Countdown changes? (2 Viewers)

[Cliff]

RUMOR MILL - NHRA CONSIDERING COUNTDOWN QUALIFICATION ADJUSTMENTS? | Competition Plus

www.competitionplus.com

 

[TSK]

I’ve wondered about the feasibility of, after the reset, adding “x” number of points for each race a competitor won that year prior to the reset as a bonus.
Wiping out a massive points lead just to create a false drama benefits only those who didn’t have as successful a season as the leader.
I said in another thread it is ridiculous for Steve Torrence to be going to Pomona with less than a one-round lead.
He should be a three time champ.

 

[Dave]

They all know the rules of the game before the season starts. NASCAR always put emphasis on the "win and you're in" to the next stage of "playoffs" but you can still make it via points. Tonight Matt Crafton won the truck series title and didn't win a race all season. In fact he only even led 44 laps all year long. Was in 1st place in any race for 44 laps and is the champion. The rules are the rules.

Best change to make? Get rid of it like they did the top 12 rule in qualifying and so many other pointless changes.

 

[turbo ken]

Something I think they should do is once they reset the points they should do it for every competitor in the class. The way it is now you can be number 10 at the end of Indy, then not run any of the countdown races, and you still finish 10th. Just because you make the top 10 at Indy shouldn't mean that you can't get bumped out of the top 10 afterwards!

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

the central problem seems to be the following. nhra created the countdown to add drama. so that nobody wins the championship four or five races from pomona. And on that level it has achieved its goal. the negative side of the countdown is that it doesnt reward success. example being--- when torrence lost it to brittany. So how do you address that. Well, the more you tilt the countdown in favor of success the more it starts to look like the old points system. And we start to have drivers amassing enough points before pomona to win the championship. And the drama fizzles. It seems like you cant have it both ways.

 

[Topfuel386]

They need to worry about things like price of nitro and lack of cars and not about a bad ass team making the countdown by running a limited schedule.

 

[TooTall999]

I’ve wondered about the feasibility of, after the reset, adding “x” number of points for each race a competitor won that year prior to the reset as a bonus.
Wiping out a massive points lead just to create a false drama benefits only those who didn’t have as successful a season as the leader.
I said in another thread it is ridiculous for Steve Torrence to be going to Pomona with less than a one-round lead.
He should be a three time champ.

He knows the rules and how the countdown works. He'll only be champ if he wins it tomorrow, and if he doesn't I'm sure he'll throw a tantrum and say he was robbed like the whiney brat he is!

 

[qtermile14]

I’ve wondered about the feasibility of, after the reset, adding “x” number of points for each race a competitor won that year prior to the reset as a bonus.
Wiping out a massive points lead just to create a false drama benefits only those who didn’t have as successful a season as the leader.
I said in another thread it is ridiculous for Steve Torrence to be going to Pomona with less than a one-round lead.
He should be a three time champ.

And John Force would already be a 17X champion, Mike Neff would have been a Champion, Wilkerson would have been a Champion, Tony Schumacher would only be a 5X Champion. We could go on and on with the what ifs!

 

[Pete]

I’ve wondered about the feasibility of, after the reset, adding “x” number of points for each race a competitor won that year prior to the reset as a bonus.
Wiping out a massive points lead just to create a false drama benefits only those who didn’t have as successful a season as the leader.
I said in another thread it is ridiculous for Steve Torrence to be going to Pomona with less than a one-round lead.
He should be a three time champ.

Look at Bo Butner, he and Steve O had a massive points lead that were reset...never been a fan of how it’s done, but I like the concept of the playoffs. I feel they need to make major adjustments

 

[Pete]

Just a thought, maybe they take the top 10, as they do now and after each race they drop the lowest points earner (I.e., leaving Reading, #10 is dropped) and keep dropping to Pomona where the top 4 remaining race for the title. Add a twist: if you’re still in the points chase, you win a race and you seed in that final 4 at Pomona...again, just a thought

 

[DanTheFan]

He knows the rules and how the countdown works. He'll only be champ if he wins it tomorrow, and if he doesn't I'm sure he'll throw a tantrum and say he was robbed like the whiney brat he is!

You said more directly what I said in an earlier post. Yes, Steve is a whiny brat. I’d feel a little bad for Hogan if they lost since he is obviously super talented, but I hope Karma prevails.

 

[PJ]

I'm still undecided on the countdown

I usually don't watch through the end of the season anymore. I feel like we've moved our championship to a reality TV model. I prefer to recognize greatness, not a couple of week hot streak. Pomona was the first race in a few I watched and if it wasn't for running pick the winners I don't know if I would pay that much attention after Indy.

If they insist on keeping the countdown at least knock it down to 8 entries. With so few full timers out there its silly having part timers make the cut. With 8 you can put them on one side of the ladder and have all the drama you want. We already have enough questions of diving and regardless if it's real or imagined the fact that it has become a massive cloud over our sport isn't good. For that reason, the finals would be for money only, that way a non-countdown car doesn't dive and give a free 20 points to the winner.

They did a cutdown version the first year and that was a mess. We had someone win a championship without having to beat other countdown cars. I want to say they went 1-2 against countdown cars, otherwise they beat up on non-countdown cars to capture a title.

 

[Marchboom]

During the countdown only countdown qualified cars could run each other, like a side show to the regular race where anyone could run.

Just for thought, what if a NON-countdown qualified car won all 6 races? Now who is the real champion?

IMO, the countdown sucks. Always has.

 

[SoCal Racer]

I'm still undecided on the countdown

I usually don't watch through the end of the season anymore. I feel like we've moved our championship to a reality TV model. I prefer to recognize greatness, not a couple of week hot streak. ......

I'm the same, and feel the season ends at Indy. I've noticed myself not caring what happens after that. Yeah, the countdown creates drama, but it's fake drama that in some cases creates a contrived champion.

 

[Jack]

Giving the points leader in each category a one round lead after the reset is absolutely ridiculous. Increase this to at least two or three rounds and make performing well during the first 18 races of the season actually worth somthing.

 

[dboxell]

Simple...do away with the stupid countdown.
A team can have a mediocre season and come alive and win over a team that kills it before the countdown then falls off.

 

[Pete]

During the countdown only countdown qualified cars could run each other, like a side show to the regular race where anyone could run.

Just for thought, what if a NON-countdown qualified car won all 6 races? Now who is the real champion?

IMO, the countdown sucks. Always has.

this could not happen unless you split the ladder and have 2 races for each category...

 

[Pete]

Simple...do away with the stupid countdown.
A team can have a mediocre season and come alive and win over a team that kills it before the countdown then falls off.

Agree with the thought, but the countdown is meant to be a "playoff" just like other stick and ball sports. I've never liked or agreed with it as I'm from the pre countdown era, but I think with the correct format, it can be pretty decent

 

[Marchboom]

I'm still undecided on the countdown

I usually don't watch through the end of the season anymore. I feel like we've moved our championship to a reality TV model. I prefer to recognize greatness, not a couple of week hot streak. Pomona was the first race in a few I watched and if it wasn't for running pick the winners I don't know if I would pay that much attention after Indy.

If they insist on keeping the countdown at least knock it down to 8 entries. With so few full timers out there its silly having part timers make the cut. With 8 you can put them on one side of the ladder and have all the drama you want. We already have enough questions of diving and regardless if it's real or imagined the fact that it has become a massive cloud over our sport isn't good. For that reason, the finals would be for money only, that way a non-countdown car doesn't dive and give a free 20 points to the winner.

They did a cutdown version the first year and that was a mess. We had someone win a championship without having to beat other countdown cars. I want to say they went 1-2 against countdown cars, otherwise they beat up on non-countdown cars to capture a title.

IMO, the points acquired thru the Indy race reveals the real season winner. The countdown is nothing more than a soap opera.

 

[Tom Slick]

Without a doubt the Countdown makes for an exciting last six races and for the most part and exciting World Finals at Pomona. That said, I don't like that only the Top 10 cars can run for the title. Why not reset the points for everyone and let all teams have a shot at moving up the points? The reason that I say this is because we had teams like Scot Palmer that missed the cut decide to opt out of a few Countdown events because they were eliminated from having any chance of moving up into the top ten, let alone having a chance to run for the title. At the very least, allowing ALL teams that earned points throughout the regular season to have a chance to race to the end to see how high up in the rankings they could go. Maybe the team that concluded the regular season in 12th could get hot and move into the top 10 as they raced in the final 6 count down races. I believe that this would help the current situation with part timers making the Countdown as well. Leave it up to the race teams to participate in however many races they want to and let the points fall where they may, only utilizing a points reset for all teams for the final 6 races.