Let’s Fix the Points System
M.L. Morgan
Jeff Gordon won his second Championship but it
was due much more to his team’s “Refuse to
Lose” philosophy than it was to the absurdly
unfair Nascar points system.
Let’s take a look at the present system because
a surprising number of fans don’t know how it
works. It’s very simple: 1st place through 6th
place are separated by 5 points - 175 down to 150,
then 6th place through 11th place are separated
by 4 points - 150 down to 130, and 12th down to
the last place car are separated by 3 points.
Any car leading a lap is awarded 5 bonus points and
the car leading the most laps is awarded 5 bonus
points. Simple enough, right ? Fair, NO !
There are several glaring inequities in this system.
With this system the 2nd place car can earn the
same amount of points as the winner. That’s outrageous.
Awarding the 5 point bonus for leading
a lap seems harmless until you take into account
how many cars are awarded lap-leader points for
being on the track when the lead cars are making
green-flag pit stops. These second-tier teams
may deserve sympathy but they don’t deserve bonus
points. I have no problem with a 5 point
bonus for leading the most laps. It’s a good
incentive to go out and race hard.
The biggest short-coming of this system is the
way it is weighted towards consistency. Run in the
top-10 and you’ll be in the running for the Championship
at the end of the season. I have no
problem with rewarding consistency but this is
America and Americans put a premium on
winning, not running in the top-10.
Let’s fix it. The winner gets 175 points. Second
place gets 150. From 2nd through 10 there
should be a 10 point difference from 150 for
2nd down to 70 points for 10th. Below 10th place
every car would get 50 points, sort of a qualifying
bonus for making the field. That would
eliminate a lot of needless wrecks between cars
who are far from contention fighting for that extra
3 points. That would also keep the early-race
casualties from re-entering the race with a
patched-up jalopy incapable of maintaining the
race speed, and running around to make a few
points while endangering other cars.
And while we’re at it, let’s fix the ridiculous
provisional starting position rules. In 1993 Richard
Petty had considerable trouble qualifying his
cars and lobbied Nascar for some relief and ended up
with double the provisional starting positions
(from 2 to 4). These provisionals are based on
owner points and a few other variables, but none
of which are justifiable in my opinion. If you
bring a sorry race car to the track, just take
it back home. And the past champion’s provisional
should be eliminated just like the former rule
which gave the reigning champion his pick of the pit
stalls. That was unfair, too. The provisionals
could be awarded by draw. I’m tired of seeing some
dinosaur get a provisional and start 43rd only
to finish 40th. Or just as likely, be the cause of the
first yellow flag. That’s a crock.
Have comments or questions? E-mail: M.L. Morgan
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