Very soon the executives at NASCAR will begin the process of reviewing the rule book and making changes for the 2008 racing season. I hereby offer a plea for one big change: Please eliminate the Past Champions Provisional!
How the lineup for NASCAR racing events is determined has changed every year for the past nine seasons. Back in 1989 Richard Petty missed the spring race at Richmond and the fans went crazy. The King then failed to qualify for the Bristol and North Wilkesboro events and NASCAR had to act. How could they have a contest without the KING? Subsequently the Past Champions Provisional was created. It has been abused greatly since its very first day of existence.
As you may know, I am a big proponent of changing the Green-White-Checkered rule back to the way it was in the Truck Series for the first 229 races. In my opinion the sanctioning body should finish every race under the green flag if humanly possible. If it takes two attempts at a GWC finish, so be it. If it takes three, four, or five, that’s the way it is…
When I ask NASCAR why they changed (ruined) the G-W-C policy in Trucks the answer is; “We need to have consistency across the top three divisions to simplify administering the rules.”
However, when it comes to the Past Champions rule, that very same consistency got thrown out the window like a bucket of old bath water. In 2007 each of NASCAR’s top three divisions were issued a different set of circumstances for eligibility for the PCP. The Nextel Cup series drivers have a maximum of six times to use this form of entry into a race each season. The Busch series drivers can only use one PCP in every six races entered (max of 5 for the year). The Craftsman Truck series drivers have unlimited access to this rule, they could use it 25 times if needed. Will somebody please help me understand this form of logic?
[Side note]: None have been used in Trucks for 2007 - six former champions are all competitive.
The Wood brothers were forced to sideline Ken Schrader after only eight races and hired 1988 Winston Cup champion Bill Elliott simply because he would have a GUARANTEED spot in the race as a past champion. The strategy has worked: the #21 team is now back to 35th in owner’s points and locked into the Brickyard 400. I am not sure how happy the folks from Little Debbie’s are about spending millions on marketing Schrader even though he has spent half of the season on the sidelines. My point is, maybe Schrader would have made all the same shows that Awesome Bill did, might be that he would have not. But, each team back there from 30th – 55th in the points should have an equal shot at making races and moving up or down in the standings.
To all of the teams that stayed the course with their regular driver and missed a race (losing points), I say sorry, but maybe you should learn to manipulate the system better.
It is rumored in the garage that the Wood’s are paying Elliott $300K per race. The team has finished 24th or worse in 6 of the 8 races with their highest purse payout of $109K at Daytona.
I guess that shows how important it is to be in the show and try to keep the sponsors happy.
There are only three drivers eligible for the PCP in 2007: Dale Jarrett, Bill Elliott and Terry Labonte. Rusty Wallace is excluded because he did not drive in any events in 2006. Texas Terry gets the call this week for Indianapolis and the woeful #55 team will be GUARANTEED a spot in the second highest paying event of the year. To all the teams that may run much faster than the #55 but not make the race, I say sorry, but maybe you should learn to manipulate the system better.
Please understand I am very aware of the many accomplishments of these fine drivers. As former champions they have each earned a solid place in NASCAR history. I just do not think they deserve a GUARANTEED starting spot in today’s highly competitive race events. Dale Jarrett’s title season was eight years ago, Labonte and Elliott last won a race in the fall of 2003. A lot has changed since way back then and so should this SILLY rule.
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