The Chase

[Paperclip]

Ok, NASCAR novice here. Can someone tell me how the guy who has won both chase races isn't leading in points?

[Sooner04]

Probably the same reason why the guy who led in points all year has a bad race in the first event of the Chase and finds himself in dead last.

NASCAR is losing fans in droves and their goofy points system surely isn't helping.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Probably the same reason why the guy who led in points all year has a bad race in the first event of the Chase and finds himself in dead last.

NASCAR is losing fans in droves and their goofy points system surely isn't helping.

Their points system is THE stupidest thing in the history of sports IMO;drivers should be rewarded more for wins, not for piling up top 10 finishes; i also disagree with re-setting the field and narrowing the points just to create fan interest for the last 10 races of the season

[GrapevineSooner]

They're losing fans because by and large, their races consist of follow the leader where the only passes for the lead occur on pit stops under caution. And don't dare complain about the car for fear that Uncle Mike Helton or Uncle Brian France will smack your hand for doing so.

The delusion that the powers that be at Nascar is matched only by Tom Hansen of the Pac 10.

That having been said, the last race at Dover was pretty exciting in that you didn't know which Roush car would end up in Victory Lane.

[GrapevineSooner]

Ok, NASCAR novice here. Can someone tell me how the guy who has won both chase races isn't leading in points?

It's because Nascar resets the points for the top 12 drivers at 5000 after the Richmond race. Then if you won a race during the 'regular season', you get 10 bonus points.

As it was, Greg Biffle was one of a handful of drivers (including Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon surprisingly) who made the Chase without winning a single race. So Biffle started 80 points in the hole.

[Blue]

I agree. The chase is bogus and the races are boring! I used to defend it, but I can't stay interested anymore.

Also, let the drivers be themselves. Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson are as deep as a Jello cup.

[lexsooner]

This is the first season I have followed NASCAR, and I have decided it is really kind of hokey, like a small backwater stock car competition which suddenly became enormously popular, but still is small time at heart. They seem to change the rules as they go, and the commercialism is out of control. It is perhaps like when pro wrastlin went from regional circuits to the big time in the 1980s with WWF. Big money maker and commercial, but still kind of hokey and low class. You can take the backwater sport out of the backwater, but not the backwater out of the sport. When Dodges and Chevys are the leaders of the pack, it can't be that great of a sport.

[BudSooner]

This is the first season I have followed NASCAR, and I have decided it is really kind of hokey, like a small backwater stock car competition which suddenly became enormously popular, but still is small time at heart. They seem to change the rules as they go, and the commercialism is out of control. It is perhaps like when pro wrastlin went from regional circuits to the big time in the 1980s with WWF. Big money maker and commercial, but still kind of hokey and low class. You can take the backwater sport out of the backwater, but not the backwater out of the sport. When Dodges and Chevys are the leaders of the pack, it can't be that great of a sport.

Chevy didn't start winning races this year until recently with the exception of Jr/Jeff Burton...it took until Jimmie Johnson started his streak that ended the reign of Toyotas, finally.
I can't recall, but the last Dodge that won was......Kurt Busch at New Hampshire and that was a fluke due to the weather, a combined 5 races including Daytona.
That being said, Jr will win at Dega next Sunday...mark it down.

[lexsooner]

Chevy didn't start winning races this year until recently with the exception of Jr/Jeff Burton...it took until Jimmie Johnson started his streak that ended the reign of Toyotas, finally.
I can't recall, but the last Dodge that won was......Kurt Busch at New Hampshire and that was a fluke due to the weather, a combined 5 races including Daytona.
That being said, Jr will win at Dega next Sunday...mark it down.

NASCAR execs have dreams of expanding and making it a big international sport, but I don't see it if they run things the way they are running as a domestic sport - in a small-time hokey manner. NASCAR is beloved by so many because it is a buncha good ol boys racing American cars. The thought of not only Toyotas, but also BMWs, Mercedes, Nissans, Lexuses, racing around with Dodges and Chevys and racers from all over the world competing is unthinkable to the average NASCAR fan. The domestic interest will drop off quickly. Besides, the rest of the world loves Formula 1, which has vastly superior technology, but the racing is rather boring. To see a bunch of stock cars racing around a circle would not catch on, except with fans of the touring racing in Europe, which is their version of stock car. NASCAR has probably peaked out, and should not grow anymore, or even implode some.

[BudSooner]

Meh, Formula 1 a form of racing where the driver has little to do but ride along. It's all in the car, I bet Kerry Earnhardt could run pretty well in one of those or even Derrike Cope. Heh.

Seriously, i'm not sure where you can find it but maybe on the web there is broadcasts of racing down under called the V8 Supercar series, it's where Marcos Ambrose came from before he decided to kill his career running for the Wood Bros/JTG in Nascar.

[lexsooner]

Meh, Formula 1 a form of racing where the driver has little to do but ride along. It's all in the car, I bet Kerry Earnhardt could run pretty well in one of those or even Derrike Cope. Heh.

Seriously, i'm not sure where you can find it but maybe on the web there is broadcasts of racing down under called the V8 Supercar series, it's where Marcos Ambrose came from before he decided to kill his career running for the Wood Bros/JTG in Nascar.

Qualifying is everything in F1. Start out in front and hold the lead. This of course means the racing itself is not that exciting. However, those cars are terribly difficult to drive, much harder than a NASCAR car, especially on a winding road course. The driver has many gear shifts per lap, and the machines are incredibly fickle beasts. It's amazing how easy it is to miss a shift and blow the engine in F1. The skill level of driving an F1 car is probably higher than driving a stock car around an oval track. I do think the top racers from both circuits could do well anywhere.

[BudSooner]

Qualifying is everything in F1. Start out in front and hold the lead. This of course means the racing itself is not that exciting. However, those cars are terribly difficult to drive, much harder than a NASCAR car, especially on a winding road course. The driver has many gear shifts per lap, and the machines are incredibly fickle beasts. It's amazing how easy it is to miss a shift and blow the engine in F1. The skill level of driving an F1 car is probably higher than driving a stock car around an oval track. I do think the top racers from both circuits could do well anywhere.

AJ Almendinger-CART/F1-out of a ride now.
Juan Pablo Montoya-1 win, though in his defense he is in horrible equipment and if he were in a ride comparable to HMS/JGR/Roush rides...those wins would be mounting quickly. Dodge power sucks balls, hard.
Patrick Carpentier-overrated.
Scott Speed-former F1 driver and now set to take over the seat of the 'Dinger next year, is supposed to turn laps in the cup series before the year is out.....watch this guy, I swear if there is an open wheeler other than JPM to generate excitement..it's him.

Jeff Gordon turned laps at Indy years back in JPM's F1 ride and the scoring monitors had him running equal times, F1 cars are close...notice I didn't say equal to Indy cars since the power to weight is so much greater due to turbo induction and gearing.

Tony Stewart said himself early this year that open wheel cars take most of the racing out of the drivers hands.