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For the fourth time in the ten-year history of NASCAR's playoffs, called the Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR has made another change in the rules.
Take a look at these new regulations which are supposed to reward winning, but, ask yourself do these new rules really simplify the Chase (as NASCAR says) or make it complicated?
But first consider the old-old rule (which did award bonus points) - the driver with the points wins.
Now here's the new rule.
First 16 drivers will now qualify instead of the present 12 and initial ten candidates.
The over-arching philosophy is to put more rewards for winning. Although not changing the basic points system, which might pay only a 2.5 per cent premium over second place for a victory, race winners will take priority in qualifying for those 16 spots of the original round.
Other key points announced by Brian Z. France NASCAR's CEO and president are:
• A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - a change that will put an unprecedented importance on winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race all season long
• The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will decrease after every three Chase races, from 16 to start in the Chase Grid; 12 after Chase race No. 3; eight after Chase race No. 6; and four after Chase race No. 9
• The first three races of the Chase (27-29) will be known as the Challenger Round; races 30-32 will be known as the Contender Round; races 33-35 will be the Eliminator Round and race No. 36 will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship
• A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round
• Four drivers will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.
Other important points include the top 15 finishing drivers, with the most wins, ensure a driver a spot in the Chase provide they are within the top-30 in the points. And the points leader after 26-races guaranteed a spot in the Chase.
And there's more rules.
By a mere word count the rule in effect before 2004 was simpler.
So, on one hand this is not simpler - except - and it's a very important exception. At the season closing race NASCAR will declare four drivers eligible for the Championship.
And to this writer the interim eliminations are a distinction without a major difference except that a win will override a bad finish like when Dale Earnhardt Jr. blew an engine in the first Chase Race in 2013 all-but eliminating him from contention.
A driver won't be able to merely finish with minimum points to become the champion. That competitor will have to out-drive the other three qualified drivers to take the title instead of just slowly circulating on an oval, accumulating points.
No driver will be able to clinch the title before the final round is the biggest change in NASCAR history. And this writer likes that.
But I would just prefer a simpler way to get there.
Take a look at these new regulations which are supposed to reward winning, but, ask yourself do these new rules really simplify the Chase (as NASCAR says) or make it complicated?
But first consider the old-old rule (which did award bonus points) - the driver with the points wins.
Now here's the new rule.
First 16 drivers will now qualify instead of the present 12 and initial ten candidates.
The over-arching philosophy is to put more rewards for winning. Although not changing the basic points system, which might pay only a 2.5 per cent premium over second place for a victory, race winners will take priority in qualifying for those 16 spots of the original round.
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Other key points announced by Brian Z. France NASCAR's CEO and president are:
• A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - a change that will put an unprecedented importance on winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race all season long
• The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will decrease after every three Chase races, from 16 to start in the Chase Grid; 12 after Chase race No. 3; eight after Chase race No. 6; and four after Chase race No. 9
• The first three races of the Chase (27-29) will be known as the Challenger Round; races 30-32 will be known as the Contender Round; races 33-35 will be the Eliminator Round and race No. 36 will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship
• A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round
• Four drivers will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.
Other important points include the top 15 finishing drivers, with the most wins, ensure a driver a spot in the Chase provide they are within the top-30 in the points. And the points leader after 26-races guaranteed a spot in the Chase.
And there's more rules.
By a mere word count the rule in effect before 2004 was simpler.
So, on one hand this is not simpler - except - and it's a very important exception. At the season closing race NASCAR will declare four drivers eligible for the Championship.
And to this writer the interim eliminations are a distinction without a major difference except that a win will override a bad finish like when Dale Earnhardt Jr. blew an engine in the first Chase Race in 2013 all-but eliminating him from contention.
A driver won't be able to merely finish with minimum points to become the champion. That competitor will have to out-drive the other three qualified drivers to take the title instead of just slowly circulating on an oval, accumulating points.
No driver will be able to clinch the title before the final round is the biggest change in NASCAR history. And this writer likes that.
But I would just prefer a simpler way to get there.