NASCAR thread
- Thread starter Ryan Lemonds Hair
- Start date
I heard the guys on the Door Bumper Clear podcast say the last 3 titles, all of which have been won by Penske drivers, have been 3 of the 4 worst average finishes in NASCAR history. Logano's average finish this year was 17.4 which is worst of all time. According to Jeff Gluck's poll after the race only 16% of the fans like this playoff format and I would venture to guess that most of those votes were the France family. No fans I know like it.
But Logano raced the perfect season for the format.
The regular season in NASCAR, much like NCAA hoops, is largely meaningless. Penske has realized this and they run best when it matters. If the format changed, strategies would change.
I agree with Hamlin and Latarte on Denny's podcast that it should be only winners make the chase and then let the first 7 races determine the final four who battle it out over the final 3 races. One race shouldn't determine a champion. I know they want to be like stick and ball sports but in racing when wrecks, mechanical failures and other factors that are out of your control can affect your finish, it shouldn't come down to 1 race.
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If you win a race, then you should conditionally be in the playoffs. HOWEVER, if you fall out of the top 16 in points by the time the playoffs come around, you should be out. Does it already work like that? McDowell (for example) winning Daytona and then being 25th in points by the time September rolls around should not put him in.
I do like the idea of the champ 4 being a 3 race series. Pick a mile, a road, and a superspeedway.
If I remember correctly they mentioned the final 3 tracks being Miami, Atlanta and Martinsville but rotate where the final race is every year. I would be okay with that.
Yeah, actually that would be fine. I think we get enough Road Courses in the regular season.
Martinsville in the middle of November could be a pretty cold race. 
I'm not shocked that 23XI Racing has the resources to expand to a 3rd team. The timing of it seems odd since they just announced their teams running open during the 2025 season. It appears they will be fielding 4 cars in the Daytona 500 since they are in the works to get Truex a ride for the 500.
Truex says it won't be with 23XI but JGR is in the works to do it. I believe NASCAR allows teams to run a 5th car on a very limited basis for R&D purposes if I'm not mistaken. The way Chase Elliott drove the #25 in 2015 while Jeff Gordon was in his final year driving the #24 with Hendrick.
It is a few days old but saw where RWR is leasing a charter to RKF for a 3rd ride putting Ryan Preece in #60.
Mike Wallace gonna try to qualify for Daytona 500
Trackhouse bringing another international star to run the Daytona 500
The damaged vehicle policy clock was always a joke. Glad to see it back allowing the crewmembers in the garage to fix their cars properly instead of being put on a time limit on pit road. Don't like the forfeiture of all playoff points rule (past and future), when you have a system based around earning playoff points. Missing a race should have no impact on the points earned in past races and future ones. NASCAR just trying to flex their muscle here for no real reason. It is one thing for drivers if they were deliberately skipping a race, but any driver trying to run for a Championship isn't looking to intentionally miss a race. Suspensions should not end someone's season either so long as they meet the criteria for Top 30 in points and a win with the emphasis NASCAR puts on victories in this format. The race manipulation ruling is fine and gives the teams clarity on this after Martinsville.
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Some of that stuff needed changing but the biggest change that needs to be addressed is the playoffs and they have done nothing to it. There is a major problem with the current state of how a champion is decided when 3 of the 4 all time lowest average finishing champions are from the last 3 years. They want so desperately to compete with stick and ball sports that they have this stupid format for determining a champion.
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Still crazy to think that Jimmie Johnson was likely one Kurt Busch tire falling off, right before the entrance to pit road instead of just past the pit road entrance, from being the 8 time champion. If Kurt loses that tire 500 feet further down the track he probably damages his car trying to make it back to the pits causing him to drop enough spots for Johnson to win the championship that year since he only beat Johnson by 8 points.
MBM scrambling in January to find a driver to fill Mike Wallace's spot with sponsorship commitment. Just put Truex in the ride. So far Gibbs has yet to put him in a car for the 500 and 23XI has already said they can't fill one for him. A company should have no issue being a sponsor for a champion like Truex if they were willing to be one for Wallace. Terry Labonte managed to get decent finishes for Go Fas Racing in the #32 in his final years, MTJ could certainly do the same for this team.
Truex has a ride in the #56 with Tricon Garage. Bass Pro Sponsoring him and Cole Pearn back on the pit box for Truex.
Harrison Burton should in no way, shape, or form, have been in the playoffs. Better drivers / teams get left out with the stupid win a race and you are in model. Hate it, not to mention, the playoff tracks favor certain teams / drivers more than others. I haven't watch a playoff race in a few years, the product today and the Gen car does nothing for me. NASCAR **** in their own nest by trying to make it more like "normal" sports. It is racing GDit, go racing and let drivers determine the results, not gimmicks.
We have butted heads over some stuff before but by golly I agree with everything you said.
Of course. Not everyone will have the same opinion on everything. But will on some. 
. Glad you agree with me on this one. I actually watched more F1 races last year than NASCAR, by a wide margin. Not so much that I like F1 that much more, I just hate the business model NASCAR has turned to. Fans are the least important factor in their decisions. $$$$ / Ratings, ratings, ratings. A certain few teams get all of the bias, the rest, good luck.
. Glad you agree with me on this one. I actually watched more F1 races last year than NASCAR, by a wide margin. Not so much that I like F1 that much more, I just hate the business model NASCAR has turned to. Fans are the least important factor in their decisions. $$$$ / Ratings, ratings, ratings. A certain few teams get all of the bias, the rest, good luck.