Most people had assumed that if NASCAR would make a points change that they would make the difference in points received larger between the first ten positions. Instead NASCAR added 5 points to the winner so that it is no longer possible for the first and second place drivers to earn the same number of points but made no other change to the structure.
Another popular change would have been for NASCAR to make everyone below 25th place earn the same number of points. This would eliminate having drivers come back out after a wreck or mechanical problems just to ride around and try to earn a few extra points. NASCAR instead raised the minimum speed at every track to make it harder for teams to come back out with a damaged car.
So of the two changes NASCAR fans expected we didn't get either one. Instead we got a new playoff format that I don't remember anybody asking for.
What does it all mean?
Clearly this signals a new era of NASCAR. Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt are safe as there is now no way to compare the NEXTEL Cup championships of the future to the Winston Cup champions of the past. No one will ever be able to win seven again like they did.
Like many fans I was not happy when I heard the official announcement last week. But if you can get past your anger you do have to admit that the points chase will be exciting.
So will this change kill NASCAR as we all know it? Yes. This is clearly a hard stop on the Winston era. But is the unknown NEXTEL era going to be better, worse or more of the same? This is such a bold departure from anything that we've known before there is truly no way to know until we can look back over five years of this new format to see how it has played out.
If you like the playoff, congratulations. If you hate the playoff format you should really give it a chance. Your only other choice is to go watch baseball.
