating capacity is something less than 80,000.
And the largest problem I see is the two divisions idea. that would in effect make two NEXTEL Cup series. They each would have only one half of the current field entered in their races (21-22 cars) and they would be competing each other for TV air time. It would also mean sponsors would immediatly ask for their contracts to be cut in half because they would receive only half as much exposure to the public.
The only way to solve the sponsorship problem is to have them sponsor a car in each “division” NEVER happen.
In short, and in my opinion, none of this idea is workable.