Another good race is in the can.
So Nascar is still trying to manipulate the point system to reward winning. 60-some years later, we’re at square one. Maybe that’s just how racing is supposed to be. Just take the rules as they are and try to come out on top.
And now there’s all this chatter from some pundits about how great the new point system is: (Allegedly)” the closest race ever”; “Just what Nascar wanted”. I’m not so sure. There are now 2 possible champions going to the final race. If this were the NFL, NHL, or any of the other of the L’s, that would be de riguer. But this is racin’. Since the “Chase” has existed, this year’s final event is no more competitive than than any other chase race, and has as few eligible winners as any previous chase. Let’s face it, the chase was instituted because of Matt Kenseth’s Championship season with 1 victory. Again, we may be back to square one if Carl wins the title without winning at Homestead. Don’t forget, Nascar used to use decimal points in their scoring system.
Speaking of Matt. The ESPN crew was quick to attribute the altercation between the 83 and the 17 as “payback”. Really? It appeared the 17 got way out of the throttle – whether due to ill-handling or brake issues – and seeing he was going to get run into by the 83 anyway, slammed on the brakes. (You saw all that smoke from his front tires?). Admittedly, the 83 wasn’t going to cut him any slack. So far Nascar is agreeing with me since there have been no repercussions. On the other hand, can these guys be that good to process all that data in a split second? It doesn’t seem possible, but they seem to do it time and again. That’s why we watch. That’s why even the seemingly boring races are exhilirating. Amazing stuff.
I find it curious (or ironic) that a race in Arizona is still measured in kilometers since that’s such a foreign way of describing distances.
Geez, I hate to dis on ESPN’s “Nascar Non Stop”, but does it seem like they’ve turned it in to “non stop picture in picture”? I may soon wish for the normal commercial cycle.
11.11.56: At Hickory, with season long Nascar scoring problems continuing, Ralph Earnhardt, in his Cup debut, finished 2nd to Speedy Thompson.
If Ned was in the booth we’d know what’s up with Mark Stahl.
Ref: racing-reference.info, Greg Fielden’s “Forty Years of Stock Car Racing”, Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing”.
