New Points System

[Sifty]

From Fox Sports.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France laid out the new points system for the 2011 season Wednesday, but what is the sport really trying to accomplish?

France’s answer: “We’re going to make the point system simpler and easier to understand.”

New rules for 2011 Points system: Drivers will earn 43 points for finishing first and one point less per position (42 for second, 41 for third, etc.). Winners will receive three bonus points, leading a lap will get you one extra point and leading the most laps per race is worth another point

Chase for the Sprint Cup: The Chase will still include 12 drivers, but unlike in the past, it will include the top 10 in points and two drivers with the most wins in the top 20.

Qualifying: The order for qualifying will be set based on practice times, going from slowest to fastest. In the event that qualifying is rained out, practice speeds will set the starting lineup (if available)

Seven-time Cup champion Richard Petty acknowledges that NASCAR’s goal was “to make it simple for me.” He also agrees that a simplified points system is one way of attracting new fans.

“Anything that’s complicated, people are not going to sit down and learn about,” Petty said. “But if you’ve got 43 for winning and one for last, then anybody that’s just a casual fan can keep up with the points as far as that part of it is concerned. The only thing that will confuse that is ... bonus points. I don’t like bonus points, because that’s got nothing to do with the race.”

Petty experienced five different point systems since he debuted on the NASCAR Grand National tour in 1958. However, Petty does not advocate bonus points and wild cards. He says the most basic points system would be based on consistency and winning.

“We’re the only sport there is that gives relief for leading a race or winning a race or whatever,” Petty said. “If you play a basketball game, football game, golf, the last shot is what counts. ... That’s the way it ought to be in NASCAR. It ought to be so simple that a 10-year-old can keep up with the point standings.

“The guy that wins the race, he gets the trophy, he gets all the money, he gets publicity for himself, he gets publicity for his crew, for his sponsors and stuff. Hey, man, he’s the winner. That’s all he needs. He needs 43 points and no more.

“A wild card would be like football. We’re going to take the Panthers – they won two games, and we’re going to let them play for the championship. That’s how dumb is it from that standpoint. If a guy wins five races or six races, so what? The points is what it’s all about. The championship is what it’s all about, which is a collection of winning and losing and who has the best year.”

“A bad day is going to hurt a hell of a lot more than it used to,” Clint Bowyer says. “So I don’t know what that’s going to do as far as the racing and things like that. You’re out there giving it 100 percent, you’re out there to win the race each and every week anyway, but you’re not going to step underneath somebody if you’re loose and you know they’re going to make you even looser. You’re not going to try to make that pass for a fifth place and take a chance of finishing 35th.”

Bowyer had to scramble to finish in the top 10 in the Chase for the Sprint Cup last fall. After winning the first Chase race at New Hampshire, Bowyer faced a 150-point penalty for failing postrace inspection at NASCAR’s Research & Development Center.

Will the sanctioning body mitigate penalties to reflect the new point structure?

“It will be proportioned similarly,” France says. “Obviously, the numerical number will be different. But it will be similar penalties for similar penalties for similar infractions.”

NASCAR President Mike Helton defended the third change to the Chase structure since the program was introduced in 2004 with 10 drivers as a way to remain “relevant and to grow.”

In the past seven seasons, the sanctioning body later seeded the Chase based on 10 points for wins, rather than five-point increments according to the way the drivers finished 26 races. After the Chase expanded from 10 to 12 drivers in 2007, NASCAR also dropped the 400-point window entering the postseason.

understand the fact that one position on that track is worth one point,” Helton says.

“And we think they’ve got a better opportunity to get more engaged in the race by being able to understand it.”

Current Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson acknowledges he originally thought the Chase “was a crazy idea” and didn’t embrace the program. That was before he won five consecutive titles under that format. Since then, he hasn’t second-guessed NASCAR’s judgment.

“They’re going to do what’s best for the sport in their eyes, and it’s my job to find a way to win under whatever rules are there,” Johnson says. “I’m really trying not to get caught up in any of those types of changes.”

Johnson says because teams “do pay attention” to points inside the car, the system would make it simpler for drivers to calculate standings from behind the wheel -- particularly in a situation similar to last year‘s season finale at Homestead.

“The points were constantly shuffling around, and unless you were watching on television to see the calculation on the top of the screen, you really didn’t know what was going on,” Johnson says. “So if fans don’t have a scanner on and it’s just a casual fan watching from the grandstands, they had no clue where the drama lay on the track.

“This would be a step in that direction, to help people know what’s going on. I think, in general, our sport’s good, and we’re getting down to some smaller areas to make the experience better and better.

“This probably carries over into viewership at home in making it a little easier, but the way I took it yesterday — and how was served up to us — was if the fan at the track is going to experience a race for the first time, they get it. There’s an argument there that we need to capture those fans.”

Sifty

[harvey lee]

I agree with Clint Bowyer 100%. I cannot see that it will help any racer and could make the racing a bit less.

I would suggest to them to go back to the old point system before the Chase format.

[GatorBait]

I believe it's going to make things very interesting. When it gets down to crunch time, one bad move is going to change things dramatically. I spent some time calculating out how last years finish would have been with the new point system, and ultimately, JJ didn't win. Hamlin took it by I believe 30 some points. Simply this was because Denny had more regular season wins than JJ which benefited him with more bonus points at chase point time. Either way though, when you break it down like I did, it's still definately similar. Winning and/or placing high is what matters now, the extra kicker points aren't as important as they were before, but will help in the long run.

[harvey lee]

With the new points system, ome may see driver racing a bit different. One cannot really count last season as they could have finished differently if they had a new points system.

Same thing as when it went to the Chase. One could go back and say this guy may not have won but it was again, a new points game and they also would have raced differently.

Every point will have importance come the end of the season.

[fishinchicks]

I listened to part of the press conference where Brian France was explaining the new points system. He had me lost in his explanation.

I would hope that this new system encourages teams to try for the win, not just hang out in the top whatever until the chase. *cough*johnson*cough*

[harvey lee]

Johnson did what any good team would do. Wiht the points the way they were last season, why would one gamble for a win and risk getting into a crash and losing points?

There was no incentive the last few years to win a race when you had it locked up.

This new points system surely could force some in the top ten to take a few chances for added points.

In the end, the better guy will still win it all.

[jwhjr]

The teams will adjust their styles to do what they have to do to come out on top based on the current point system. Same as they always have.

[harvey lee]

Exactly correct. Same as always but with a little change.

Not enough to move a slow team to the top by any means. It will still be the same teams fighting it out at the end.

[gregg52]

you can bet knaus has the point system under control

and knows exactly what its going to take win!

i'm not a knaus fan nor was i a 3 car fan but what can you say

wins are wins...championships are just that !!!

these guys woulda and will win whatever the program is

[Billy_Burbout]

as much as i hate to see jimmy win (the wife loves him) NOBODY can take away the fact that he could take my kitchen table, have knaus set it up, and probably finish it in the top ten! the point system change again is starting to make my head hurt. iam with mr. lee as they should have left things like they were in the old days. P.S speed channel is free this month for dish network people