NASCAR Changes Should Create Opportunities

For all the "It's Over" ... "Move On" ...dirt fans, I'm a fan of Robby too! I've listened to Robby's opinions many times and it seems most fans agreed with him. Robby has stated many times the qualifying procedure Nascar uses puts a lot of pressure and expense on teams. A slight slip or even the effects of wind and temperature can change the time of a driver's critical lap. Robby expressed his desire many times for group qualifying, running all the cars over an amount of time and taking the best laps. This allows teams to make slight changes and gives opportunities for several lap attempts. NASCAR announced the change today!

With qualifying changes and predicted New Chase "Win & In" changes makes attempting a Cup event a lot more favorable for a team like RGM. I really hope Robby gives it some thought. I know many fans that miss RG on the Nascar circuit.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Meyer on January 22, 2014 at 5:26pm

How would Robby be able to run Cup, SST, other select off-road races like the Baja 500 & 1000, and prepare the HST for next Dakar? Somethings got to give. I recognize your theory zoom, but in practice, would be infeasible to attempt this year. That said, if an investor came along that was bleeding cash and doing cup again made sense then maybe???

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Permalink Reply by Greg Jones on January 22, 2014 at 5:26pm

I've followed Cup racing for so long that, like you Zoom, I don't seem to be able to move on from it even though I haven't really liked it in several years. The new qualifying rule might create a better opportunity to make a race but you just aren't facing the facts about the new chase rules. It's win and in IF you've made (or maybe attempted) all the races. Strange as it sounds (to me!) I've become a Jeff Gordon fan in the post Robby era. I also really like following Danica. Her radio communication is about the best in the field. IMHO you need to find somebody other than Robby to pull for 'cause it doesn't look like Robby is gonna be at the races.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on January 22, 2014 at 5:33pm

IMO, Danica is very good at segmenting and driver feedback.

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Permalink Reply by TOG on January 22, 2014 at 5:55pm

Love the enthusiasm, Zoom, but the recent Nascar changes still don't come with a check attached.

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Permalink Reply by dastexan on January 22, 2014 at 6:33pm

wouldnt mind seeing Robby give Daytona and the roadies a shot.

Maybe Indy also.

Thats about it.

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Permalink Reply by Bigzoom on January 30, 2014 at 10:14am

The Chase field will be built first by full-time drivers who win races in the first 26 events of the season. If there are not 16 winners, the remaining spots would be filled by those highest in points. If there are more than 16 winners, those with the most wins and points would make the Chase.

Clarified that winners racing full time would fill slots first, but a partial team that wins would fill next available spot if less than 16 winners, then highest in points for remaining spots. "Win & IN" pretty much a strong possibility.

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Permalink Reply by Bob on January 31, 2014 at 10:04pm

Just to say, this "Based on winning" format is simply one more stupid attempt on NASCAR's part to "build excitement."

And just to show how lame it is, and what the actual "winning" outcome could be, let's take a look at who would have taken the Championship last season, under this new format. Wanna guess who it would have been ?

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Since there were not 16 winners, he would have made the Chase on points, and he scored enough points during the Chase to have made to to the "Final Four" race. In that race he beat Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon and would have been crowned the 2013 NACAR champion, without winning a single race all year.

Kenseth, who won 7 races during the year, would not even have been in the running during the final race. So much for "winning". ( Thanks to Jayski for this analysis )

I mean, Nascar could put ticking time-bombs in each car, with the clocks set for the various cars to explode at random times during the race, and that would be "exciting" too.

Heaven knows they'd sell one hell of a lot of tickets...

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Permalink Reply by WJM on January 31, 2014 at 10:17pm

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Permalink Reply by pdxracefan on January 31, 2014 at 10:18pm

Bob, Not a bad analysis. From what I've read, and have been able to figure out in my little pea engineer brain, is actually what you have come up with. Really. Very good. At least, I think so...