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Why We Like the Chase
Friday, July 21, 2006
There has been lots of heated debate going on the past few years about how worthy "The Chase" is. The Chase for the Nextel Cup, or the final ten races of the season, adds a great twist to the already awesome sport we call NASCAR. For those who don't know what we are talking about, the Chase is taking the top 10 drivers at the end of 26 races, resetting the points for the final 10, and having a 10 race shootout to determine who the Cup winner will be. Only the top 10, or all of those drivers within 400 points of the leader, are eligible to win the Cup. The other 33 still race their hearts out, for themselves, their teams, and for the next season. It is very interesting needless to say, and it fuels on track rivalries with the drivers. We've read lots of people's opinions and have decided that it is time to give ours.....
Okay, being from Texas and huge high school football fans (yes, Friday Night Lights is just like our small little town), we appreciate the playoffs. Yes, it is great fun when your team is in it. No, it isn't so great when you don't have anyone to cheer for. How worthy is the Chase? We think it is great for NASCAR. We feel that it has brought in lots more fans because it makes the sport a lot more exciting, nailbiting, thrilling. We also feel there could be some changes made as far as points are concerned.....more points awarded for wins, poles, most laps led, etc., but all in all, it is a good system that keeps the racing very exciting.
Our first season to watch (2002, Tony Stewart Cup Champion), we basically knew who was going to win the Cup, WAY before it was time to crown the champion. Three races until the final race and everybody knew who was going to be crowned champion. How much fun is that for the fans, or for that matter, the drivers/teams? We want excitement!! It was the same situation the next season when Matt Kenseth won. To us, when you know weeks in advance who is going to win the final, why even bother watching? Isn't that part of the reason we watch sports, to see who will be the final champion? We have the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup etc. I don't think anyone wants to know before they have to who the champion will be.
The first year the chase was in place, we didn't know till the last minute who was going to win the Cup.....Kurt Busch. It was so exciting and thrilling. It boiled down to the last lap of the last race. Kurt had a tire come off in the last race and it almost made him lose the championship, but he somehow avoided crashing and stayed in the lead. Same as last year. We really didn't know who would take the Cup until the end....who was it going to be? Biffle, Edwards, Stewart? No, our favorite driver didn't make the chase last year (Junior), but we were still just as into it the same as if he would have made it. You find yourself cheering for people you might not would normally cheer for. You also find enemies that before never were.
It is important to reset the points....but maybe make the difference in points when reset, a percentage of their point difference before. That way, it isn't equal and it still represents their hard work. For example, if a person has a 100 point lead over the one below them, reset the points at 10%....so that person would be ahead by 10 points. Some might be ahead by 20, 1.5, etc. Keep it the same percentage across the board, but let those that worked hard and were consistent all season have a little advantage.
We've heard comments asking why, if the top 10 are the only ones eligible for the Cup, are the other 33 cars racing. Because. We like having everybody else still racing....they all are still there to win and work on the next season. Also, they play a HUGE part in who might wreck out, win, etc.
All in all, "The Chase" is FUN! Yes, it needs a few minor tweaks....ones we would gladly help NASCAR with, but basically, we are up for a good old, nail biting, exciting finish anyday over a boring one that we all knew way before hand!!!
Who will it be this year? Jeff Burton and the 31 team, Junior and the 8 crew, Jimmie, Tony........maybe Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin.....who knows......that is the glory of the chase and why WE like it!!!
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