NASCAR open to rewarding regular season champions
For the fans — and competitors — that feel there hasn’t been enough of a premium awarded to the driver/team that accumulates the most points in the regular season be patient.
The point system could be changing again.
NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Office Steve O’Donnell said Monday on Sirius/XM NASCAR Radio the possibility is under consideration.
“One of the things we’re looking at is (in) the first 26 races, are there some additional things we could do for the winner of the regular season,” O’Donnell said. “I think that’s certainly fair for us to look at — and we are.”
No reward for being first after 26 races
After the first 26 Sprint Cup races in 2016, Kevin Harvick led the standings by 46 points over Brad Keselowski. Once the standings were reseeded for the Chase, Harvick was fourth behind Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin, all of who had more regular-season wins than the 2014 series champion.
Keselowski, who led the points entering Dover, started from the pole when qualifying was rained out. But when the standings were reset after the Round of 16 on Sunday, even the 2012 NASCAR champ was confused by his seventh-place position.
Elliott Sadler, who led the points entering the inaugural Xfinity Series Chase, said it “stunk” to lose his advantage when the playoffs began. After Daniel Suarez won on Sunday, the No. 20 team has a two-point advantage over Sadler’s No. 1 JR Motorsports entry.
Whether it’s bonus points or perhaps the first pit stall at every Chase race, Sadler would like some acknowledgement of what he and his team accomplished throughout the bulk of the season.
“I’ve heard guys say this in the past on the Cup side and I really didn’t buy it, but y’all should do something for the regular season champion,” Sadler said. “We need a trophy, a gift card or something. To take away 59 points — I think that’s what we lost after the (Chicagoland) race, that’s hard to swallow. That’s degrading.
“But, looking at the bright side of that, if we’re good enough to keep (earning) those kind of points in the regular season, if we just keep doing those same kind of things, we’ll be fine in the Chase.”
The "beauty" of the Chase format
O’Donnell agrees. While starting fresh in each round feeds into the playoff atmosphere, it’s the fundamental strengths of each team that most often will carry the most deserving organization to the title.
“That’s the beauty of this format,” O’Donnell added. “You have to be on top of your game. We feel like the first 26 (races) do matter in terms of what you’ve learned, are you carrying any momentum in, and then who can really get hot over the next six weeks and move on.”
But that doesn’t mean NASCAR is opposed to rewarding the regular-season points leader.
“I’d say very serious consideration and it’s not just snapping your fingers,” O’Donnell said “There’s a lot of things that need to go into it but a lot of those things have already happened with conversations. Not there yet. Not ready to announce anything but certainly taking a strong look at that for all three series for next year as well.”
Previous article
Runner-up Kyle Busch no match for Truex: "He was in his own zip code"
Next article
Analysis: Don't hand the NASCAR Sprint Cup trophy to Toyota just yet
About this article
| Series | NASCAR Cup |
| Drivers | Kevin Harvick , Elliott Sadler , Brad Keselowski |
| Author | Lee Spencer |
From the archive: Dale Earnhardt’s final Autosport interview
The death of Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500 shocked NASCAR to the core. At the Daytona 24 Hours, two weeks before his fatal accident, ‘The Intimidator’ shared his expectations of challenging for an eighth Cup title with JONATHAN INGRAM, in an article first published in the 15 February 2001 issue of Autosport magazine. Little did we know then what tragedy would unfold…
The lasting NASCAR legacy after Dale Earnhardt’s death
On February 18, 2001, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt – the fearless ‘Intimidator’ – was in his element at Daytona International Speedway. While his own DEI team’s cars ran 1-2 towards the finish line, his famed #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo was playing rear gunner to block any late runs from the chasing pack. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strongarm tactics that encapsulated his persona… but his actions in those moments sadly proved to be his last.
Inspired by Pitbull, the “revolution” sweeping through NASCAR
The NASCAR Cup Series is changing. Whether it be the gradual morphing out the seasoned drivers of yesterday as the next generation step up, a radical calendar shake-up featuring more road courses than ever before and the prospect of an all-new car on the horizon, stock car racing’s highest level is nearing the end of a huge facelift.
The NASCAR storylines to watch out for in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season…
Why Kyle Larson can't blow his big shot at redemption
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a chance of redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Effectively replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith...
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future…
Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture
“You can’t hear me? Hey n*****” Those fateful words uttered by Kyle Larson, spoken into his esports headset on April 12, were directed at his sim racing spotter – but instead they quickly became amplified around the world via social media, including his own Twitch stream.
