It's February 2008, media
day at the Daytona Int'l Speedway. There's already a buzz in the air as it's the 50th annual "Great American Race", the golden
anniversary of Bill France Sr.'s dream come true.
There's also tons of
media attention surrounding Jeff Gordon, who, in 2007, won his sixth Sprint Cup Championship, putting him one away from tying
Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most in NASCAR history, a record many never thought would be even tied, let alone
the possibility of it being broken.
There's one system
implemented by NASCAR that has taken all this attention away. Ironically, the "system" was appointed to give the sport more
attention, but some may say it has done the opposite.
That system… the
Chase for the Championship.
It was introduced in
January 2004, a year after Matt Kenseth won a "snoozer" of a championship, one where he clinched the title before any parking
attendant or souvenir trailer was at the site of the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The thing I found funny
was that not many fans were outraged by it. Kenseth had a great season. He only won two races, both in the first three races
of the season, but his consistency was good enough to fuel a championship for Roush Racing, a first for them.
So why would NASCAR change
a point system for which there was nothing wrong with?
Attention, nothing more,
nothing less. All the executives watched lots of drama unfold in MLB, the NBA, and the NFL, and they wanted to incorporate
that same drama to NASCAR in a "playoff" style system that wouldn't award consistency as much as wins anymore.
In its first season,
it did just that, as Kurt Busch came within inches of tearing the right side off his car in the season finale at Homestead in
November 2004, and won the title by just eight points over then third-year driver Jimmie Johnson.
Four-time Cup champion Jeff
Gordon led the field to the Chase, with an abbreviated point lead, due to the new "system". Kurt Busch was about 300 points
behind, a deficit that would be near impossible to overcome in the season's final ten races.
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But NASCAR got what they
wanted. Late season drama and a close championship race.
However, one year later,
Tony Stewart proved to be unstoppable in the Chase, and stunk up the show en route to his second Cup title. He led points
after Race 26 at Richmond,
and after one or two hiccups early in the ten race playoff, he turned on the afterburner and would never be caught.
Last year, it seemed
like bad luck overshadowed whoever was leading the Chase, and it took until the third-to-last race of the '06 season before
someone overcame the "bad luck" the Chase leader seemed to have. Jimmie Johnson took the lead after finishing 2nd at Texas,
and would never look back.
This year, Jeff Gordon
has had a dream season. He tied and passed the late great Dale Earnhardt for career wins, and has closed in on Cale Yarborough
for career wins. Gordon has 81, Yarborough 83. He has finished every race but six in the top 10, a model of consistency. However,
it seems like after all the great wins, consistent finishes, and comebacks that Gordon is going to finish second in the championship
Chase.
Why, you ask, the "system?"
Without the "system", Gordon would have won a close championship race in 2004, winning by 47 over Johnson. Kurt Busch, the
actual champion, would have finished 4th. Under the old system, both Stewart and Johnson would have won their championships
still. But as of now, with two races left to run, Gordon would have clinched his sixth Cup title at Texas,
with an insurmountable 400-point lead over teammate Johnson.
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Instead, Johnson, who
looks unstoppable at this point, is scurrying off with his second title in a row. But more credit should be due to Johnson
and his crew chief Chad Knaus, who have played NASCAR's game nicely. They had their bad finishes and Did Not Finishes (DNF)
in the first 26 races, as well as wins, more than any other team, and they led the Chase at New Hampshire.
And with NASCAR's
"system", he will probably be leading it after Homestead, instead of the "real"
champion, for the sixth time in his career, Jeff Gordon.
Why do many hate this
"system"? For one, look at Gordon's numbers this season, and where he is in points. Also, think about what could
have been without the Chase going into next year, and all the attention NASCAR would have, as Gordon would be going after
a formerly-thought unattainable record -- seven championships.
Instead, it must deal
with declining ratings because of their "system". Has the attention-starved "system" worked? I don't think so.
Maybe NASCAR should try
calling this "system" a monster.
2006 StockCar Review.
