NA$CAR's new schedule

[dawg]

Just read Kurt Smith's column. It fits closely with an idea I've been flogging on, & off, for years.(just ask Matt)

This would IMHO, solve several problems facing the series.

Do away with the Nationwide series. Have only the cup series. With the imminent change to the COC, in the Nationwide series. This would be the logical time to make this move.
At Daytona, however many cars showed up(I think they could pull 70-75 cars) Would qualify in the normal manner. With one exception. ONLY the defending Champion would get a provisional , if needed.
 The cars that didn't make the race would race on Sat. like a B feature. The winner of the B would transfer to the 500 to fill the 43rd spot.
 For the remainder of the season the top cars would be locked into the main race by virtue of their points. Teams further down would move back, & forth, between the A, & B feature depending on points. With the B winner always transferring.
 If the B was at a different location, it could be held in conjunction with the trucks, & be run on Fri. night. Thus allowing them time to get to the main race.
 I know a lot of details would have to be worked out, but it also offers a lot of advantages.
 Some teams, because of $$, & other factors. Would always be B cars, some would be back, & forth. While they work to improve. But ALL, would get to race. All sponsors would be exposed No more G, or GH. With the expense of bring an entire team to a location, only to load up, & go home.
Developing drivers would get a better chance to show what they could do.
With this setup teams like the 4, Morgan Mc Clure, &  49, BAM probably would still be in the sport.
 One downside, is that W/O the big names to sell tickets. Some kind of revenue sharing might be necessary.
 As I said a LOT of details to work out, but a lot of positives if it's done correctly.

[Chris]

Funny...
HE MUST read the FS board?? 
MANY of the same things I suggested TWO YEARS ago..

[FS Kurt]

Dawg--

Your idea is very different from mine, but the central thrust is the same. The sport is expanding too much for a 43-car field and 36-race season. Your suggestion addresses that.

Chris, I don't know what to tell you. Two years ago I hadn't even heard of the Frontstretch, and to be honest, I don't spend a lot of time on forums. I wrote this same column a year ago for That's Racin's blog section, and I was accused of a lot of things, but plagiarism wasn't one of them. Still, kudos to you for having good ideas! 

[Chris]

OH.. I wasn'y trying to say anything like that...
It was just something I had posted (I believe over on the old board)... then the conversation was brought up and I posted it again over here on the new board.

It's not exactly the same,.. but has a lot of similiarities
This is just a brief review

In General I was saying they should split the CUP guys in two groups.  DO away with the NNS series, and intergrate those guys into the CUP series also.  Split the CUP guys up by the finish the previous season (odd / even in points)
Use all the tracks the NNS series used and add them to the CUP schedule, and add back in Rockingham and NC Motor Speedway.

I also suggested they run a Saturday night race and a Sunday afternoon race. 
Run each group 20 races.  The top 20 in points start back at zero points... even one else is done for the season. (althought I've never been a big fan of throwing out ALL the points and having everyone start back even.... I'd be more in favor of the points leaders from each series having the lead, the next guys behind being 5 points back,.. the next guys back being 5 further points behind and so on with 5 point gaps threw the rest of the field.  SO the 20th place guy starts off 100 points behind the series leaders.
(YOu could also do this with 10 point gaps so the 20th place guys had a 200 points deficet)
Then you could add in 10 points for each race won like they do now...
SO this give us 40 cars - teams to run in the chase.

Then you start the chase... and it unfolds like it does now.  EVERYONE is eligible to win the chase of the 40 cars.  (20 from each each division)  If you can make up your deficit you deserve to win it.
Run the chase 10 races just like they do now.

Like was said in the other guys article.  Each division (group of teams)  actually runs 6 less weekends.  And if you don't make the chase you run 16 less weekends.  That also leaves time for rain-out dates,.. weekends off, and even some times to run one race a weekend if NASCAR wanted to.  (Say NASCAY way want to alternate some time and have ONLY a Saturday nite race,.. and the following weekend have ONLY a Sunday race.  Once reason to just keeps fans watching "every" weekends,.. and another is to give teams a break when they have to make a trip across country.  If they have to go to California,.. they could work the schedule and be off the next weekend.

Thats pretty much what I suggested a couple years ago... Like I said pretty much in large part the same thing... and I think the long run would be better all the way around.  Help the NNS series team... Have it so ALL the CUP teams got to race every week... the sponsors would all get air time for the money invested... and we'd get to see more drivers and more action.  AT the end of the season a BETTER more exciting chase (probably)