Then I'll do it, IT IS STUPID!

I know it confuses the heck outta me!

Don't get any ideas IHRA..........please!

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The top eight will remain in the top eight positions after the points are adjusted - not enough races left for 9-whatever to get into the top eight after they add points to the top eight. So 9 on down are racing for 9 & 10 at the awards banquet. Similarly, those in 5-8 at the second cut will be racing for positions 5-8 in the final two events. Those in 1-4 after the second cut will race for 1-4 at the banquet.

Of course, so many have already locked in spots ion the top eight that the drama is pretty much gone and the next two races really don't mean much, and I suspect spots in the final four will also be locked in a couple races into the second phase, again making the next couple races relatively unimportant. Instead of making the last couple races unimportant in the championship, they have succeeded in spreading the unimportance to races earlier in the season.

Like I said, enjoy each race for it's own little successes and failures because the points picture won't mean much until the final two races. Then it's a coin toss, one lucky or unlucky race will determine the championship.

Of course, it would be hilarious if the final four all lose the handle in the last two races and all go out in the first round! Could happen -except for the Army car, the Castrol car, and the Summit car, it happened at Sonoma and Seattle!
Wait - I think I know who the winners will be....

Force made the comment that he was OK w/ the top 8, but did not like the cut to 4. Would be better to let the top 8 (or 10?) race the rest of the season (like NASCAR) w/o a cut?

I plan on doing it.

That would have my vote (if I got to vote)... Force probably wouldn't like his four cars to make the cut and then everyone knowing one of his cars would win... That would defeat the purpose of the countdown/championship...

CJ Curtsinger

Admirable restraint, PJ! You must have felt like Vincent Price in "The Tingler": mustn't scream, mustn't scream, then! Don't stress yourself out like that.

I have a dumb question but after the cuts will we still see a 16 car field ? ALso if your not in the chase why would you waste the funds for bragging rights? why not go to IHRA and get some good ol racing !

My thoughts exactly.. see my post in the other thread "Countdown"

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"When I die, I want to die like my grandfather, who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming in panic like the passengers in his car."

Yes we will still have a 16 car field... Its the teams choice to continue or not, but sponsors pay for you to put their company in front of a crowd and on TV... Plus, you can then test without worrying about not winning...

CJ Curtsinger

See, this is where I don't get why people say this. And perhaps it's 100% flawed logic on my part. (Very well could be.)

But take for instance 2005 in the TF World Championship when the Sarge had the championship clinched by Las Vegas. He finished 415 points ahead of everyone else. What incentive once he clinched did everyone have to continue coming to the races? They had no shot at the championship. Heck, he could have not showed up or raced and still won by a landslide.

How about the 2004 Pro Stock title? Didn't GA have it wrapped up by Dallas? He finished 742 points ahead of the competition come Pomona. What incentive did people have to go to the last three races? Again, no shot at the championship. Not just second place, but third through the back.

Now, I don't like the countdown, but it's what they've decided, and I'm not crapping on the sport I love just because they made a bad choice in my eyes. Heck, I'll admit, it's given my favorite drivers John Force, and CSK team a shot at winning.

But the 9th place person in Indy, 2005 was an average of 900 points back from #1. No mathematical shot. Period. They could have won every race and still finished out of the top 5.

Tell me how this points system is different from the old one in that people way back won't show up because they have no shot at winning...heck, many people in the top 5 don't even have a shot at winning with the old points system, and yet they show up.

I am just failing to see this logic here.

Again, I'm not a fan of the countdown. But....

I love NHRA=I hate the countdown=I still love the NHRA

Good points Jeremy. Not to mention the fact that most if not all of these guys just flat out love to race. Look at how many of them race on their "off" weekends............

Yes...not only that.....but....

It's no different I guess than a sportsman racer being "claimed out" of races...but still going to more events than what we can get points for. We don't stop just because we can't gain any more points.

We still go to more races for several reasons...

One....we can NEVER race enough! (winter comes quicker every year...I swear)
Two....we do it for our sponsors!
...and maybe even more importantly.....Three...we might not be able to get any more points....but we can sure try to keep others from getting any more!

Not exactly the same in this instance....but.......



EDIT.....oh yeah...how could I forget....Four......there's $$ to be won!!

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Jeremy, in answer to one of your questions why do people show up in the past even though it was already won?? Simple they had the opportunity to advance from whatever their position to second place. Now no matter what you do if you are not in the top 8 the best you can do is 9th. Following even further is after the cut to the final 4 no matter what you do it is not possible to advance past 5th place even though you could have more points total that anyone higher up.

All this is caused by the fact that we have a ******* playoff, countdown, system. In all the other sports, except NASCAR, they have a separate series for the playoff which makes a lot of sense. This competing within the chase is what causes problems in NASCAR land and could mind you I said could cause problems here.
jim

Jim,

I understand where you're coming from -- but let's focus on the 2004 world championships. Here are the Pro Stock points:

01 Greg Anderson 2402 * Pontiac
02 Jason Line 1660 -742 Pontiac
03 Dave Connolly 1526 -876 Chevrolet
04 Larry Morgan 1256 -1146 Dodge
05 Kurt Johnson 1245 -1157 Chevrolet
06 Jeg Coughlin 1109 -1293 Dodge
07 Bruce Allen 1088 -1314 Pontiac
08 Steve Johns 1042 -1360 Chevrolet
09 Kenny Koretsky 961 -1441 Dodge

Kenny Koretsky had no chance to finish anything higher than fifth. Mathematically speaking. That is winning the race everytime, and resetting national records at every event. He couldn't have made second, third, or fourth. With the Pontiac power that year, he had no chance to really make it anything higher than 7th. Yet, he still went to the races.

It's just bogus to me the people that are saying folks won't show up at the races. Let's take Tony Bartone who has mathematically no shot at the countdown. Why would he go to the races? My question is, why wouldn't he? He'd have no shot at it whatsoever...countdown or not. Heck, he probably can't even get in the top 10, period.

Let's take this years points as they are (with no countdown). Larry Morgan has no shot at winning Pro Stock. Zero. He could win every race for the rest of the year, reset the national record at http://www.nitromater.com/newreply.p...uote=1&p=82517
www.nitromater.com - Reply to Topicevery event, and Greg (and everyone else ahead of him) would have to not qualify and basically be a no show for the race to lose. Larry Morgan has no shot at winning the championship under the old points system. So, he could move up a few spots. But he will not make up 400 points in a few races. It just won't happen.

But to say that people will not show up is questionable to me. Racers will show up. Those that have a shot and those that don't.

The only difference between this years countdown and last years points system is that more people have a shot at winning. Call it unethical, ignorant, whatever you want. That's the bottom line.

It's easier for a 20th place contender to win the championship (cough, Force, cough) this year than it was under the old system when he'd have no chance but to maybe make 5th or 6th in the points.

Just my (long) 2 cents.