So apparently I am going to Bristol....and strangely I am rather apathetic about it. Even though I'm not into the Cup Series as hardcore as I used to be, its still Bristol right??
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Bristol
So apparently I am going to Bristol....and strangely I am rather apathetic about it. Even though I'm not into the Cup Series as hardcore as I used to be, its still Bristol right??
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Three Peat???
Very rarely on this blog will I write about the Sprint Cup Series. But being as how this is my first, and the racing season is pretty well wrapped up, here goes nothing. Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson on his record tying third straight NSCS Championship. I think NSCS is right…hell, I still call it Winston Cup most of the time. But something about this “third straight” championship bothers me. All of these numbers from nascar.com
2008 classic points
1) #99-Carl Edwards 5236 [9 wins]
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5220 -16 [7 wins]
2007
1) #24-Jeff Gordon 5455 [6 wins]
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5102 -353 [10 wins]
2006
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5158 [5 wins]
2) #17-Matt Kenseth 5154 -4 [4 wins]
Now I am fully aware that this is the system we have, and everyone knew the rules coming into the season, and maybe, just maybe, at 30 I am too old school for this new Sprint Cup. The tried and true points system for Winston Cup rewarded consistency all season long. This new system rewards winning, and being consistent for the last ten races. Well what makes these last ten races so important?? Ask any driver in the pits and to a man they would say they would rather win in Daytona in February as opposed to Phoenix in November. But yet, in this current system, that win in Phoenix carries more weight that the Daytona 500. Now granted this is an extreme example, but honestly this is a blog for crying out loud, hyperbole is expected.
Many of the people who read this, if there are any of you out there, may think I am not a Jimmie Johnson fan, and am using this argument to further my agenda with statistical propaganda. That cannot be farther from the truth. I am a big Jimmie Johnson fan. Granted I also support Dale Jr. and Tony Stewart, but more importantly I support the great sport of auto racing. A sport based on the simple premise of “I am better than you.” Seems fairly simple right?? With the Chase for the Championship it becomes more along the lines of “I am better than you for these last ten races.”
Now I am fully aware that you have to be eligible for the chase, and all the things that go along with it. But I also know that the Chase is an entirely created finish to garner greater tv ratings. With the amount of advertising that goes on during the race, and the emphasis put on tv ratings, at what point does Sprint Cup become a sports based drama as opposed to a sporting event? (and don’t even get me started on the COT) For the 2007 season, there would have been no drama as the points season wrapped up. All you would have for storylines would be Jeff Gordon going for his historic fifth championship. In 2008 and 2006 you have the points title going down to the final race, and in some instances the final laps. There is no need for created storylines when you have real drama like that. Again, I do not want to degrade anything Jimmie Johnson has done during his career. He is an incredibly talented driver, and as the record books read he is a three time champion. Congratulations to Jimmie and all of the Lowe’s #48 team!
2008 classic points
1) #99-Carl Edwards 5236 [9 wins]
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5220 -16 [7 wins]
2007
1) #24-Jeff Gordon 5455 [6 wins]
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5102 -353 [10 wins]
2006
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5158 [5 wins]
2) #17-Matt Kenseth 5154 -4 [4 wins]
Now I am fully aware that this is the system we have, and everyone knew the rules coming into the season, and maybe, just maybe, at 30 I am too old school for this new Sprint Cup. The tried and true points system for Winston Cup rewarded consistency all season long. This new system rewards winning, and being consistent for the last ten races. Well what makes these last ten races so important?? Ask any driver in the pits and to a man they would say they would rather win in Daytona in February as opposed to Phoenix in November. But yet, in this current system, that win in Phoenix carries more weight that the Daytona 500. Now granted this is an extreme example, but honestly this is a blog for crying out loud, hyperbole is expected.
Many of the people who read this, if there are any of you out there, may think I am not a Jimmie Johnson fan, and am using this argument to further my agenda with statistical propaganda. That cannot be farther from the truth. I am a big Jimmie Johnson fan. Granted I also support Dale Jr. and Tony Stewart, but more importantly I support the great sport of auto racing. A sport based on the simple premise of “I am better than you.” Seems fairly simple right?? With the Chase for the Championship it becomes more along the lines of “I am better than you for these last ten races.”
Now I am fully aware that you have to be eligible for the chase, and all the things that go along with it. But I also know that the Chase is an entirely created finish to garner greater tv ratings. With the amount of advertising that goes on during the race, and the emphasis put on tv ratings, at what point does Sprint Cup become a sports based drama as opposed to a sporting event? (and don’t even get me started on the COT) For the 2007 season, there would have been no drama as the points season wrapped up. All you would have for storylines would be Jeff Gordon going for his historic fifth championship. In 2008 and 2006 you have the points title going down to the final race, and in some instances the final laps. There is no need for created storylines when you have real drama like that. Again, I do not want to degrade anything Jimmie Johnson has done during his career. He is an incredibly talented driver, and as the record books read he is a three time champion. Congratulations to Jimmie and all of the Lowe’s #48 team!
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