Ditching tradition for playoffs?

[random]

yesterday, ESPN released a story that NASCAR officials are seriously considering the way their sport awards its championship next year when the Winston Cup officially becomes the Nextel Cup.

apperently NASCAR is toying with the idea of taking the top 10 drivers with 10 races left, reseting their points, and letting those 10 race for the title. the other drivers would still be in the races, competing for pride and prize money, but only those 10 could win the title. this would create a sort of "playoff" affect. which would create more excitment and fan interest in the race for the title.

i like NASCARs logic here, but i wanna take it one step further.

with 9 races left, dont just reset the points, eliminate them alltogether. take the top 10 drivers and let them truley race for the championship. after each race eliminate the driver who finishes last in that playoff group from championship consideration. thus when you get to the final race of the season 2 drivers will be left to battle it out.

imagine the possibility a true NASCAR super bowl. put it at daytona, under the lights on primetime network TV. the top 2 drivers can literally battle it out for the championship. none of this points crap which rewards timidness, let em go for it all.

[yh]

I really think that the only thing that needs to be done to tweak the NASCAR championship points system is to give a race winner anywhere from a 25-50 point bonus, that way a guy like Ryan Newman who wins the largest percentage of races in a season actually has a realistic shot at winning the Cup.  I think consistency with regard to high finishes, especially top 5's should continue to be rewarded with high finishes in the ultimate point standings, but not if it means a guy who is less consistent but still wins a lot of races doesn't have a realistic shot at the title.

And your runoff idea is very clever and certainly an attractive notion to diehard NASCAR fans, except what happens if a mechanical problem gives Jeff Gordon a last place finish with 9 races to go?  Granted, I'll laugh my ass off, but it wouldn't be good for the sport and the sponsors would have an absolute fit.

Nonetheless, it's good to see some NASCAR discussion here.  I realize that NASCAR enthusiasts are in a distinct minority here.  And please, let's not allow this thread to get jackknifed into a debate on whether auto racing is a sport.  

[JQK]

I'm not a fan of NASCAR. I guess i'm just not southern enough. But this playoff idea is a good one, and might actually make this "sport" watchable for at least a few minutes...

[random]

i thought about the whole mechanical problem issue and i guess there are one of two things that can happen. lets say 3 of the 10 drivers get in a crash early in the race. there would be a mad scramble to fix the cars up enough to cross the line in front of the other drivers, which would add excitment. however, your point is valid. i suppose jeff gordons fate with some freak engine problem would be the same as the Cincinnati Bearcats fate when Keynon Martin broke his leg days before the tourney.....screwed by circumstance.

i dont think my runoff idea will actually happen but it would be fun.

and yes, NASCAR is also planning to modify the points system regardless of if they do the playoff thing to keep another Ryan Newman thing from happening.

another possible reform is giving the title to the guy who wins the most races and only use points as a tie breaker. i dunno, i'm just throwing around ideas.

but yes, NASCAR fans on this board. make yourself heard!

[NJTank]

I dont like that idea.

I think what they need to do is change the point totals make winning a race more important and you will get a  true picture who the best driver is not just who finished in the top 10 consitently.