this could be interesting............. 
Posted on Fri, Dec. 05, 2003
NASCAR considering dramatic change
By DAVID POOLE
Staff Writer
NEW YORK CITY - NASCAR is considering a dramatic change in how it determines the champion of its top series, studying a plan to make only the drivers in the top 10 after 26 races eligible to run for the title over the season's final 10 events.
Sources told The Observer that, while no decision has been made and that NASCAR could still keep intact the system it has used since 1975, it is weighing a major overhaul. When applied to the past eight seasons, the most sweeping plan under study would have produced a different champion than the old system five times, including this season.
That plan would advance the top 10 drivers following the Sept. 11 race at Richmond into a 10-race "postseason." Points earned in the first 26 races would be erased or evened up in some manner so points earned in the final 10 races would determine the champion.
If this year's top 10 went back to zero after the September race at Richmond, Matt Kenseth would have seen a 418-point lead erased. Michael Waltrip, 785 points back in 10th at that juncture, would have gone to the first "playoff" race at New Hampshire on equal footing with Kenseth and the eight other drivers in the top 10.
And Jimmie Johnson, who wound up second behind Kenseth in the final standings, would have won the title with 1,569 points over the final 10 races. Johnson would have been the guest of honor at Friday night's awards ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Kenseth would have finished seventh.
Earlier this year NASCAR chief executive officer Bill France Jr. indicated changes to the championship were likely after the 2003 season. France later stepped aside and turned the CEO job over to his son, Brian France, who said Thursday NASCAR is comfortable with its system despite criticism for its emphasis on season-long consistency.
Kenseth won only one race in the 2003 but finished 90 points ahead of Johnson, who won three races. Ryan Newman, who led the circuit with eight victories, finished sixth in the final standings because he also had seven races where his No. 12 Dodge was not running at the finish.
"We think our current points system works well," France said. "But ... if there is a way we can make it even better, make it more exciting and have a credible winner for our champion, then we'll do that."
Top NASCAR officials are scheduled to meet in New York City Saturday to look at possible changes in the system. France said Thursday a final decision on changes to the points system could be announced as late as mid-January.
The first reports that such a system might be considered came from driver Jimmy Spencer on a television show that aired the day after the season's final race at Homestead Miami Speedway. Because the change seemed so radical, however, Spencer's comments drew marginal attention. Now it is clear the plan has advocates at the sport's top levels.
Using the season's first 26 races to qualify 10 drivers to advance to title contention over the remainder of the year would be a complete departure from the sport's current structure, where all 36 points races count equally in naming a champion.
Even though a team would need to race well enough to be in the top 10 by mid-September, the final 10 races -- scheduled for New Hampshire, Dover, Talladega, Kansas, Charlotte, Martinsville, Atlanta, Phoenix, Darlington and Homestead next year -- would certainly take on added significance in the championship picture.
Proponents within NASCAR's inner circle say they don't believe the postseason plan would take away from the first 26 races, only add significance to the final 10. But if the championship is based how 10 drivers do in the last 10 races, could the season-opening Daytona 500 still be marketed as the year's most important event?
The Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, two of the sport's other most prestigious events, also would come the during the "regular-season." So, too, would all of the races broadcast by Fox Sports, meaning NBC and TNT would get all of the "playoff races" under the current television deal.
Television ratings are a major impetus behind consideration of such a dramatic change. NASCAR competes for viewers with the NFL and with baseball's playoffs and World Series as the Cup season moves into the fall.
The postseason plan could create two down-to-the wire battles each season. The first would come in late August and early September, just as the NFL season begins, as teams jockey for top-10 spots. Then, the 10-race title run would more likely produce a close battle for the championship through October and November, when major league baseball and pro and college football crowd the sports calendar.
"I think it would be terrific," Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. (Humpy) Wheeler said of the concept. "It would put us on a keel with baseball, basketball and football, who all have great playoff systems. We're the only sport that tends to get weaker as the season goes on. This would really give us a strong boost toward the end of the season and would give the racing a strong boost so we can compete against the NFL ... in the sports marketplace.
"I think it would invigorate the fans. They would get more interested and would talk more about all of the whys and wherefores. That's as important as anything else, getting the fans to talk about it. When they stop talking about it, you're dead in the water."
NASCAR officials who are looking at how such a plan would have played out when applied to past seasons didn't need to go back far to find another controversial scenario.
After 26 races a year ago, Kurt Busch was 12th in the standings. Over the final 10 races, however, Busch had 1,563 points -- more than anyone who would have qualified to race for the title over the final 10 races. Eventual 2002 champion Tony Stewart, who was fifth after 26 races, had 1,479 over the final 10 races.
Brian France said Thursday any system NASCAR adopts would have to choose a "credible" champion. But if Busch scored more points in the final 10 races than Stewart, would that have damaged the credibility of Stewart's title?
Because of that situation, officials are looking at possible ways to allow for a "wild card" contender to earn his way into the title chase.
Of the Winston Cup champions crowned since 1996, only Gordon in 1998, Bobby Labonte in 2000 and Stewart last year would have would have also won titles under the 10-race postseason system.
Sterling Marlin would have won the 2001 title instead of Gordon. Labonte would have won in 1999 instead of Dale Jarrett. Jarrett would have won in 1997 instead of Gordon and Gordon would have won in 1996 instead of Terry Labonte.
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Posted on Fri, Dec. 05, 2003
NASCAR considering dramatic change
By DAVID POOLE
Staff Writer
NEW YORK CITY - NASCAR is considering a dramatic change in how it determines the champion of its top series, studying a plan to make only the drivers in the top 10 after 26 races eligible to run for the title over the season's final 10 events.
Sources told The Observer that, while no decision has been made and that NASCAR could still keep intact the system it has used since 1975, it is weighing a major overhaul. When applied to the past eight seasons, the most sweeping plan under study would have produced a different champion than the old system five times, including this season.
That plan would advance the top 10 drivers following the Sept. 11 race at Richmond into a 10-race "postseason." Points earned in the first 26 races would be erased or evened up in some manner so points earned in the final 10 races would determine the champion.
If this year's top 10 went back to zero after the September race at Richmond, Matt Kenseth would have seen a 418-point lead erased. Michael Waltrip, 785 points back in 10th at that juncture, would have gone to the first "playoff" race at New Hampshire on equal footing with Kenseth and the eight other drivers in the top 10.
And Jimmie Johnson, who wound up second behind Kenseth in the final standings, would have won the title with 1,569 points over the final 10 races. Johnson would have been the guest of honor at Friday night's awards ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Kenseth would have finished seventh.
Earlier this year NASCAR chief executive officer Bill France Jr. indicated changes to the championship were likely after the 2003 season. France later stepped aside and turned the CEO job over to his son, Brian France, who said Thursday NASCAR is comfortable with its system despite criticism for its emphasis on season-long consistency.
Kenseth won only one race in the 2003 but finished 90 points ahead of Johnson, who won three races. Ryan Newman, who led the circuit with eight victories, finished sixth in the final standings because he also had seven races where his No. 12 Dodge was not running at the finish.
"We think our current points system works well," France said. "But ... if there is a way we can make it even better, make it more exciting and have a credible winner for our champion, then we'll do that."
Top NASCAR officials are scheduled to meet in New York City Saturday to look at possible changes in the system. France said Thursday a final decision on changes to the points system could be announced as late as mid-January.
The first reports that such a system might be considered came from driver Jimmy Spencer on a television show that aired the day after the season's final race at Homestead Miami Speedway. Because the change seemed so radical, however, Spencer's comments drew marginal attention. Now it is clear the plan has advocates at the sport's top levels.
Using the season's first 26 races to qualify 10 drivers to advance to title contention over the remainder of the year would be a complete departure from the sport's current structure, where all 36 points races count equally in naming a champion.
Even though a team would need to race well enough to be in the top 10 by mid-September, the final 10 races -- scheduled for New Hampshire, Dover, Talladega, Kansas, Charlotte, Martinsville, Atlanta, Phoenix, Darlington and Homestead next year -- would certainly take on added significance in the championship picture.
Proponents within NASCAR's inner circle say they don't believe the postseason plan would take away from the first 26 races, only add significance to the final 10. But if the championship is based how 10 drivers do in the last 10 races, could the season-opening Daytona 500 still be marketed as the year's most important event?
The Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, two of the sport's other most prestigious events, also would come the during the "regular-season." So, too, would all of the races broadcast by Fox Sports, meaning NBC and TNT would get all of the "playoff races" under the current television deal.
Television ratings are a major impetus behind consideration of such a dramatic change. NASCAR competes for viewers with the NFL and with baseball's playoffs and World Series as the Cup season moves into the fall.
The postseason plan could create two down-to-the wire battles each season. The first would come in late August and early September, just as the NFL season begins, as teams jockey for top-10 spots. Then, the 10-race title run would more likely produce a close battle for the championship through October and November, when major league baseball and pro and college football crowd the sports calendar.
"I think it would be terrific," Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. (Humpy) Wheeler said of the concept. "It would put us on a keel with baseball, basketball and football, who all have great playoff systems. We're the only sport that tends to get weaker as the season goes on. This would really give us a strong boost toward the end of the season and would give the racing a strong boost so we can compete against the NFL ... in the sports marketplace.
"I think it would invigorate the fans. They would get more interested and would talk more about all of the whys and wherefores. That's as important as anything else, getting the fans to talk about it. When they stop talking about it, you're dead in the water."
NASCAR officials who are looking at how such a plan would have played out when applied to past seasons didn't need to go back far to find another controversial scenario.
After 26 races a year ago, Kurt Busch was 12th in the standings. Over the final 10 races, however, Busch had 1,563 points -- more than anyone who would have qualified to race for the title over the final 10 races. Eventual 2002 champion Tony Stewart, who was fifth after 26 races, had 1,479 over the final 10 races.
Brian France said Thursday any system NASCAR adopts would have to choose a "credible" champion. But if Busch scored more points in the final 10 races than Stewart, would that have damaged the credibility of Stewart's title?
Because of that situation, officials are looking at possible ways to allow for a "wild card" contender to earn his way into the title chase.
Of the Winston Cup champions crowned since 1996, only Gordon in 1998, Bobby Labonte in 2000 and Stewart last year would have would have also won titles under the 10-race postseason system.
Sterling Marlin would have won the 2001 title instead of Gordon. Labonte would have won in 1999 instead of Dale Jarrett. Jarrett would have won in 1997 instead of Gordon and Gordon would have won in 1996 instead of Terry Labonte.
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