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This week's NASCAR Sprint Cup race proved that the new Chase rules allowed both Brad Keselowski, who won, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished second after running out fuel, to race each other to the finish regardless of points.
As Earnhardt noted the new championship format system allows you to go for broke pretty much like you guys did today.
"I think everybody has seen that over the last couple of weeks," Earnhardt said "that this format has definitely allowed teams to gamble like we have."
When Keselowski won his Sprint Cup Championship in 2012 he and crew chief, Paul Wolfe, took big risks. That was the only way to wrest the title from Jimmie Johnson.
And it appears that's how racing will be this year.
"You know, I think if anything it (referring to the new Chase format) actually lends itself to better racing," said Keselowski. "That chance that Dale and Stevie (Letarte - Junior's crew chief) took with the 88 car was way out there, and it was a good, risky move on their part because they had nothing to lose because of this format.
"I think that shows some of the opportunities that come up and how they can be stressfree days, and I'm looking forward to being able to take those same opportunities, because believe me, I'm not scared to take them, and I know Paul's not, so look out. It's going to be a lot of fun."
Ironically, the race was determined by fuel mileage, but it didn't appear to be because Earnhardt raced hard to the end despite knowing that he'd be about three-quarters of a lap short.
This year's Daytona 500 came to the media center looking at a can of his soda sponsor's product and said that the 16 ounce aluminum can represented the amount of fuel he needed to hold off Keselowski for the win. And, despite his obvious disappointment it was not overwhelming.
"It's nice to have that freedom to do the things that we did today, even though we knew our odds weren't good. We really shouldn't have made it, and we didn't, but we got to try because of the new system. So yeah, I think it's pretty cool," Earnhardt added.
Back in the early days of NASCAR one of the worst things one driver could say about his rivals was he was a "points racer."
Due to television covering the series viewers and team's alike had come to view the season title above winning individual races. And, in post-race interviews, we've come to hear and hate the finishers below first saying "but it was a good points day."
Under the new Chase format wins count more than points. Racers now race each other for the wins. And that's a good thing.
As Earnhardt noted the new championship format system allows you to go for broke pretty much like you guys did today.
"I think everybody has seen that over the last couple of weeks," Earnhardt said "that this format has definitely allowed teams to gamble like we have."
When Keselowski won his Sprint Cup Championship in 2012 he and crew chief, Paul Wolfe, took big risks. That was the only way to wrest the title from Jimmie Johnson.
And it appears that's how racing will be this year.
"You know, I think if anything it (referring to the new Chase format) actually lends itself to better racing," said Keselowski. "That chance that Dale and Stevie (Letarte - Junior's crew chief) took with the 88 car was way out there, and it was a good, risky move on their part because they had nothing to lose because of this format.
"I think that shows some of the opportunities that come up and how they can be stressfree days, and I'm looking forward to being able to take those same opportunities, because believe me, I'm not scared to take them, and I know Paul's not, so look out. It's going to be a lot of fun."
Ironically, the race was determined by fuel mileage, but it didn't appear to be because Earnhardt raced hard to the end despite knowing that he'd be about three-quarters of a lap short.
This year's Daytona 500 came to the media center looking at a can of his soda sponsor's product and said that the 16 ounce aluminum can represented the amount of fuel he needed to hold off Keselowski for the win. And, despite his obvious disappointment it was not overwhelming.
"It's nice to have that freedom to do the things that we did today, even though we knew our odds weren't good. We really shouldn't have made it, and we didn't, but we got to try because of the new system. So yeah, I think it's pretty cool," Earnhardt added.
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| Brad Keselowski. (Photo: NASCAR) |
Back in the early days of NASCAR one of the worst things one driver could say about his rivals was he was a "points racer."
Due to television covering the series viewers and team's alike had come to view the season title above winning individual races. And, in post-race interviews, we've come to hear and hate the finishers below first saying "but it was a good points day."
Under the new Chase format wins count more than points. Racers now race each other for the wins. And that's a good thing.