NASCAR may change top-35 qualifying rules for Cup
Quote selected text Published July 7th, 2007 in NASCAR News
NASCAR is considering changing the number of teams locked into each Nextel Cup race by virtue of owner points, an official source within the sanctioning body confirmed to SPEEDTV.com Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. Currently, the top 35 teams in NASCAR Nextel Cup owner points are guaranteed starting spots at each race, regardless of where they actually qualify in the field. Teams outside the top 35 must attempt to qualify for the remaining eight spots in each Cup event.
When NASCAR first adopted the system of locking in the top 35 in owner points, it was when car counts were low at Cup races. The rationale of guaranteeing starting spots was to protect small, independent teams who showed up every week, but usually were not among the fastest in the field. With the advent of a host of new teams in 2007, including five from Toyota’s new Nextel Cup effort, fields have swelled this year, resulting in many fully sponsored teams going home on a weekly basis. That may be about to change, the NASCAR official confirmed in an exclusive interview with SPEEDTV.com.
“We’ve had ongoing discussions about changing the number of teams we lock in,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The end result could be that the number of guaranteed starters would be reduced from 35 to perhaps 30 or 25. The NASCAR official stressed that no decision had been made yet, but the matter will continue to be a front-burner topic for the sanctioning body.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO it needs to be 43 open spots based on fastest time. PERIOD. END OF ****ing STORY!!!!!!!
Yes!!! Top 43 only!!!No lock in by owner points,no past champs.If your in the top 43 fastest you race if not you go home.No matter who you are.this is the only fair way.
I would be in favor of locking in the top 25. If you’re in the top 25 you are showing some consistency on the track, and you deserve to get away with a hiccup on the track (wreck, bad set up, etc.). If you can’t maintain a spot in the top 25 points you are probably not running well anyway, so even if you happen to qualify for a race you will still probably not run well. But would it be fair for Gordon, Jr, Jimmie, or Tony to wreck and not get a chance to race knowing they will run well? It is still a fan driven sport and fans want to see the best drivers in the show. Imagine the fan who waits all year and saves up to go to that one race and unfortunately Gordon or Jr wrecks in qualifying. But you know they will probably finish in the top 10 and A.J. Allmendinger will probably finish 38th.
first of all that would make the matter alot worse bc you would have more full time teams going home. i say you keep it where it is,but you increase the size of the field to 48 or 50 make it an even # to. what they should do is make a rule where if it rains they add a couple of cars to the field. if they had a rule like this i think the turnout of last nights race could have been alot different
fastest cars race….simple.
Wow. That sounds interesting! I would be more apt to think that they should have much better racing if they left it open just like any other track. If my son wrecks and can’t fix the car in time for qualifying…well he goes home. Sad but fair! Although in my son’s racing they don’t limit the cars but they don’t have 50 or so show either.
In Nascar, I see alot of good drivers go home every week…but it would make for some awesome racing when you have someone who drives great but just doesn’t have it every week make it in the race because the big dog went home!
I say race you’re way in go fast or go home..
They need to decrease it to 25 and thats low enough. With Nascar as money hungry as they are they cant do “NO” owner points system. Track owners and sponsors arent going to be very happy if Jeff Gordon or Jimmy Johnson or Junior has a screw up or a really bad day and doesnt qualify.
Race your way in!!!! It doesn’t matter who your sponsor is or what your name is. You shouldn’t be given a break just because you’re a household name. Race in on time!! That’s the way it should be. No top 35, no top 20. Nothing. Race your way in. Everything should be on the line every week you show up.
Who cares who is happy about who doesn’t qualify? That is f**king ridiculous. Stop buying into all the money hungry business men’s every want.
cybil agree with you but idk how big that track is, almost all thease tracks are big anuff to hold 50 or so and it would make alot better racing
i hate the money deal but you got to have spons. and stuff bc if u dont you cant run ask, morgan
have heats to get into the race like they do with the 125’s or local tracks. top however many from each get in to the race, it they wreck, they ain’t in, and thats that. just 25-50 lap shootouts to get into the race, and thats it… no qualifying and no top however-many
Qualify in the top 43 or go home that way every one has a equal shot. As it is now they just do the qualifying to see who gets the best parking spot on pit road.
Oh and while we at it, no more of this oops it rained so we have to revert to points even if 3/4 of the field already ran a qualifying lap. Just start where you left off next AM. What they did to Borris was just criminal. NASCAR robed him of a possible poll and a chance to run. That was a crock… They only did that because Bill Elliot was on the bubble to go home.
Well, when I was standing there in the rain, looking at 5 cars left to qualify the first thing we said was maybe they will just run them in the morning or after the Busch race. But i agree that 43 cars need to qualify every week
I’m all in favor of the 43 fastest cars get in, but they should still keep the championship provisional for the most current champion (iff not already in the field). How come they can’t just increase the field size to 50 cars?
Chris
Jul 8th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
I’m all in favor of the 43 fastest cars get in, but they should still keep the championship provisional for the most current champion (iff not already in the field). How come they can’t just increase the field size to 50 cars?
Well first off not many tracks can handle 50 cars not enough pit stall but most could handle 47 or 48 but i agree race your way in but also increase the size of the field at tracks that can handle it
you show up, you qualify, you race———
no matter what your points standing is!!
hey i know!!!
LET’S CHANGE THE NAZI OFFICIALS IN MID SEASON!
Part of demonstrating a drivers skill is qualifying. I have no respect for those who do not have to qualify. Thsi isn’t the drivers fault…it is Nascar’s.
It’s never been the fastest 43 cars. People had provisionals to use to get into the race if you weren’t fast enough to qualify. Quit complaining. At least they are willing to lock in fewer cars.
yehh i didnt think about that aspect but u could deff fit atleast like 46