Win and your in is a decent idea in theory, until you remember that there are hundreds of ways to lose/win a race that are not in the drivers control. You can do everything right and still lose. We’ve seen it time and time again. Gateway this year is a prime example with the dominant car in bell having an engine issue and Blaney running out of gas at the white flag.
I can't speak on behalf of all of Jr Nation... But I'm just happy to see the slanted forward, DEI font where it belongs. The painted side skirts, that jr always wanted, are a bonus. And the black on the door is a nice tribute to Sr. I like the paint scheme.
Like Brock Beard said, wins have become transactional now. A driver can't enjoy the moment anymore without hearing "by the way, you just punched your ticket to the playoffs!"
The one thing I’d bring back is if you lead a lap, you get a point and then whoever leads the most laps gets five points. I like that they should bring that back.
Christopher bell is a good dirt racer I'm from Oklahoma and I watched him come up through the ranks of dirt racing and I'm glad he's in nascar Christopher bell is the only driver from Oklahoma to race in nascar
What fans!? This is RACING not sports ball! Only 2 teams play each other in ball at a time in racing 20-40+ cars all share the SAME TRACK at the SAME TIME! Playoffs are dumb NHRA wised up quick but NASCAR be like "We LiKe WhAt We'Re SeEiNg" when most fans HATE the format I can't stand reject politician Steve Phelps.
I don't live in the US, so I watch the races when Nascar uploads them to YT, which is great that they do that but there's no pre or post race coverage. So it's great to have a channel like Eric's to fill me in with all the news. 👍👍
I think we should bring back the Winston point system so when we crown a champion with 10 races left the old people will FINALLY SHUT UP about how great that system was.
Doesn't happen. Seldom happens with a race to spare, and you have to have to be *well clear* of everyone else on an absurdly-consistent level for a championship to be locked up even a race early. At least then, there absolutely wouldn't be an argument of the champion being fundamentally undeserved. Even the lower series, when full-season points were still a thing during the pre-playoffs Chase era, had close championships that went down to the last race.
That seldom happened Dale in 87 did it. Dale was rocket in 87. Now the way nascar has competition. That’s not going to happen again. I would tweak the old system. 2001st 1902nd 185.3rd 180.4th 185.5th. Minus 5 points to 10th. 11th to20th minus 4 points 21st to 32nd minus 3. Bonus points 10 a lap 15 for the half way lap 25 for most laps led. Season lap leader 35 points. Is amazing
I definitely agree with your suggestion on getting in to the playoffs. I don’t like the weight that win and you’re in has. I think it’s much more important to have a car that competes in every race during the season.
That dq was terrible. Grey area dqs are so pathetic the fact yall praised Nascar for that is disturbing. It should be against the rules now, but making up rules as we go is goo goo ga ga stuff. He wouldnt but if lets say a William Byron did that do you think he wouldve been dqd? cuz i dont and thats another issue.
Ok here is my nascar playoff format proposal I’m titling the Wlidcard Win format. Same number of rounds and number of races per round. Playoff points awarded in the same manner. The top 16 in points would advance to the first round. In ADDITION to those drivers, drivers who are outside the points advancement position and have a win may use it to become a “wildcard” entry into the next round. Wins can only be used once. So if you have 1 win and are outside the top 16, you can use your win to advance into the round of 16 (or whatever the name changes to). You cannot then use that win again. If you have 2 wins, you may use one to get into the round of 16 and if at the end of the 3 races in that round or any future round you are outside the points advancing spots, you can use another win to advance. If you advance using a wildcard win, you do not get any of the playoff points you accumulated through the regular season or previous rounds. Points reset each round like they do now. For the final, playoff points (if applicable) do count but if a driver wins the final race who is in the final round, then win the championship. Number of drivers who advance on points for each round might need to be tweaked, like maybe minus 2 for what each currently is, but I think this format would have potential.
Again I really like the comparison to March Madness. I love the win and you are in because it comes with unpredictably so drivers have to stay on their feet, be ready and adapt to the chaotic wins. It’s okay that not the most deserving driver wins, they know the format and upsets happen. Again just like Mach madness. Hope they don’t change it too much!
It's time for NASCAR to change things up. The current Championship is flawed and it has been since 2014. I do understand that NASCAR wanted to attempt to bring more excitement but I can comfortably say that I'm not the only one that wants changes. Is it possible to make everyone happy at the same time? The driver's long for competitiveness, they want to be rewarded for consistency and excellence to bring more legitimacy to the end of season championship. The fans desperately want more excitement to be more engaged. The media should want the same. NASCAR desperately wants to keep the media appeased. The teams strive for engagement, team excellence, legitimacy, and excitement surrounding their sponsor partners. Speaking of the sponsors, they want Roi, in the form of advertising, fan engagement, and competitive season long exposure. Sure seems like a lot right. But I feel after much consideration of everyone's needs, that I may have found a solution to satisfy everyone's desire for more beneficial and satisfying season championship. So without further ado let's shake up this off season snow globe and see where this might go. Beginning in 2024 college football did a little earthquake of their own and shook up their championship format to be more broad and inclusive to not just 4 opportunities but 12. I don't know about you, but I feel this has been a season-long game changer that allows more opportunities for teams to achieve season long legitimacy and exposure to fans, the media, and recruits alike. NASCAR should take note. Is my proposal the best? I doubt it, but I feel it is a huge step in the right direction to better appease the changes all stakeholders want so badly. Time to break it down. What I propose is splitting the season into 3, yes 3 sections (praise Dale and raise hell). With 36 points paying races, that means 12 races per section. The first third of the Season would be pretty basic with one exception. Daytona, being one of NASCAR's Crown Jewel races, competitors would receive double the points scored! The next 11 races, teams would continue to accrue regular points. This brings us to section 2. Here's where things start to get interesting. Only the top 24 race finishers score points! But wait there's more! The Coke 600 and Indy also being Crown Jewel races in my book, would be award double points for the top 24 race finishing drivers. At the end of section 2 almost nobody is completely out but no one is entirely safe. Now section 3, yep you guessed it, time to put your foot down and nose to the grindstone because for the final races, points are only awarded to the top 12 finishers of each race. In this section Crown Jewel double points races are Darlington the Bristol night race and the season finale! So no more "Golden Ticket" for winning a rain shortened race, or the occasional lucky win. It's time to " reach on up and pull them belts tight" it's time to show the world what you're made of. Can you imagine the heightened drama of the media could benefit from? The drivers would experience a truer competitiveness not felt in years, not to mention a season-long urgency to fight for consistent excellence to achieve legitimate champ status come season end. The sponsors would truly get their Roi they expect. Finally NASCAR would be able to boast season long excitement, offering a show for the fans that is compelling, engaging, and nostalgic from Daytona clear to Phoenix!
I personally think the playoffs are fine. Points racing exists still, its just different then 1990 and 2010. I wouldnt mind if you had to be like top 25 or so for win and in for that regard. The only change i would like is leading a lap in a race gets 1 point and leading the most laps in a race gets like 2-5 playoff points to reward race consistency.
I will say that yes fans probably wanted Wins to mean more but in the sense of a bigger points payout not straight up making wins so valuable that you could run horribly all year out side of a few well timed wins and become a champ.
Even though it seems as if everyone wants the playoffs abolished here on social media, if you talk to people in real life, most of them actually like the playoffs and the win and your in format.
We all have a certain way we think it should go. I think it should be back to Winston Cup format. But since we have to have playoffs, I think the current points system is fine. Bring back a +1 point for a lap lead, +1 for most laps lead. Take the top 16 to the playoffs, then make the playoffs “win and your in” to the next round. It is what it is, gonna watch anyways but I’m ready for next season already!
What if the top 16 in points get in no matter if they’ve won or not? But if you’re not top 16 in points and you get a win, you’re in as well. Then the Estep format from there. One wild card race, top 12 advance. You could have 20 drivers, but ultimately, Joey Logano, in a rain-shortened Pocono race, gets his 20th points placing into the playoffs and then wins the championship. 😂
I like your playoff concept, Eric. I'm even okay with the 10 race layout we have now, though I do prefer your idea of having a 3-race championship round. The difference is that I think it's okay to keep win-and-you're-in...but I would have it restricted to the top-20 in points. If you're 35th or even 24th in points and you win a race, you do not make the 16-driver Playoffs. That would put a greater emphasis on points and probably would have prevented Austin Dillon's shenanigans at Richmond... because even with that win, he wasn't going to make the playoffs anyway under my format.
Totally agree that the top 16 in points enter the playoffs then have a 4-3-3 playoff with the win your in apply. E.g. Harrison Burton had no business being in the playoffs, better teams were left out because of a fluke win.
I think drivers doing other stuff can only help the teams. They gain fans and will sell more and get more sponsors. There is no way it hurts Hendrick to have Larson being all over the news for a week about Indy.
It's not exactly true. I mean it may be true for some people but I've seen A LOT of constructive criticism from Penske fans, Hendrick fans, Logano fans, Elliott fans, you name it. I myself am huge Kyle Busch fan. And I was happy when he won 2015 title especially since I believe he was overall probably the best driver in 2015-2019 stretch. BUT, I've always agreed that you probably shouldn't have a champion who misses 11 races. Similarly, I really like Blaney (he's like in my Tier 2 favorite drivers) and I like Logano - I think his overall talent supports him having 3 championships. But the way Logano performed during 2024 just makes me think we got too far away from crowning a driver who was THE BEST DRIVER OF THE YEAR. Blaney in 2023 was better but still, his overall performance was way worse than Byron's for example. Back in 2017 I absolutely hated Truex for some reason but even I just admitted to myself that it's good he won that title because otherwise it would just look stupid. I don't like the fact that our champions are not the best drivers of the year and it has nothing to do with who I like or not. I actually liked Chase format because at least you had to be the highest points scorer in the final 10 races. The sample size was bigger and if you were the best during the last 10 races the chances are quite big that your year-long stats look at least good enough, even if someone was better during the regular season
I came up with a format I really like. The only bad thing about it is the complexity. Same rules as now to get in, top 16 in points with maybe a top 30 rule for win and in. Instead of 10 races, grow the playoffs to 12 races, 1/3 of the season. Three races in the first round, with only the bottom 8 seeds fighting to move on. The top 8 would be safe in the round of 16, but they can improve their seeding for the next round by gaining playoff points. The top four would be safe for the round of 12. All of the round of 8 drivers would fight for the final 4 spots, with their playoff points carrying through each round as they do now, but also to the championship 4. The best teams will almost always move on, but the Cinderellas still get a punchers chance! It is more complex to explain, but you're only looking at a maximum of 8 drivers fighting to advance.
Points racing is the only proper way to determine the champion of a motorsport. Racing is chaotic and crazy and sometimes, you will lose because of circumstances that had nothing to do with the skill you were displaying on the racetrack that day. Consistency is what we should reward. I don't mind wins being a little more than just 1 or 2 points more than a 2nd place finish, but tilting it in the way that Nascar has has completely destroyed the legitimacy of a championship fight.
I like win and you're in, it mixes up the field and sews in unexpected twists into the playoffs. Why should we make it more predictable. I am not a fan of Logano, but I thought it was a memorable playoffs bc he was resurrected from the dead and won the whole thing. It's like the wildcard winning the Super Bowl.
That 8 Pilot car looks great! It's good Jr is bringing back the Dale Earnhardt Inc font. But that being said, there is nothing sacred about any Bloodweiser car, regardless of if the driver is named Earnhardt, Elliot, Harvick, or Waltrip.
I wish they’d make a predominantly yellow Napa car for Chase. I like the full blue much better than the white, but a nice yellow scheme, maybe as an alternate scheme for night races, would be beautiful.
You shouldn't be able to run like shit all season and then win one race at the end and make the playoffs. Also, winning one race for the championship is wrong. That doesn't make you the best driver and team that season it makes you the best that day at that track. Don't have the answer, but the current system isn't it. nascar is losing more and more fans every year. I know i used to never miss a minute and would never miss a race, but nowadays, I watch when i can, but it's not a priority like in the past.
Win and your in is my favorite part of the playoffs, your favorite driver is never truly out of it and it really makes wins much more important which is what most fans watch for
eh i think no one liked lagano sucking all year lucking by in the playoffs cause others faulting out and then getting the championship at the same old track. sucks but is what it was.
You kinda highlighted one of the biggest wounds in NASCAR and hits on one of the things I think front row and 2311 aim to change and that is, In other sports, the sports organization sells the rights to the media corporations so that they have the opportunity to show that sport. In NASCAR it seems to feel that the media companies buy the rights. There's a difference in who controls the negotiations between NASCAR and the media and other sports and the media
Motorsports seasons are supposed to be just that, seasons like a TV show. Follow the storylines throughout the year as the points shift and sway. That's one of the reasons F1 is so popular, Netflix made it a drama series with the entire schedule as a TV season essentially.
@ericestepp here's my proposal: There is a minimum requirement of at least 1 race win and a point season total that must be hit (that ensures a lucky dog like Harrison doesn't get in on a win alone). Top 16 drivers who meet those thresholds are in. If they're more than 16 drivers, top 16 in points are in. If they're less than 16 drivers that meet. The last regular season race will be like a championship race setup. The drivers that need only a win, will race for the win, the drivers that need a great finish, will drive for that. And the rest that need both, will go for the win as well. Creates a great "Chase to Race" down the final stretch of the regular season.
Also, the championship race should be a series. Should consist of either a short track/road course, and intermediate track and a superspeedway. That way the best well-rounded championship contender will will. Create a separate point and win threshold for the championship 4.
The playoff format is entertainment. It is not meant to determine a real champion. Just a playoff winner. All those wild card races in the playoffs are for an exciting show and have nothing to do with who is the best driver. When was the last timne the best driver (season champion) won the playoffs.
I remember when win and your in first occurred and at that time you had to be within a range of points, I think it was top 30. I could be ok with win and your in if they brought that back. Someone in the Top 25 grabs a big gamble win late in the season congrats you made it. That being said I think the counter to that is offer more playoff points to finishing races in the top ten. So if some does grab a win from 25th, they don't start the playoffs ahead of the consistent driver with 12 10s and 6 top 5s who finished 4th in points without a win
New Format. Season long points BUT, if you want winning to matter more, try this out.... Winner will get a whopping 20 more points than 2nd place. Additionally, bonus points will be awarded to drivers who lead a lap, lead the most laps, win a stage, have the fastest lap of the race, and the fastest Pit crew on the day. This still provides an incentive to race hard, lead laps, and win above all else.
I'd like to see Bell get a shot at the Indy 500 with Larson in the that same race.Take the top 16 in points straight up, regardless of a win or not, and then let wins matter in the playoffs to move on each round.....just an idea.
I could support win-and-you’re-in IF said winner is in the Top 20 in points at the time of the win, or else can manage to get there by the conclusion of the final regular season race.
So I remember Harvick saying something like a waiver should be granted if you can win a race. Obviously meant in cases where drivers have to miss a race(s). I agree with that. However, when many of the field are in the playoffs on sheer luck/chance alone. It's almost a given that they'll be eliminated very quickly. So, in most cases I'd prefer the guys who are consistent enough to be in their positions. I think if you legitimately were to have your actual best 16 drivers in the playoffs, I feel it would certainly heighten the storyline, drama, heartbreak, whatever you want to call it. Then it would ensure guys like Austin Dillon, who snagged a win but sucked all season long, would not be eligible anyhow. I think to add to Harvicks argument. A win is necessary for a waiver. But the results better be there too. Larson certainly is a great example of how that would work.
I'm not a fan of Joey Logano the driver and I'm certainly not a fan of the playoff format, but I think it is sad that everybody questions the legitimacy of his championship. If we count the All-Star race, the guy won 5 races this year. Which is only one less than Kyle Larson. Yes, the guy was horrible between those wins, but he still had an impressive win rate on the back end of the season.
Maybe instead of “win and in/advance” wins are just worth even more bonus points, so it’s “effectively” a lock, but still need to somewhat perform. Say Joey wins first race of round of 8, but if he phones it in, or has 2 terrible next 2 races, can still miss the final 4. Overall should still create even more great racing having to keep past winners still on their toes. I agree with wins being worth a lot. But instead of a lock for a hypothetical dead last in points, it’s just a “you’re probably gonna make it if you win” as long as you don’t have a catastrophic rest of the round/season. - also 3 race final round
Glad the 8 is back, but the scheme is a bit lackluster. Think the black around the 8 is a bit out of place. Will look good with the TMC black and gold.
points should pay like 10 points more than 2nd, but that’s all. even if it’s not a full season points format, i want to see it decided by points and not wins. the championship should be about being the best throughout a season or round, not the best or even just getting lucky in one race.
Hey Eric big fan been watching since 2019 when i got into the sport as a full time fan and i recently throught of a fix of sorts for the playoffs/championship debacle So we start with a 30 race regular season where normal points are 80 points for race wins and 10 points for stage wins (stage points are awarded to only the driver that wins the stage) so that way stage wins actually feels deserving so if a driver sweeps the stages and wins the race they can come out of that race with 100 points so thats for the regular season, as for the regular season champion whoever has the most points without a win by the time the 30 race regular season is up they are crowned as regular season champion Now as for the platoffs have a 6 race playoff format where the top 15 in points fight it out in those 6 weeks for the championship. During these 6 weeks points are doubled for championship contenders which means Race wins are amped up from 80 to 90 and stage points go from 10 to 20 which makes it more obvious for the contenders to step up theyre game if they dont want to be left in the dust and whoever has the most points by the time the last race of the season comes around they are awarded the championship As for the all star race points are not awarded its just a fun time for the drivers who have won both races and poles from the previous season same goes for the clash So i want some feedback cause i wonder if this can actually work
I like your playoff idea of a wild card race and then the final 3 races determine the champion but if you make me king for a day, Winston Cup points return
I think that NASCAR should come up with 3 variants of the current system, then put out a pole for a month and have the fan base vote on the system that they want...
I’d substitute win and your in for a 50 point bonus for winning, huge advantage but drivers like Harrison Burton would need multiple wins to leapfrog the other drivers. Also if we’re going to call it the playoffs and try to get in on the gambling boost we should have 3 race series 1-on-1 driver matchups and a 3 driver winner take all finale.
chase briscoe really waited 6 months later to pull the uno reverse card on bell
🅱️riscoe Moment
😂 little cheeky get back
briscoe pulled a “you thought you could steal MY thunder well now im stealing YOURS”
I don't mind win in you are in, BUT I think it should be 2 or 3 wins to lock yourself in so it also rewards consistency.
Yeah they need to make it 2 wins so you can't stumble into a win by luck, rain, wrecks, fuel, etc and be locked in.
austin dillion bullshitting his way into 2 or 3 wins:
@@RosTheHaroldClotFan BUT HERE COMES TY DILLON
@@acedelta12 i would kill for a ty dillon cup win ngl
Win and your in is a decent idea in theory, until you remember that there are hundreds of ways to lose/win a race that are not in the drivers control. You can do everything right and still lose. We’ve seen it time and time again. Gateway this year is a prime example with the dominant car in bell having an engine issue and Blaney running out of gas at the white flag.
I can't speak on behalf of all of Jr Nation... But I'm just happy to see the slanted forward, DEI font where it belongs. The painted side skirts, that jr always wanted, are a bonus. And the black on the door is a nice tribute to Sr. I like the paint scheme.
Like Brock Beard said, wins have become transactional now. A driver can't enjoy the moment anymore without hearing "by the way, you just punched your ticket to the playoffs!"
The one thing I’d bring back is if you lead a lap, you get a point and then whoever leads the most laps gets five points. I like that they should bring that back.
Christopher bell is a good dirt racer I'm from Oklahoma and I watched him come up through the ranks of dirt racing and I'm glad he's in nascar Christopher bell is the only driver from Oklahoma to race in nascar
The 8 reaction:
Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I'm so glad it's home.
Also, I dig the adjustments to the Napa #9. Looks great.
I wish the yellow stripe in the middle was still yellow.
As a die hard Dale Jr fan your intro killed me 😂
That #8 car paint job throws off some Kenny Wallace Red Dog car vibes.
1:02 I love that paint scheme.
1:17 I liked the white accent lines better.
1:46 that’s funny, I hope my favorite driver wins the Chili Bowl (go Bell).
What fans is Steve seeing? Do we need to examine his head for concussion symptoms!?
Lots of so called fans complain no matter what, lots of fans wanted this!
What fans!? This is RACING not sports ball! Only 2 teams play each other in ball at a time in racing 20-40+ cars all share the SAME TRACK at the SAME TIME! Playoffs are dumb NHRA wised up quick but NASCAR be like "We LiKe WhAt We'Re SeEiNg" when most fans HATE the format I can't stand reject politician Steve Phelps.
I follow several NASCAR related YT channels, but Eric is the Gold Standard.
I don't live in the US, so I watch the races when Nascar uploads them to YT, which is great that they do that but there's no pre or post race coverage. So it's great to have a channel like Eric's to fill me in with all the news. 👍👍
Nice new schemes shown for Sammy Smith and Chase Elliott! Hope to see other cool schemes coming soon later!
I think we should bring back the Winston point system so when we crown a champion with 10 races left the old people will FINALLY SHUT UP about how great that system was.
Good one and so true.
Doesn't happen. Seldom happens with a race to spare, and you have to have to be *well clear* of everyone else on an absurdly-consistent level for a championship to be locked up even a race early. At least then, there absolutely wouldn't be an argument of the champion being fundamentally undeserved.
Even the lower series, when full-season points were still a thing during the pre-playoffs Chase era, had close championships that went down to the last race.
That seldom happened Dale in 87 did it. Dale was rocket in 87. Now the way nascar has competition. That’s not going to happen again. I would tweak the old system. 2001st 1902nd 185.3rd 180.4th 185.5th. Minus 5 points to 10th. 11th to20th minus 4 points 21st to 32nd minus 3. Bonus points 10 a lap 15 for the half way lap 25 for most laps led. Season lap leader 35 points. Is amazing
that rhyme was possibly the greatest moment in Out of the Groove history
I personally really liked and agree with your playoff fix. Top 16 in points. 1st round is your 1 race wild card round. 3 rounds of 3 races after
The Chase Elliot paint scheme is perfect. I really realy deslike the black around the 8 on Love's car
I think that we should do like a lucky race lottery where if it’s a new winner they have a shot at the playoffs
Ill always watch nascar but will always complain as well😂
Top 16 get in. However, give double or triple the points that are awarded for a win now. Regular season champ gets a bye into the round of 8.
Doubling or even tripling is excessive
Increase the number of playoff points for stage and race wins to reward consistency
I'm all for the old Winston Cup format i grew up with....so count me among the "great points day" fans.
Steve Phelps- money 💰
Eric over here spitting bars 🗣🔥🔥
I definitely agree with your suggestion on getting in to the playoffs. I don’t like the weight that win and you’re in has. I think it’s much more important to have a car that competes in every race during the season.
If you grew up a diehard Dale Jr fan you’re loving every second of this!
Wonderful intro haha
0:17 lol I haven’t seen stuff like this in a long time
Yes win and you in should always be in racing I didn't like just winning by points. I've been watching Nascar for 50 years.
Consistency should be a big part of it.
"Win at all cost" doesn't truly exist when you consider how Austin Dillon was excluded from the playoffs after winning the way he did.
They punish going the extra mile.
That dq was terrible. Grey area dqs are so pathetic the fact yall praised Nascar for that is disturbing. It should be against the rules now, but making up rules as we go is goo goo ga ga stuff. He wouldnt but if lets say a William Byron did that do you think he wouldve been dqd? cuz i dont and thats another issue.
Ok here is my nascar playoff format proposal I’m titling the Wlidcard Win format.
Same number of rounds and number of races per round. Playoff points awarded in the same manner.
The top 16 in points would advance to the first round. In ADDITION to those drivers, drivers who are outside the points advancement position and have a win may use it to become a “wildcard” entry into the next round. Wins can only be used once. So if you have 1 win and are outside the top 16, you can use your win to advance into the round of 16 (or whatever the name changes to). You cannot then use that win again. If you have 2 wins, you may use one to get into the round of 16 and if at the end of the 3 races in that round or any future round you are outside the points advancing spots, you can use another win to advance. If you advance using a wildcard win, you do not get any of the playoff points you accumulated through the regular season or previous rounds. Points reset each round like they do now.
For the final, playoff points (if applicable) do count but if a driver wins the final race who is in the final round, then win the championship.
Number of drivers who advance on points for each round might need to be tweaked, like maybe minus 2 for what each currently is, but I think this format would have potential.
Again I really like the comparison to March Madness. I love the win and you are in because it comes with unpredictably so drivers have to stay on their feet, be ready and adapt to the chaotic wins. It’s okay that not the most deserving driver wins, they know the format and upsets happen. Again just like Mach madness. Hope they don’t change it too much!
"I so badly want to be in that room..." DO IT, ERIC. PLEASE. 🥺 Honestly speaking, your suggested playoff format changes are good.
Dale Jr should be the President of Nascar.
Both Schemes look great Chase's was already perfect and all they did was improve on it which is not easy to do.
I’m glad the 8 is back, but I’m not a huge fan of its first scheme
It's time for NASCAR to change things up. The current Championship is flawed and it has been since 2014. I do understand that NASCAR wanted to attempt to bring more excitement but I can comfortably say that I'm not the only one that wants changes.
Is it possible to make everyone happy at the same time? The driver's long for competitiveness, they want to be rewarded for consistency and excellence to bring more legitimacy to the end of season championship. The fans desperately want more excitement to be more engaged. The media should want the same. NASCAR desperately wants to keep the media appeased. The teams strive for engagement, team excellence, legitimacy, and excitement surrounding their sponsor partners. Speaking of the sponsors, they want Roi, in the form of advertising, fan engagement, and competitive season long exposure. Sure seems like a lot right. But I feel after much consideration of everyone's needs, that I may have found a solution to satisfy everyone's desire for more beneficial and satisfying season championship.
So without further ado let's shake up this off season snow globe and see where this might go.
Beginning in 2024 college football did a little earthquake of their own and shook up their championship format to be more broad and inclusive to not just 4 opportunities but 12. I don't know about you, but I feel this has been a season-long game changer that allows more opportunities for teams to achieve season long legitimacy and exposure to fans, the media, and recruits alike. NASCAR should take note.
Is my proposal the best? I doubt it, but I feel it is a huge step in the right direction to better appease the changes all stakeholders want so badly.
Time to break it down. What I propose is splitting the season into 3, yes 3
sections (praise Dale and raise hell). With 36 points paying races, that means 12 races per section. The first third of the Season would be pretty basic with one exception. Daytona, being one of NASCAR's Crown Jewel races, competitors would receive double the points scored! The next 11 races, teams would continue to accrue regular points.
This brings us to section 2. Here's where things start to get interesting. Only the top 24 race finishers score points! But wait there's more! The Coke 600 and Indy also being Crown Jewel races in my book, would be award double points for the top 24 race finishing drivers. At the end of section 2 almost nobody is completely out but no one is entirely safe.
Now section 3, yep you guessed it, time to put your foot down and nose to the grindstone because for the final races, points are only awarded to the top 12 finishers of each race. In this section Crown Jewel double points races are Darlington the Bristol night race and the season finale!
So no more "Golden Ticket" for winning a rain shortened race, or the occasional lucky win. It's time to " reach on up and pull them belts tight" it's time to show the world what you're made of. Can you imagine the heightened drama of the media could benefit from? The drivers would experience a truer competitiveness not felt in years, not to mention a season-long urgency to fight for consistent excellence to achieve legitimate champ status come season end. The sponsors would truly get their Roi they expect. Finally NASCAR would be able to boast season long excitement, offering a show for the fans that is compelling, engaging, and nostalgic from Daytona clear to Phoenix!
I personally think the playoffs are fine. Points racing exists still, its just different then 1990 and 2010. I wouldnt mind if you had to be like top 25 or so for win and in for that regard. The only change i would like is leading a lap in a race gets 1 point and leading the most laps in a race gets like 2-5 playoff points to reward race consistency.
I will say that yes fans probably wanted Wins to mean more but in the sense of a bigger points payout not straight up making wins so valuable that you could run horribly all year out side of a few well timed wins and become a champ.
This!
Agree with all of your points Eric... As a Chase fan, I'm happy when he has a good points day... consistency should still matter
Chase is on the case! 🏁🏆
Even though it seems as if everyone wants the playoffs abolished here on social media, if you talk to people in real life, most of them actually like the playoffs and the win and your in format.
We all have a certain way we think it should go. I think it should be back to Winston Cup format. But since we have to have playoffs, I think the current points system is fine. Bring back a +1 point for a lap lead, +1 for most laps lead. Take the top 16 to the playoffs, then make the playoffs “win and your in” to the next round. It is what it is, gonna watch anyways but I’m ready for next season already!
Yes, the pendulum has definitely swayed too far from the value of points racing and the accentuation for earning great/solid race finishes!
I’m faded, I read the title and thought you were talking about Michael Phelps for some reason lmaooo
What if the top 16 in points get in no matter if they’ve won or not? But if you’re not top 16 in points and you get a win, you’re in as well. Then the Estep format from there. One wild card race, top 12 advance. You could have 20 drivers, but ultimately, Joey Logano, in a rain-shortened Pocono race, gets his 20th points placing into the playoffs and then wins the championship. 😂
Have a merry off season and a happy Christmas quote from chase elliott
0:51 number is in the right spot, it's beautiful just like the day it left us ♥️
Eric trying to give us laughs. Great content man like always
1:52 even eric was surprised with those bars
I like your playoff concept, Eric. I'm even okay with the 10 race layout we have now, though I do prefer your idea of having a 3-race championship round. The difference is that I think it's okay to keep win-and-you're-in...but I would have it restricted to the top-20 in points. If you're 35th or even 24th in points and you win a race, you do not make the 16-driver Playoffs. That would put a greater emphasis on points and probably would have prevented Austin Dillon's shenanigans at Richmond... because even with that win, he wasn't going to make the playoffs anyway under my format.
8:28 you mean blockaded his way in by other Chevies?
I guess Briscoe decided to repay the favor! 😂
YEAAAAA!!!!! Eric talked about dirt racing!!!!
So happy to see the 8 back!!!❤
Totally agree that the top 16 in points enter the playoffs then have a 4-3-3 playoff with the win your in apply. E.g. Harrison Burton had no business being in the playoffs, better teams were left out because of a fluke win.
I think drivers doing other stuff can only help the teams. They gain fans and will sell more and get more sponsors. There is no way it hurts Hendrick to have Larson being all over the news for a week about Indy.
People bitch about anything and everything. If "their" driver doesn't win the championship the system needs to be changed. It never ends!
It's not exactly true. I mean it may be true for some people but I've seen A LOT of constructive criticism from Penske fans, Hendrick fans, Logano fans, Elliott fans, you name it. I myself am huge Kyle Busch fan. And I was happy when he won 2015 title especially since I believe he was overall probably the best driver in 2015-2019 stretch. BUT, I've always agreed that you probably shouldn't have a champion who misses 11 races. Similarly, I really like Blaney (he's like in my Tier 2 favorite drivers) and I like Logano - I think his overall talent supports him having 3 championships. But the way Logano performed during 2024 just makes me think we got too far away from crowning a driver who was THE BEST DRIVER OF THE YEAR. Blaney in 2023 was better but still, his overall performance was way worse than Byron's for example. Back in 2017 I absolutely hated Truex for some reason but even I just admitted to myself that it's good he won that title because otherwise it would just look stupid. I don't like the fact that our champions are not the best drivers of the year and it has nothing to do with who I like or not. I actually liked Chase format because at least you had to be the highest points scorer in the final 10 races. The sample size was bigger and if you were the best during the last 10 races the chances are quite big that your year-long stats look at least good enough, even if someone was better during the regular season
I came up with a format I really like. The only bad thing about it is the complexity.
Same rules as now to get in, top 16 in points with maybe a top 30 rule for win and in. Instead of 10 races, grow the playoffs to 12 races, 1/3 of the season. Three races in the first round, with only the bottom 8 seeds fighting to move on. The top 8 would be safe in the round of 16, but they can improve their seeding for the next round by gaining playoff points. The top four would be safe for the round of 12. All of the round of 8 drivers would fight for the final 4 spots, with their playoff points carrying through each round as they do now, but also to the championship 4. The best teams will almost always move on, but the Cinderellas still get a punchers chance! It is more complex to explain, but you're only looking at a maximum of 8 drivers fighting to advance.
I would really like to see your format next season.
Points racing is the only proper way to determine the champion of a motorsport. Racing is chaotic and crazy and sometimes, you will lose because of circumstances that had nothing to do with the skill you were displaying on the racetrack that day. Consistency is what we should reward. I don't mind wins being a little more than just 1 or 2 points more than a 2nd place finish, but tilting it in the way that Nascar has has completely destroyed the legitimacy of a championship fight.
I'm off of college till January 21st so I have over a month to enjoy the holiday season with my friends and family members
I like win and you're in, it mixes up the field and sews in unexpected twists into the playoffs. Why should we make it more predictable. I am not a fan of Logano, but I thought it was a memorable playoffs bc he was resurrected from the dead and won the whole thing. It's like the wildcard winning the Super Bowl.
Mike Phelps thank you for understanding competition
That 8 Pilot car looks great! It's good Jr is bringing back the Dale Earnhardt Inc font. But that being said, there is nothing sacred about any Bloodweiser car, regardless of if the driver is named Earnhardt, Elliot, Harvick, or Waltrip.
I wish they’d make a predominantly yellow Napa car for Chase. I like the full blue much better than the white, but a nice yellow scheme, maybe as an alternate scheme for night races, would be beautiful.
You shouldn't be able to run like shit all season and then win one race at the end and make the playoffs. Also, winning one race for the championship is wrong. That doesn't make you the best driver and team that season it makes you the best that day at that track. Don't have the answer, but the current system isn't it. nascar is losing more and more fans every year. I know i used to never miss a minute and would never miss a race, but nowadays, I watch when i can, but it's not a priority like in the past.
Win and your in is my favorite part of the playoffs, your favorite driver is never truly out of it and it really makes wins much more important which is what most fans watch for
the intro is something else 😂😂
Yes 😂
Bring back the win and you're in but you have to be in the top 30 in points. My preference would be top 20.
eh i think no one liked lagano sucking all year lucking by in the playoffs cause others faulting out and then getting the championship at the same old track. sucks but is what it was.
You kinda highlighted one of the biggest wounds in NASCAR and hits on one of the things I think front row and 2311 aim to change and that is, In other sports, the sports organization sells the rights to the media corporations so that they have the opportunity to show that sport. In NASCAR it seems to feel that the media companies buy the rights. There's a difference in who controls the negotiations between NASCAR and the media and other sports and the media
Motorsports seasons are supposed to be just that, seasons like a TV show. Follow the storylines throughout the year as the points shift and sway. That's one of the reasons F1 is so popular, Netflix made it a drama series with the entire schedule as a TV season essentially.
@ericestepp here's my proposal:
There is a minimum requirement of at least 1 race win and a point season total that must be hit (that ensures a lucky dog like Harrison doesn't get in on a win alone). Top 16 drivers who meet those thresholds are in. If they're more than 16 drivers, top 16 in points are in. If they're less than 16 drivers that meet. The last regular season race will be like a championship race setup. The drivers that need only a win, will race for the win, the drivers that need a great finish, will drive for that. And the rest that need both, will go for the win as well. Creates a great "Chase to Race" down the final stretch of the regular season.
Also, the championship race should be a series. Should consist of either a short track/road course, and intermediate track and a superspeedway. That way the best well-rounded championship contender will will. Create a separate point and win threshold for the championship 4.
Great finishes =/= Great races or racing
Anything that looks good on the 80's Monte Carlo is a good livery for me and I wasn't even around for the 80's.
The playoff format is entertainment. It is not meant to determine a real champion. Just a playoff winner. All those wild card races in the playoffs are for an exciting show and have nothing to do with who is the best driver. When was the last timne the best driver (season champion) won the playoffs.
I remember when win and your in first occurred and at that time you had to be within a range of points, I think it was top 30. I could be ok with win and your in if they brought that back. Someone in the Top 25 grabs a big gamble win late in the season congrats you made it. That being said I think the counter to that is offer more playoff points to finishing races in the top ten. So if some does grab a win from 25th, they don't start the playoffs ahead of the consistent driver with 12 10s and 6 top 5s who finished 4th in points without a win
The day, Steve, Phelps sleeves, and NASCAR is the day we all can celebrate, Joey will never be a champion to me, because he was never the best. NEVER.
best ever!
Outstanding AF 😅
“Christopher Bell is back to play in the Tulsa clay.” Eric, you’re a poet and don’t know it.
The main focus of championship points should be two things, wins and best average finishes
New Format. Season long points BUT, if you want winning to matter more, try this out....
Winner will get a whopping 20 more points than 2nd place. Additionally, bonus points will be awarded to drivers who lead a lap, lead the most laps, win a stage, have the fastest lap of the race, and the fastest Pit crew on the day.
This still provides an incentive to race hard, lead laps, and win above all else.
I'd like to see Bell get a shot at the Indy 500 with Larson in the that same race.Take the top 16 in points straight up, regardless of a win or not, and then let wins matter in the playoffs to move on each round.....just an idea.
I could support win-and-you’re-in IF said winner is in the Top 20 in points at the time of the win, or else can manage to get there by the conclusion of the final regular season race.
So I remember Harvick saying something like a waiver should be granted if you can win a race. Obviously meant in cases where drivers have to miss a race(s). I agree with that. However, when many of the field are in the playoffs on sheer luck/chance alone. It's almost a given that they'll be eliminated very quickly. So, in most cases I'd prefer the guys who are consistent enough to be in their positions. I think if you legitimately were to have your actual best 16 drivers in the playoffs, I feel it would certainly heighten the storyline, drama, heartbreak, whatever you want to call it. Then it would ensure guys like Austin Dillon, who snagged a win but sucked all season long, would not be eligible anyhow. I think to add to Harvicks argument. A win is necessary for a waiver. But the results better be there too. Larson certainly is a great example of how that would work.
I'm not a fan of Joey Logano the driver and I'm certainly not a fan of the playoff format, but I think it is sad that everybody questions the legitimacy of his championship. If we count the All-Star race, the guy won 5 races this year. Which is only one less than Kyle Larson. Yes, the guy was horrible between those wins, but he still had an impressive win rate on the back end of the season.
Because of their blinding hate they don't want to face that fact.
Maybe instead of “win and in/advance” wins are just worth even more bonus points, so it’s “effectively” a lock, but still need to somewhat perform. Say Joey wins first race of round of 8, but if he phones it in, or has 2 terrible next 2 races, can still miss the final 4. Overall should still create even more great racing having to keep past winners still on their toes. I agree with wins being worth a lot. But instead of a lock for a hypothetical dead last in points, it’s just a “you’re probably gonna make it if you win” as long as you don’t have a catastrophic rest of the round/season. - also 3 race final round
Glad the 8 is back, but the scheme is a bit lackluster. Think the black around the 8 is a bit out of place. Will look good with the TMC black and gold.
points should pay like 10 points more than 2nd, but that’s all. even if it’s not a full season points format, i want to see it decided by points and not wins. the championship should be about being the best throughout a season or round, not the best or even just getting lucky in one race.
The 8 looks nice
I like the SS 2025 on Sammy's car.
Hey Eric big fan been watching since 2019 when i got into the sport as a full time fan and i recently throught of a fix of sorts for the playoffs/championship debacle
So we start with a 30 race regular season where normal points are 80 points for race wins and 10 points for stage wins (stage points are awarded to only the driver that wins the stage) so that way stage wins actually feels deserving so if a driver sweeps the stages and wins the race they can come out of that race with 100 points so thats for the regular season, as for the regular season champion whoever has the most points without a win by the time the 30 race regular season is up they are crowned as regular season champion
Now as for the platoffs have a 6 race playoff format where the top 15 in points fight it out in those 6 weeks for the championship. During these 6 weeks points are doubled for championship contenders which means Race wins are amped up from 80 to 90 and stage points go from 10 to 20 which makes it more obvious for the contenders to step up theyre game if they dont want to be left in the dust and whoever has the most points by the time the last race of the season comes around they are awarded the championship
As for the all star race points are not awarded its just a fun time for the drivers who have won both races and poles from the previous season same goes for the clash
So i want some feedback cause i wonder if this can actually work
I like your playoff idea of a wild card race and then the final 3 races determine the champion but if you make me king for a day, Winston Cup points return
I think that NASCAR should come up with 3 variants of the current system, then put out a pole for a month and have the fan base vote on the system that they want...
Like the silver 8 on top at least it looked that way in the video
I predict Christopher Bell will win at the clash the daytona 500 and the championship and the chili bowl in 2025
damn bro we aint even in 2025 yet lmfao
@@THATWHITEKID38yeah I know
I’d substitute win and your in for a 50 point bonus for winning, huge advantage but drivers like Harrison Burton would need multiple wins to leapfrog the other drivers. Also if we’re going to call it the playoffs and try to get in on the gambling boost we should have 3 race series 1-on-1 driver matchups and a 3 driver winner take all finale.