It is time for the folks at NASCAR to fix a glaring error. The top 35 exemption needs to be re-evaluated. Anytime a new rule is enacted in any form of sport, it needs to be looked at after a given period of time, to determine if that rule still has merit. This rule has far outlived its usefullness; if indeed it was ever a good idea. When NASCAR was literally having to pay "field fillers" to venture out to remote racetracks like California, Las Vegas and Pheonix, I can see how King Brian France thought quaranteeing the 35 best race teams a spot in the show was a good idea. Heaven forbid that Morgan Shepherd would make a race, run his 15 laps and have "engine problems" and someone like Jeff Gordon would hit the wall during qualifying and NOT make the race.
NASCAR is now in a situation where not only do they have 50+ cars showing up to make the show; they have 50+ quality cars showing up. Where this top-35 deal gets really stupid; is at the beginning of the season where, NASCAR uses last years points to determine who is in and who isn't. NASCAR sould make ALL cars qualify to make the first 5 races of the year. This would put equal pressure on all teams and would have the added benefit of stopping the "selling" of defunct or dormant teams to other car owners to use those owner points to assure being in races.
After race five, if NASCAR still wants to give exemptions, limit it to the top 20 in points. This will make sure that those teams that have shown early season excellence will be rewarded, but not penalize other teams just because they are single car or start-up teams.
Being able to modify rules and know when to change things that are no longer working is the sign of a progressive and proactive organization.
What happens when Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne are caught up in a big wreck in their Dual 150 race at Daytona, and none of them qualify for the Great American Race? You risk killing the golden goose in order to make this a FAIR egg laying contest.
Posted by: Charlie | March 09, 2007 at 11:33 PM
I'll take the chance in the one goof ball qualifying format of the year that those drivers will have put in good enough qualifying times to make the field. And at least one of those two will use a past champions provisional to be in the race. In this case; in all probability, those four would make the race. I stand by my original premise.
Steve
Posted by: Steve | March 10, 2007 at 11:31 PM
If they wrecked in qualifying and, feeling the pressure of no automatic pass into the biggest race of the year, pressed things too much, it could happen. Is it a likely scenario? No, but neither are most of yours. So the most recent ex-champ gets in. That's one for four. Twelve years ago or so, all three Penske cars, the then class of the field, missed the Indy 500 because of qualifying problems. They were the three cars expected on the front row. It ruined the race and screwed up the championship. Although NASCAR can BETTER afford it, they are too smart to let it happen. Face it Steve; it's not all sport. It's also show business.
Posted by: Charlie | March 11, 2007 at 11:01 AM
Can't you ever come up with an example that is: a) not associated with some form of open wheel racing or b) is plausible?
Posted by: Steve | March 11, 2007 at 02:27 PM
Plausible schmausible. I bring this up because the powers that be with U.S. open wheel auto racing have ruined it. It is not that the racing is bad. They wrecked the show and now their sport is a shadow of what it was and could be.
Posted by: Charlie | March 11, 2007 at 09:13 PM