Handle with care
Orlando Sentinel
Change ultimately will be a good thing for NASCAR, as long as it simplifies the criteria in the chase for points. You know your sport has a problem when some drivers aren't sure of where they stand until they look at the final race stats.
It shouldn't be so complicated.
Speculation swirls that NASCAR wants to use a scoring system that would award 43 points to the race winner and one point fewer for each ensuing position down to one point for the 43rd-place finisher. That's silly. The cutoff for points should be around 30th place.
NASCAR officials need to be careful about setting a moving target that changes every some-odd years. It reflects a sense of urgency for a sport looking to regain its mojo with the masses.
NASCAR fans will let them know soon enough whether change is good.
gdiaz@tribune.com
Time to reward risk
Keith Groller
Morning Call
Only Tiger and O.J. have had bigger drops in popularity than NASCAR. Anything that the stock car gang can do to get the fringe folks back is worth trying — so yes, a new points system is in order.
While any sport that begins in February and runs until Thanksgiving is too long, a simpler point system could help. A formula that puts a premium on winning and not just staying close might be able to keep some fans interested past Labor Day, especially if the NFL has a work stoppage.
While awarding 43 points to the winner, 42 for second place and so on is the simplest system, give each race winner 100 points. It's time to reward risk and create the bumper-to-bumper fireworks that sparked interest in the first place.
kgroller@tribune.com
Add fuel to spark fire
Shawn Courchesne
Hartford Courant
NASCAR might introduce a simplified scoring system in the Sprint Cup Series that would award the winner in each week's event 43 points for first, with each spot in the field earning one fewer point down to one point for finishing 43rd.
While simpler, the proposed system would be another example of NASCAR sticking to its mantra: "If it's broken, break it more."
Neither the current nor proposed system motivates drivers to battle for wins; they only reward consistency. Winning lasts one week; a championship lasts a lifetime. Settling for second is safer.
Here's the fix: Give the winner 100 points, second place 42 points and then one point fewer all the way down. It would have drivers trying to win and return the fire that has been missing.
scourchesne@tribune.com
Spoils to the victors
Jim Peltz
Los Angeles Times
As soon as NASCAR floated this trial balloon, it was attacked by many motor racing pundits who then proposed their own new points systems that would quickly give you a headache.
But they also agreed on one good idea: Award more points for winning.
Yes, consistency is important in determining a Sprint Cup champion and should be rewarded as well. But there needs to be more impetus for drivers to win rather than settling for a top-10 finish.
Merely simplifying the points system is less relevant. And if NASCAR thinks changing the points system is important, it should make one other change: Award points for qualifying. Let's give fans another reason to watch a single car make one or two laps around the track.
jpeltz@tribune.com