To no one's surprise NASCAR will add two drivers to its playoff format and increase race-winner points by a whopping five points. However, a bizarre new twist is added, as for the Chase, the drivers will be seeded based on wins, so that the driver with the most wins will start first, then a driver will start second, etc.
Thus does the gimmick of the playoffs get its first of what will likely be many gimmicks in coming years.
The playoff run was implemented after Matt Kenseth stroked his way to the 2003 title on the strength of one win, clinching the title well before the season finale. With TV ratings and attendence beginning to slip in 2003, Brian France pondered what to do to increase the competitive fire of the sport.........and came up with a dud called the Chase.
2004's inaugural Chase saw little in the way of a spike in interest in the sport, despite what some of the RSM may say today about how "compelling" the 2004 playoffs were. 2005 and 2006 saw the novelty of playoffs wear out and ratings and attendence slippage continue.
Adding two drivers to the playoffs doesn't correct the fundamental flaw of a playoff system for a sport, racing, incompatable with any kind of playoff, and increasing race winner points by only five is worse than useless, it is an indication that NASCAR brass is refusing to recognize the seriousness of its competitive ennui.
Lack of winners and lack of lead changes remain the core issues of NASCAR's competitive ennui and ensuing ratings and attendence slippage. Adding two drivers to an absurd playoff format does nothing to correct this; adding a measely five points for a win likewise does nothing to correct this - the Chase will continue to lock out drivers who should not be arbitrarily locked out of top-twelve points contention and will continue to see stroking for the championship; despite the seeding format, race wins will continue to play only a minor role in the championship outcome, and the slippage the sport is seeing will continue.
NASCAR, in short, has accomplished nothing with this change.
2 comments:
NASCAR is certainly a work in progress. I'm glad more points will go to the winner, not sure why they went to 12 drivers though?
They went with twelve because of what happened two years ago when Gordon and Junior didn't make the playoffs.
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