Denny Hamlin proposes new NASCAR championship points system
When the chase kicked off, Denny Hamlin was on a roll. But now he's out of the championship run. Would a different points system be more equitable? (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
mikemulhern.net
TALLADEGA, Ala.
Denny Hamlin, who would still be in the thick of the championship playoffs if not for that one mistake at California, trying to chop off challenger Juan Pablo Montoya while leading, says NASCAR needs a new championship points system.
The current system – though tweaked with 'the chase' – is essentially the same as it's been for more than 30 years, with points doled out for weekly finishes in order to reward consistency and penalize mistakes. A driver can lose as much as 150 points in one race, for one mistake; but NASCAR has no way of giving a driver a chance to make up that much ground.
So what Hamlin suggests is that NASCAR set up a separate and distinct point system for the 12 men making the 10-race playoffs.
"You've got to put us on our own points system," Hamlin says.
"Do it to where if you get a win, maybe you get 15 points, and if you're the last chase finisher then you get one; and the second place guy (among chasers) will get 11 points. That gives you a little gap between, and makes it important to win because that's four spots.
"You've got to put us on our own points system -- to where we don't get killed when guys (non-chasers) finish between us who don't even matter at this point in the season.
"That's the only way it would work…and you would still have a race (for the title) at the end.
"It also rewards you for being up front consistently.
"And it doesn't kill you to have 25 positions between you and the second to last chase guy because you have non-chasers between you eating up all the points in between.
"That's the best way to do it.
"Under that system Jimmie Johnson would still be leading the Sprint Cup standings.
"But it would at least not be so spread out from first to 12th, or even fifth to 12th.
"Kasey Kahne has had a few bad races; I've had a few bad races, and it kind of eliminates us from even getting back to the top two or three in points.
"However we've run up front enough to where we're the first or second or third chase car every week that we don't have that bad mechanical failure or wreck. So it (his proposed new points system) at least puts us in position to where if we race well we'll get those points back…and we're not losing unnecessary points to guys that aren't even on our points system.
"That's my only argument about it --- that it doesn't kill you. If you finish 12th, and you're the worst chase finisher in that particular week, and you get one point then you go to the next week and you win, then that's 16 total points.
"Those 40th's and 30th's kill you, in the old (current) system.
"I hate to decide everyone's season -- and championship hopes -- off of making sure they just have their car stay together.
"Let's let the guys that get the race wins in the chase and run consistently up front in the chase, let them win the championship, because they deserve it.
"Not that JJ is not deserving; he would still be up front in this point system and still be the champion. But we would at least have a race at the end."
The current NASCAR Sprint Cup standings under Denny Hamlin's plan
(15-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1)
Jimmie Johnson 70 points
Mark Martin 53 points
Jeff Gordon 52 points
Juan Pablo Montoya 52 points
Tony Stewart 46 points
Kurt Busch 39 points
Denny Hamlin 37 points
Ryan Newman 35 points
Greg Biffle 31 points
Kasey Kahne 29 points
Carl Edwards 22 points
Brian Vickers 20 points
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Put the 12 chasers on the F1
Put the 12 chasers on the F1 points system and be done with it.
I dont like Denny Hamlin so
I dont like Denny Hamlin so it brings me great pain to say this: Damn do i agree with this 100%, but sadly theres too much logic involved in it
Be careful Denny. NASCAR
Be careful Denny. NASCAR does not like suggestions unless they come up with them. Keep on talking and your car might not pass inspection. Though you're absolutely correct, it's not a good idea until NASCAR comes up with it themselves.
Not a good idea.
I don't like it. If a team has the 33rd best car, they ought to get 33rd-place points for that race, not "12th" place points.
NO MORE SEPERATION OF CHASERS
Absolutely not. Denny Hamlin is a fool to propose further segregating the top twelve in points from the rest of the field; there has to be area where teams not in the top twelve can overtake cars already there in the final ten races; there has to be area where the point leader can be overtaken by a car not in the top-twelve in the final ten races.
The changes needed to the title chase -
1 - Eliminate the Chase altogether - make the present-day Chasers have to outfight the rest of the field for the entirety of the season.
2 - Pay 125 bonus points per win - 300 points for win, 175 for second, etc.
3 - Pay 100 bonus points for most laps led.
Now you'll get a real points race - a race where the entire field cannot afford to let any one driver win the most or lead the most.
You're kidding me
Week one Chase drivers finish 1,2,3 week two top three Chase drivers
finish 1,2,25 same reward for finishing third as twentyfith come on!
Reply to comment
Points should be earned for
Points should be earned for only the top 30 positions, this eliminates damaged cars on the track to "collect points" and cause "debris cautions". Also, throw out drivers worst 2 races during the regular season and 1 during the chase races.
Drop worst races, 30th to 43rd same pts.
The regular season points should be based on 24 races allowing drivers to drop their worst 2 point races. During the Chase, they could drop 1 race. This gives a little room for error and 1 bad race would not kill championship hopes. Also, during the entire season, the points earned should be the same for positions 30th to 43rd. This would eliminate damaged cars from being on the track and in the way to "earn points". This would also eliminate many of the hated "debris cautions". I have not looked over results, but I would bet this would keep many more drivers in contention for Chase spots and would also keep the Chase much tighter.
JohnP
As a long time Nascar fan I have to really like this idea of Hamlin's a lot. Last year Gordon recommended something like this also. So has Jimmy Spencer. This would make the Chase a cat fight right to Homestead. It's a very logical though, having the non-Chase guys in the scoring of the Chase is nuts. But King Brian doesn't even go to the track on race day. So as long as his dough keeps rolling in he does not really care about the product. His dad and granddad must be rolling in their graves. The sport needs them back. But under no circumstances bring the old point system back. Even though I admit, under the old system and points between the top 3 would be slightly closer, four back would be almost 400 points back. If someone did there math right, and had the correct information then there is only 50 points seperating 1st to 12th in the points. Now that would be EXCITING!! As far as scoring the non-Chase drivers. They would simply be scored where they are on the track, including the Chase cars. 1st=1st. 10th=10th. 35th=35th. But, the Chase cars HAVE TO be scored separately to make the Chase of the best drivers more valid to the fans.
points system
forget it... you have 43 cars and 43 drivers and 43 sponsors on the track. with 10 races left reset the points on everyone don't stop at 12. that way all the fans can take part in the chase. sure some cars have no chance in moving up but there are some pretty good cars from 13 to 25. think of the excitement with everyone involved....... LETS GO RACING BOYS.....
Still doesn't work
It barely changes the standings now and there's still no way Vickers would make up 50 points.
Whiner
Denny has talent but to propose a new points system after you pulled a stupid rookie stunt is silly. It is what it is, the car is a truck and FRANCECAR is not what NASCAR used to be. Watch, go or don't, racing is what I want to see and it is still worth watching, unless there's a good football game on :-)
Denny's plan makes perfect
Denny's plan makes perfect sense and something along that order should be implemented or go back to the old system. Under the old system JJ would have only won one of his three titles. When a driver has one or two bad races in the chase he's eliminated which takes all of drama that Nascar's trying so hard to manufacture.
They already reset the points for the top twelve and they should be scored in class just like is done in other forms of motorsports.
The cars that are not in the chase are just rolling roadblocks and tend to be the determining factor and not the other chase competitors who they are supposed to be fighting the championship with...
I haven't been a fan of the Chase since it's inception and tend to turn the channel more often once it starts than during the first 26 races... By adding the Chase format they turned the remaining 31 teams into also ran's that if I was putting up the sponsorship monies it would end if the car didn't make the chase. You get no coverage the final 10 weeks of the season so why bother spending all the money...
It was a nice experiment but you can't manufacture excitement it has to happen naturally, with the Chase that just isn't happening...
Change the Points System
Denny's plan makes perfect sense and something along that order should be implemented or go back to the old system. Under the old system JJ would have only won one of his three titles. When a driver has one or two bad races in the chase he's eliminated which takes all of drama that Nascar's trying so hard to manufacture.
They already reset the points for the top twelve and they should be scored in class just like is done in other forms of motorsports.
The cars that are not in the chase are just rolling roadblocks and tend to be the determining factor and not the other chase competitors who they are supposed to be fighting the championship with...
I haven't been a fan of the Chase since it's inception and tend to turn the channel more often once it starts than during the first 26 races... By adding the Chase format they turned the remaining 31 teams into also ran's that if I was putting up the sponsorship monies it would end if the car didn't make the chase. You get no coverage the final 10 weeks of the season so why bother spending all the money...
It was a nice experiment but you can't manufacture excitement it has to happen naturally, with the Chase that just isn't happening...
niko
nice idea denny, but nascar will always use it's stupid point system made hundred years ago, will god why 190 points for a race winner? not 100 or 200 or any round number but a 190 stupid number, that's so dumb.