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Here's some quick hits about the background of the Chase, the format, and what it takes to win it:
Purpose of Chase: Determines Sprint Cup Champion
Year Created: 2004
Reason Created: Some blame Matt Kenseth, some blame NASCAR's new title sponsor in '04, but regardless of reason, the Chase was created to enhance excitement in the final ten races by creating a close championship run.
Is It a Playoff? No, because no one gets eliminated. It's kind of like college football's BCS except less arbitrary and more games for the top contenders.
Give me the Basics: 10 races for 12 drivers, most points scored wins
Why 12 Drivers? NASCAR added two extra drivers prior to 2007, and many people saw it as a rule to help get more big name drivers in the final run.
How are they seeded? For each race a driver wins in the 26 races prior to the Chase, he gets 10 Chase bonus points. As a result, point leader Kyle Busch has an 80 point lead thanks to eight race wins in 2008. The bonus points are tacked on to the Chase-wide starting point of 5,000 driver points that each competitor gets reset to at the beginning of the Chase.
Why Does Carl Edwards only have 50 points? Edwards should have 60 bonus points thanks to six wins, but he was penalized at Las Vegas for failing inspection and NASCAR took his 10 Chase bonus points away.
How do drivers earn points? Drivers score points based on their finishing position in a race as well as bonus points for laps led and most laps led. The scoring system doesn't change in the Chase vs. the regular season.
Does 12th-place have a shot? Definitely. Matt Kenseth is 12th, but has the same amount of points (5,000) as four drivers in front of him because they each haven't won a race in 2008 and 80 points is easily made up in three or so races with solid finishes.
Enjoy being the know-it-all, and enjoy the Chase.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-14-2008 @ 7:33PM
Bonnie said...
Congrats to Greg: But Jimmy Johnson is my driver..... Good race..... However 18 he was a good dirty driver staying in the race taking out MCCurry that was unfair so he could move up into 42 place and end with the points...... Bad boy........ You need to race fair....... You know better than that ..... We know your wild thing but come on....... Fair is fair...... What do you call that??????
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9-14-2008 @ 7:49PM
Randy said...
Jeff Gordon is my driver..... He has not had a good car for the last few weeks thou........Your luck has been terrible......
However that Wild Thing........ Good dirty driving........ Taking out other drivers so you can get ahead......Shame on you....... That is like playing dirty pool...........
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9-15-2008 @ 12:55AM
anna seitter said...
WELL, ABOUT THE CHASE, I KNOW IT'S the name of a movie.
Other than that usually only NAZCAR can explain their own iron ruling but in this case you explained it pretty loud and clear mr miller. So if you can it probably means that i can.
Finally something about nazcar we all can understand.
On another subject, i see that MPD has made it's way ABOVE
and beyond limits on these pages people.
So, for that manner, i guess i was right in the other file. IT has become a national trend soon to hit nascar elites.
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