2014 NASCAR thread

[Ax4x Mikey J]

Here is the place to discuss all things NASCAR. The good the bad and the ugly...

[Ax4x Mikey J]

If you thought Bernie's proposed double points gimmick was bad, try this:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/01/17/4620805/nascar-to-overhaul-points-chase.html#.UtsTrGDTnIU

[FSR Groves]

Nice to know it isn't just the FIA making stupid decisions :')

[Ax4x Kane]

Ugh. Who decided these needed changing? It's fine the way it is.

[Ax4x Bandit]

Way to make the first 35 races of the season pretty much irrelevant...

[nickyf1]

It already has the race for the chase for the cup for the thing, so how can it get any worse?

[BritishBobcat77]

I see what they are trying to do, but as for being better than the current system? No!

Here's an idea (this maybe similar to what was used years ago, not sure) but, how about...

43pts for 1st
42pts for 2nd
41pts for 3rd and so on down to 1pt for 43rd.
1 bonus point for every lap lead.
After 36 races, whoever has the most points is the champ.

It's simple and it works. How hard can it be???

British Superbikes run a very similar points system to the current one in NASCAR. You spend 19 races scoring points to get into the "Shootout" where the top 6 riders get their point 'upgraded' to 500 where they then compete in the last 7 races for the title chase.

[LMR DarthMario]

And the heads at NASCAR wonder why their losing viewers.

[FSR Groves]

In a move that overhauls the 10-year-old Chase for the Sprint Cup , NASCAR announced sweeping changes that forces drivers to win races to make and advance in the Chase and that will guarantee that four drivers will have an equal chance to win the Sprint Cup title in the season’s final race.

The changes:
Race winners automatically make Chase field
Field expands to 16 drivers, including points leader
Points used as tiebreaker if more than 16
Points reset to start Chase; winners get three bonus points
Field reset after Chase race three, six and nine
Competitors will be eliminated during Chase
Final four will compete for title at season's final race
Highest finisher among those at Homestead wins Cup

"This will make every race matter, produce compelling competition and award a worthy champion," France said.

“You’ve got to admire NASCAR. This took guts, this is a big deal,” team owner Joe Gibbs said. “You’ve to admire their courage. They went throughout all the scenarios ... and I think they have done their homework.”

The new Chase rules are the most drastic changes NASCAR has made since it implemented the Chase in 2004. Since then it has tweaked the Chase format, expanding the field and adding two wild-card drivers, and changed its points system in recent years, but this is a major move that could change the way drivers and teams race each week and set the sport up for a dramatic Game 7 moment in the season's final race.

NASCAR will increase the number of drivers in the Chase from 12 to 16. Instead of points being the primary way drivers make the Chase, all race winners during the 26-race regular season will make the Chase. If there are more than 16 winners, ties would be broken by points. If there are fewer than 16, the drivers without a win but highest in the points standings would advance to the Chase. The points leader at the end of the regular season also would be guaranteed a spot in the Chase, regardless of whether or not he wins.

France said NASCAR is making the changes for three reasons: To place a greater emphasis on winning races; to make the championship format simpler and easier to understand; and to put more drivers in the Chase.

The 10-race Chase also will have more of a playoff format and feel.

The 16 drivers who advance will have their points reset after the regular season, with drivers still earning three bonus points for each race win.

The Chase will be broken into four rounds: three three-race segments, followed by the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Four drivers will be eliminated after each round. If a driver wins a race during a three-race segment, that driver automatically qualifies for the next round, even if he is among the four worst in points. Points will be reset again after each round so all drivers enter the next round on equal footing.

The first round will be the Challenger Round, with 12 drivers advancing and four being eliminated. The next round will be the Contenders Round, with eight drivers advancing and four more being eliminted. The third round will be the Elimination Round, with four drivers advancing to the season finale and four more being eliminated.

The drivers that are eliminated in each round will continue to race for points, but can finish no higher than fifth in the final standings.

The season finale will feature the top four drivers battling for the championship in a winner-take-all event. The driver that finishes highest in the final race will win the Sprint Cup championship, collecting of bonus of more than $5 million. The Homestead race, as all others, will have a full field of 43 cars.

Thoughts?

[LMR DarthMario]

simple thoughts: It's stupid. this isn't a "ball game", so it doesn't need "tournament" brackets

[nickyf1]

On the one hand, I think it's stupid.

On the other hand, this is NASCAR...

[Ax4x Mikey J]

It already has the race for the chase for the cup for the thing, so how can it get any worse?

Now you know how it can get any worse.

I swear Brian France and Bernie Ecclestone get together during the offseason, get drunk, and try to out-do each other in a game of "Oh yeah, watch this!"

[Turbo Power 77]

Surprisingly tonight will be the first time I've properly watched a NASCAR race, hoping it's going to be a good one.

[Ax4x Mikey J]

In America, today is known as The Greatest Day In Racing.

Lets see:

Monaco GP was good, Indy 500 was great, hoping the Charlotte 600 proves "why" it deserves to be on this day.

That, and "Go Kurt!"

[Turbo Power 77]

I barely know who any of the drivers are and I'm not rooting for anyone so it should be interesting

[Ax4x Mikey J]

Here's a rundown of NASCAR, according to FMJ:

Jimmie Johnson: current (six time) champion. Has been caught cheating more times than anyone on the grid, proving NASCAR's monetary penalty system doesn't go far enough

Dale Jr: overhyped and popular because of his famous Daddy

Kevin Harvick: Aggressive and tempermental.

Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski: same as Harvick, but has the talent to back it. Not as prone to pit fights as Harvick

Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart: used to be very successful. Still fast at times

Kyle Larson: NASCAR's future star in the making.

Jamie MacMurray: Has only won the sport's biggest races, otherwise rather meh.

Matt Kenseth: cold and calculating. Smooth and fast.

Joey Logano: Fast yet rather inexperienced. Known for taking risks.

Carl Edwards: Quite a few wins a few years back. Getting desperate these days.

Danica Patrick: Like a turtle on a post.

[Turbo Power 77]

Anybody got a link to a good stream? Race isn't on UK TV and the stream I'm watching isn't the best quality.

[Ax4x Mikey J]

Loooonnnngggggg race.

The closest thing NASCAR has to a proper enduro.

[FSR Groves]

Anybody got a link to a good stream? Race isn't on UK TV and the stream I'm watching isn't the best quality.

http://en.vipboxuk.co/motorsports/229464/1/nascar-:-coca-cola-600-race-live-stream-online.html

[Turbo Power 77]

Somehow NASCAR just doesn't do it for me, don't know why.

[LMR DarthMario]

there's always TASCAR....

[Ax4x Mikey J]

Somehow NASCAR just doesn't do it for me, don't know why.

Believe it or not, I agree to a point.

Charlotte, being the type of track that makes up the majority of the races, the type of track that these cars are expressly designed for, is the type of track I like the least when it comes to NASCAR. That being said, I am not fond of: Charlotte, Atlanta, Kansas, California, Texas, Michigan, Chicago, as they all provide what I as a NASCAR fan would refer to as boring sterilized racing.

Next week is Dover, after that Pocono... both are very different tracks, yet many times can also produce boring races.

But, if you ever try to catch another NASCAR race, try any of the following: Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond, Phoenix, Sonoma, or Watkins Glen. All of those are either short tracks or road courses, and all produce much more entertaining races than Charlotte ever could.

[Ax4x Mikey J]

IMO, all things considered... maybe back 25 years ago, before so many Charlotte clone circuits were added to the schedule, Charlotte may have been cool and unique to the point that it belonged on the same day as Monaco and Indy. Now, it just does not belong on the same weekend. No shape no way no how.

[HCR generaltso]

kurt busch is a badass.

[Ax4x Mikey J]

NASCAR's best race weekend of the season is here!!! Nationwide at Road America on saturday, Cup at Sonoma on Sunday! No boring 1.5 mile triovals this week!!!

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