Countdown Question

#31 07-31-2007, 03:50 PM

I think the real answer lies in the fact that these people are racers. They are no different that your Sat night bracket racer. They all love to race just do it at a higher level.

Funny thing that Tony Stewart said after the Indy 400 that he won. They asked him about the crowds and he said that he didn't care if there were 4 or 400,000 people, he came to race. And that applies to all the others so that is why they will show up.

short story.
jim

#32 07-31-2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Sullivan

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.
..

I agree. The supposed added drama is wiped away by teams cliniching early

The real Drama of seeing if Force can make a Schumacher like charge to the top is gone knowing that he's going to be given points to help him catch up in a few races.

I hate that the sport is taking honest compitition and throwing it out the window and replacing it with pre-packaged reality tv type planned "drama and excitement"

#33 07-31-2007, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Farmer

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

its quite simple. Its not about giving everyone a shot at the title. This isn't my 5 yr old kids soccer team where we don't keep score and everybody just has fun.

This is big time sports, if you get your arse handed to you all season then you simply don't deserve to be the Champ. Regroup and try again next year. If a team can't handle not winning and not having a chance at the title still, even though they haven't done anything then maybe they need to try a different hobby

Two of my favorite drivers are sitting outside the 8 right now. I want them to win but unless the truely have the most points at the end of the season then they don't desrve to win it.

I do agree in part that we shouldn't see any drop in attendence. If more teams had tried doing some IHRA events earlier in the year then they could jump over once they missed the cut to 8th and try for the title there if they wanted. Plus most sponsorship deals are based on them attending nhra events.

#34 07-31-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJ Sapienza

its quite simple. Its not about giving everyone a shot at the title. This isn't my 5 yr old kids soccer team where we don't keep score and everybody just has fun.

This is big time sports, if you get your arse handed to you all season then you simply don't deserve to be the Champ. Regroup and try again next year. If a team can't handle not winning and not having a chance at the title still, even though they haven't done anything then maybe they need to try a different hobby

Two of my favorite drivers are sitting outside the 8 right now. I want them to win but unless the truely have the most points at the end of the season then they don't desrve to win it.

I do agree in part that we shouldn't see any drop in attendence. If more teams had tried doing some IHRA events earlier in the year then they could jump over once they missed the cut to 8th and try for the title there if they wanted. Plus most sponsorship deals are based on them attending nhra events.

PJ,

God knows that I don't want to argue with you about the countdown, but I believe this decision boils down to one thing for the NHRA: to make the races closer. You can look at how close the FC and TF races were last year...and how close FC was the year before that, going into the last event...but statistically speaking from past points races, that's not the case.

I understand the NHRA's reason for doing it...they want things to be closer, and for more people to follow our sport.

The only thing the countdown does for you PJ is redefine the word "champ" in your mind. Right or wrong, that's ALL it is.

#35 07-31-2007, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Farmer

PJ,

God knows that I don't want to argue with you about the countdown, but I believe this decision boils down to one thing for the NHRA: to make the races closer. You can look at how close the FC and TF races were last year...and how close FC was the year before that, going into the last event...but statistically speaking from past points races, that's not the case.

I understand the NHRA's reason for doing it...they want things to be closer, and for more people to follow our sport.

The only thing the countdown does for you PJ is redefine the word "champ" in your mind. Right or wrong, that's ALL it is.

it would be more excting for fans if we went the monster truck route and just award the winner by whomever gets the loudest cheer too.

It does more then redefine champ, it redefines racing. Nascar drivers not in their chase have admitted to not racing as hard for fear of wrecking someone who is in the chase, we've already have complaints of diving over the years in drag racing. What can we expect to see now, with things closer teams (and sponsors) are forced to make the questionable calls now.

Growing up playing sports and even now in the sports I play or when I go race at the track. Yes I'm there to have fun and for the love of the sport but I also want to win. Last night in my softball league we gave up a huge lead early on. It made our comeback all the sweeter knowing that it was earned and that we didn't get 10 runs handed to us int he 5th inning to just make it closer.

You race to win, you race to be the best. That used to mean being the champ but now it no longer does. The champ in nhra only means whoever got lucky for a few races.

I guess I'm just not PC. Winning a championship on any level is something that you should have to earn. If you're not good enough this year fine, suck it up and try again next year. Don't expect some welfare points system genie to gift you more points.

#36 07-31-2007, 05:03 PM

In economics, there is a principle called "Gresham's Law." Simply stated, "bad money drives out good." I stumbled across an interesting article that extends Gresham's Law to other fields of human endeavor - and it's probably applicable here:

Japan is cursed by Gresham's Law: Let Darwin's Law rule RIETI

For those who want to skip reading the article, its premise is this: If you reward the mediocre as well as you reward the outstanding, what you end up with is mediocrity.

Just something to think about while we have a break in the NHRA action. For those with short attention spans, things should be really busy this coming weekend at Martin, Michigan. Great track, great field expected, and Saturday night fireworks!!

#37 07-31-2007, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Gross

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 !

Why would you do that? Would you be able to win the IHRA Championship? Do you think that the level of competition is going to fall off? If what you want is "Good ol racing" aren't you going to go where the biggest names in the sport are?

Do you think that the racers go to each race thinking about the Championship? The ones I know go to the races thinking about one thing, getting that Gold Man. After the race they count the points, but nobody on Sunday ever decided to take the rest of the day off because their points rival lost, so now they had nothing left to race for.

Alan

#38 07-31-2007, 05:28 PM

PJ, remember your blood pressure, stay calm we don't want you blowing a gasket today. You also don't want to get YELLED at like a previous thread.

Maybe you could go by Ray's for some therapeutic sanding.

#39 07-31-2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJ Sapienza

it would be more excting for fans if we went the monster truck route and just award the winner by whomever gets the loudest cheer too.

It does more then redefine champ, it redefines racing. Nascar drivers not in their chase have admitted to not racing as hard for fear of wrecking someone who is in the chase, we've already have complaints of diving over the years in drag racing. What can we expect to see now, with things closer teams (and sponsors) are forced to make the questionable calls now.

Growing up playing sports and even now in the sports I play or when I go race at the track. Yes I'm there to have fun and for the love of the sport but I also want to win. Last night in my softball league we gave up a huge lead early on. It made our comeback all the sweeter knowing that it was earned and that we didn't get 10 runs handed to us int he 5th inning to just make it closer.

You race to win, you race to be the best. That used to mean being the champ but now it no longer does. The champ in nhra only means whoever got lucky for a few races.

I guess I'm just not PC. Winning a championship on any level is something that you should have to earn. If you're not good enough this year fine, suck it up and try again next year. Don't expect some welfare points system genie to gift you more points.

Dude, calm down bro

None of that was ever meant to get you that worked up...remember, I signed your petition

#40 07-31-2007, 07:39 PM

I love y'all.....but these threads are starting to read like Charlie Brown's teacher...

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

That's all I see in any of these Countdown threads. Oh, I saw 'Capps' in one of them.

#41 07-31-2007, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelly Holmes

I love y'all.....but these threads are starting to read like Charlie Brown's teacher...

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

That's all I see in any of these Countdown threads. Oh, I saw 'Capps' in one of them.

Funny, that's exactly what I was thinking 2 pages ago.

It's getting old, let's just see how this goes this year, then we can
praise or damn the "countdown-chase"

#42 08-01-2007, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelly Holmes

I love y'all.....but these threads are starting to read like Charlie Brown's teacher...

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

"mwa-mwa-mwa"

That's all I see in any of these Countdown threads. Oh, I saw 'Capps' in one of them.

YES you saw Capps in one of them.. Thanks for noticing. I'm not a Capps fan persay.. BUT I'd hate for him to lose the championship thanks to this countdown drama stuff. He's ahead in the points and he should be able to keep his lead the way it used to be...

#43 08-01-2007, 12:54 AM

I just want the Revolution car back! Changing cars on a 'high' has proven to be the team's nemesis.....forget everyone else on the track! <sigh> OK....I'm better now.

#44 08-01-2007, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Farmer

Dude, calm down bro

None of that was ever meant to get you that worked up...remember, I signed your petition

wait a minute that was my calm response

#45 08-01-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Shryne

PJ, remember your blood pressure, stay calm we don't want you blowing a gasket today. You also don't want to get YELLED at like a previous thread.

Maybe you could go by Ray's for some therapeutic sanding.

I don't know Ray's "therapeutic sanding" sounds like some code word for something out of deliverance.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search