Interesting

[doozer]

...well, i'll just let you see for yourself.

per jayski calculations:

Final UNOFFICAL Classic Driver Points Standings [after Homestead race 36 of 36]:
2) #99-Carl Edwards 5226 [9 wins]
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5220 -16 [7 wins]
3) #18-Kyle Busch 4984 -252 [8 wins]
5) #16-Greg Biffle 4747 -489 [2 wins]
4) #31-Jeff Burton 4709 -527 [2 wins]
7) #29-Kevin Harvick 4691 -545
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4605 -631 [1 win]

#24-Jeff Gordon 4537 - 699
9) #20-Tony Stewart 4487 -749 [1 win]
10) #07-Clint Bowyer 4487 - 749 [1 win]
11) #11-Denny Hamlin 4439 -797 [1 win]
12) #17-Matt Kenseth 4316 -920
13) #6-David Ragan 4299 -937
14) #9-Kasey Kahne 4085 -1151 [2 wins]

funny how the driver with the most wins, Top 5s, and Top 10s is the one who also wins the championship.

oh wait.

 

[volfanbill]

i was growing out of watching NASCAR before the Chase stuff began, but it definitely hurt any chances of me coming back. I was hoping getting into these pick 'ems on here would get my interest back, but it didn't. I personally think it's sad that someone who watched as little NASCAR as i did this year could still pull off a top ten finish this year in the pick 'em.

That's not a knock on you all, it's a knock on NASCAR and how lopsided it's become to the richest teams. I don't think the ban on testing will help change that much. Give me local racing every day of the week. I'm pretty sure it was Scott Bloomquist who said any race that takes up more than one tank of fuel is a waste.

 

[rbroyles]

Now let me see if I got it right, under the old rules Jeff Gordon would have won last year, and this guy has Edwards this year. So that means Johnson's record tying three-peat really isn't an apple to apple comparison to Cale Yarborough's. Am I correct?

 

[tidwell]

Correct.

The Chase has single-handedly made Jimmie Johnson an all-time great.

 

[jhen713]

I am not a JJ fan. But in all fairness he would have lost by 16 points and he was cruising the last 25 laps or so. He probably still would have won under the old system THIS year. I've got mixed feelings about the chase. It is probably good for the sport as far as TV ratings and exposure but that dosen't mean that it is good for ALL the fans. But then again no matter what they do it would not please all of us.

 

[TennesseeFan07]

Seriously, Edwards ran about as well as anyone ever has over the past 3 months in Busch and Nextel Cup. Jimmie and Chad just don't lose, they're impossible to stop, or so it seems.

 

[615 Vol]

I am not a JJ fan. But in all fairness he would have lost by 16 points and he was cruising the last 25 laps or so. He probably still would have won under the old system THIS year. I've got mixed feelings about the chase. It is probably good for the sport as far as TV ratings and exposure but that dosen't mean that it is good for ALL the fans. But then again no matter what they do it would not please all of us.

Exactly, it's hard to compare the two point systems because Jimmie probably would have taken more risk to finish higher than 15th yesterday. They did what they had to do to win the championship. Also, had Kyle Busch not lost all his lead due to the chase, he might have won the old point system because he lost his momentum when he lost his big point lead. Jeff Gordon would have a few more championships under the old points and I believe even Sterling Marlin would have won a championship.

 

[lll Adidas]

Give credit where credit is due. Congrats to JJ. He did coast the last few laps so he could have easily stayed in position to Win under the old points system had he been scored under that system. Give credit to Knaus for making the call late in the race to come in to get the pitstop sequence off with everyone else. (which allowed him to take the lead) They are scored under a new points system and Everyone won't agree that it's fair. Just the same with the new Car that they run. The teams that adjust with the changes and stay one step ahead of the other teams are the teams that are going to Win Championships.

Carl Edwards Quote:

"At least we can lay our heads down tonight and know we won some races and just got beaten by a true champion," Edwards said.

NASCAR History, Meet Jimmie Johnson - AOL Sports

“We will definitely get them next year,” Edwards said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news...7YF?slug=ap-nascar-onracing&prov=ap&type=lgns

"I guess Jimmie has a chance to make some real history next season," said the Roush Fenway driver, who didn't win the championship but did win his series-leading ninth race. "I would be glad to be the guy who denied him that chance."

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/opinion/11/16/inside.line.dcaraviello.jjohnson.champ/index.html

 

[lll Adidas]

While We are talking about going back to the old system and the old way of doing things, let's just give the drivers that finish last the most points. Michael Waltrip would no doubt have a Championship right now.

 

[jhen713]

While We are talking about going back to the old system and the old way of doing things, let's just give the drivers that finish last the most points. Michael Waltrip would no doubt have a Championship right now.

If they had a championship for sponsor plugs and air time he deffinately would win.

 

[doozer]

Now let me see if I got it right, under the old rules Jeff Gordon would have won last year, and this guy has Edwards this year. So that means Johnson's record tying three-peat really isn't an apple to apple comparison to Cale Yarborough's. Am I correct?

broyles, i had faith in you being able to put two and two together. nice job. exactly was i was getting at.

Sterling Marlin would have won a championship.

actually, Marlin broke his back with the points title all but wrapped up, and i think Kenseth won instead. this was under the old system.

Give credit where credit is due.

he won the championship 3 times in a row under the given format. nobody will ever take that away from him. regardless, he did what he had to do. i can respect that.

when the bright lights come on, his team shows up.

 

[jhen713]

Well Tony would not have won either way. You think we could tweak the format a "little" to help him out?

 

[doozer]

huh?

Tony has a championship under both formats.

 

[rbroyles]

I think he is talking about this year. Smoke's best chance would have been to knock off his team mate in the 18.

 

[doozer]

I think he is talking about this year. Smoke's best chance would have been to knock off his team mate in the 18.

oh, ok. my misunderstanding.

 

[DownNDirty]

I think its awfully hard to compare what a driver would have done under the old system. I'm not a big JJ fan - at all - but I'll admit he does what it takes and wins within the system that they are using.

I remember back at Indy in August listening to Chad Knaus on some radio show. He said that the team experimented all year up to that point to try to get ready for the Chase. He said he had confidence in the car and Jimmie that they would be in the top 12 come Chase time and that's all they were worried about. He said the team went all out only a few times during the year - at Daytona, at Charlotte for the 600, and at Indy at that point of the year. He said the entire year so far they had been testing things out during races to get prepared for the Chase. He said we should start really coming on now that we have got the kinks worked out and danged if they didn't.

So, just by what Knaus said above - and this was in August - they used alot of races as glorified test sessions to try different things out to get ready for the Chase. If there were no Chase then I would imagine they wouldn't have been testing things out in the other races. That makes it hard to say what they "would have done" in the old format.

Not trying to ruffle any feathers because I am indifferent when it comes to Johnson. He's a talented driver that has a talented crew chief and they both know how to make those last 10 races really count.

 

[rbroyles]

August - they used alot of races as glorified test sessions to try different things out to get ready for the Chase. If there were no Chase then I would imagine they wouldn't have been testing things out in the other races. That makes it hard to say what they "would have done" in the old format.

Not trying to ruffle any feathers because I am indifferent when it comes to Johnson. He's a talented driver that has a talented crew chief and they both know how to make those last 10 races really count.

You have illuminated exactly why the 48 team has won three in a row. They utilize a strategy that best fits the scenario the Chase presents. I don't think other teams have gotten it yet. Their strategy concentrates on making it into the Chase, but they don't adjust to fit the demands of the Chase. By this I mean they points race, trying to make sure they finish instead of trying to win. This may get you in the Chase, albeit in a lower level, but it is not what will win the Chase. As demonstrated by the 48 team, you have to finish and win.

 

[warhammer]

actually, Marlin broke his back with the points title all but wrapped up, and i think Kenseth won instead. this was under the old system.

It was Stewart, but as I recall he had lost the lead before getting hurt. He may have won anyway as Jamie McMurray won the race that made him an instant success in Marlin's car in his second start.

 

[volfanatic74]

I just don't really care about NASCAR anymore. It pains me to say this but...........if NASCAR folded tomorrow, I simply would not care. I just don't care anymore.