NASCAR/Chase question

If there were no Chase, where would Tony Stewart be ranked in the points standings? Would he have had a chance to win the Nextel Cup this Sunday?

 

I don't know for sure, but I THINK if he was outside the Top 10 nine races ago, a couple wins couldn't vault him all the way up. I think he'd be top 5, top 3, but wouldn't win it.

 

Stewart would be a respectable fourth right now under the old format, given the same results. Here's how it would break down:

Johnson 5,015, Kenseth 5,004, Harvick 4,683, Stewart 4,609, Hamlin 4,560, Earnhardt Jr. 4,530, Gordon 4,476, Burton 4,414, Martin 4,375, Busch 4,362, Kahne 4,327.

It's interesting to note that the race for the championship would be closer between Johnson and Kenseth in the old format, but nobody else would have a shot. Under the new format, five drivers are still in contention, but Johnson has a bigger lead.

 

Is there a site that lists the standings under the old format?

 

Probably, but I don't know it offhand. I worked it out myself because I have been tracking that item re Stewart for our paper. Conventional wisdom has it from his fans that "Smoke would be winnin' another Cup under the old rules." Not true, I hasten to point out. Frosts 'em every time when the facts (numbers) don't match their beliefs. Oh well.

 

try this for the old points system

Sportsline hides it on its site so I have to google it every week to find it:

http://www.sportsline.com/autoracing/story/7677492

 

www.jayski.com

They have been listing current points as well as "classic" points since the Chase started in 2004.

 

What do you all think of giving winners more points? I think there should a couple hundred more points between first and second.

 

That's a sticking point, and has been for some time.
Kasey Kahne has 6 victories -- the most -- this season, yet he's 9th place.
But, Jimmie has 23 top 10s -- the most -- and, well, he's leading. So, endurance is king.