I am confused about Pro Stock (1 Viewer)

[Moose]

Let me get this right a team decides not to race for 5 races. Then is able to start back up and then in a few weeks is able to get into the top 10 so that they get into the playoffs. What is up with that. 16 races thus far and they have missed 5 or 1/3 of the events. I think there is something wrong with the points system. Or maybe I am confused as always. Lets see the Yankees are going to miss 1/3 of all the MLB games and still be in the playoffs...sure that is going to happen. Then the Giants are only going to play 11 out of 16 games and they are going to the playoffs yeah right once again...I dont think so. This is ridiculous make no mistake about it and I call for a recall... I like that terminology!! Maybe they can make it so you never have to race just show up one day and you are in the playoffs!!!! This point system sucks period...

 

[PJ]

Amen

I am a huge Connolly fan but it will be wrong if he wins the championship, although I still hope he does as it will even further show why the countdown is bad.

 

[TooTall999]

Let me get this right a team decides not to race for 5 races. Then is able to start back up and then in a few weeks is able to get into the top 10 so that they get into the playoffs. What is up with that. 16 races thus far and they have missed 5 or 1/3 of the events. I think there is something wrong with the points system. Or maybe I am confused as always. Lets see the Yankees are going to miss 1/3 of all the MLB games and still be in the playoffs...sure that is going to happen. Then the Giants are only going to play 11 out of 16 games and they are going to the playoffs yeah right once again...I dont think so. This is ridiculous make no mistake about it and I call for a recall... I like that terminology!! Maybe they can make it so you never have to race just show up one day and you are in the playoffs!!!! This point system sucks period...

They didn't exactly "decide" not to race,they were without a sponsor.The fact that they could make the clowndown to one is more of a testament to the team and driver's abilities.Trust me,I'm no supporter of the clowndown to one...but you have to give credit where it is due.

 

[Wes]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a fan of today's version of NHRA Pro Stock. Boring. Put those cars on 10-wides and make them run the wheelie bars at 10 inches high...then you'd have a show worth watching!

That being said, there is not one thing wrong with Dave's points position and his place in the Countdown. Pro Stock has become a 6-8 car show...KB Racing, Cagnazzi Racing, and Allen Johnson Racing make up for 5 or 6 powerhouse cars then you can sprinkle in Mike Edwards, Kurt Johnson, V. Gaines, and Larry Morgan as occasional players. While there may be extreme tightness in qualifying those numbers don't translate to a wide-open ladder on eliminations day. Most of the time it is the same 6-8 cars in round two and beyond. What happens in this situation is a huge gap between the top half of the points standings and everyone else...which opens the door for DC in 2008. The Charter Team hit the ground running when they finally made their debut and have won as many rounds as points leader Greg Anderson since that day. He leap-frogged all the first-round regulars to secure his spot in the Countdown fair and square.

If the Charter car continued on this pace in the "old" points program they'd be a contender for the crown even without the points reset...they've been that strong since they made their return.

 

[jackass]

I actualy would like to see Dave win it this year........but i bet the head office hopes he doesn't.... and neither will a few of the PS teams that made all the races....how do you explain that to your sponsors?


Billy

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Kevin you are not confused, It's the clowndown system. Yer right there's something wrong when a team can miss 1/3 of the races and still be SEASON CHAMPION.

Nothing against Dave, in fact I'm all for him taking it, cause it will show nhra (I hope) how wrong the CD system is.

Like i've said before, it's no longer HOW WELL, you run all season.
It's WHEN you run well.

 

[PJ]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a fan of today's version of NHRA Pro Stock. Boring. Put those cars on 10-wides and make them run the wheelie bars at 10 inches high...then you'd have a show worth watching!

That being said, there is not one thing wrong with Dave's points position and his place in the Countdown. Pro Stock has become a 6-8 car show...KB Racing, Cagnazzi Racing, and Allen Johnson Racing make up for 5 or 6 powerhouse cars then you can sprinkle in Mike Edwards, Kurt Johnson, V. Gaines, and Larry Morgan as occasional players. While there may be extreme tightness in qualifying those numbers don't translate to a wide-open ladder on eliminations day. Most of the time it is the same 6-8 cars in round two and beyond. What happens in this situation is a huge gap between the top half of the points standings and everyone else...which opens the door for DC in 2008. The Charter Team hit the ground running when they finally made their debut and have won as many rounds as points leader Greg Anderson since that day. He leap-frogged all the first-round regulars to secure his spot in the Countdown fair and square.

If the Charter car continued on this pace in the "old" points program they'd be a contender for the crown even without the points reset...they've been that strong since they made their return.

and without the countdown their climb would be even more impressive. I don't mean to take anything away from it either up through Indy wherever he ends up it has been one helluva great run and something the team should be proud of and applauded for. Sadly once the countdown starts the run means nothing.
Since their start they weren't aiming for #1, they didn't have to. They only needed to get to 10. They knew they'd be given points to catch up after Indy.

Dave has averaged 72 points since his return Greg has averaged 71 all season

Since Dave's return he has earned 19 more points than Greg.

 

[none]

Amen

I am a huge Connolly fan but it will be wrong if he wins the championship, although I still hope he does as it will even further show why the countdown is bad.

I don't know what would be a bigger farce if DC wins pro stock or if anybody other than Schumacher wins Top Fuel.

 

[PJ]

I don't know what would be a bigger farce if DC wins pro stock or if anybody other than Schumacher wins Top Fuel.

true although after last season watching him lose more than half his races in the first round yet still take home the title or another champ who only had to beat 1 other playoff team over the last 6 races. I still don't get how anyone can like this.

At least if they had the playoff teams race each other then it would be bearable and actually exciting. Especally this year with having so many short fields in TF, there will likely be a couple more. Odds are Tony will get the bye and the free 20 points. At least in football when the top seed in the playoff gets the bye they don't get to start the next game with 7 an extra touchdown on the scoreboard. I wonder if other clowndown teams will chip in to get a 16th car to race just in hopes of an upset or to place themselves at 16 to try and stop them?

 

[JL]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a fan of today's version of NHRA Pro Stock. Boring. Put those cars on 10-wides and make them run the wheelie bars at 10 inches high...then you'd have a show worth watching!

Can I get a HE11 Yeah... That would be the coolest ever... They may be underpowered a bit for some of the 10 wide guys. I would like to see that class be contested at national events. It would really get a lot of fan interest. I am of course speaking of the current 10 wide stuff, though PS on 10" would be cool.

 

[Bob K.]

I don't like the stupid clowndown either, but DC got there by ROUND WINS

 

[Bob K.]

It is all about round wins, I don't like the count down either although I must
say it is better than last year. If David Connally had started the season earlier he might be..... who knows surely in contention? BK

 

[FABMAN]

Let me get this right a team decides not to race for 5 races. Then is able to start back up and then in a few weeks is able to get into the top 10 so that they get into the playoffs. What is up with that. 16 races thus far and they have missed 5 or 1/3 of the events. I think there is something wrong with the points system. Or maybe I am confused as always. Lets see the Yankees are going to miss 1/3 of all the MLB games and still be in the playoffs...sure that is going to happen. Then the Giants are only going to play 11 out of 16 games and they are going to the playoffs yeah right once again...I dont think so. This is ridiculous make no mistake about it and I call for a recall... I like that terminology!! Maybe they can make it so you never have to race just show up one day and you are in the playoffs!!!! This point system sucks period...

There's a lot that needs to be done with this so-called playoff like bonus points for races won during season and so on, but David C. hasn't won the championship yet but he made it to the top ten by racing hard. Nobody gave him the races and rounds won, he earn them thats why he there. Nothing wrong with that!

 

[Sophia]

I personally think the countdown makes it more entertaining in the middle of the season. As for Dave missing races and making the top 10....everyone else had the exact same opportunity to perform to get into the 10.

They earned it....period.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Yer right. So far everyone has earned every round. BUTafter Indy everyone EXCEPT first place, will be given round wins that they didn't earn. Thats the problem. imo

 

[Dave]

I would be willing to bet a few bucks that if Davey does win the championship, they will sh*t can the Countdown. What this would do is show everybody that you do not have to go to all of the races and still have a shot at the title. You think the fields are short now, just wait. There'd probably be five cars at the Winternationals in each pro class. Oh how I hope Davey wins it. The possibillities are endless.

Dave

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

I would be willing to bet a few bucks that if Davey does win the championship, they will sh*t can the Countdown. What this would do is show everybody that you do not have to go to all of the races and still have a shot at the title. You think the fields are short now, just wait. There'd probably be five cars at the Winternationals in each pro class. Oh how I hope Davey wins it. The possibillities are endless.

Dave

Dave, put yer $$ away, nhra is known to have a deaf ear. I agree GO CONNOLLY GO

 

[d'kid]

Last race I watched was Sonoma... had the zoo on, didn't really watch, just a few pairs... wish someone would realize it's TV, not an overly busy web site... I want to see the cars, not 20 drop down pages... and the mute button works.

okay, yeah, I'd like to see DC win the whole thing, and I hope shoe has it wrapped up by Richmond. But, like I said in chat last night, guess I'm not a typical fan or the target customer... I'd like to see Tim win it all in flopper, if not then Robert or Teach.

d'kid

 

[PJ]

Its true Dave has earned every win thus far and deserves a huge round of applause for what he and his team have accomplished. But once the countdown starts it means nothing because they, along with everyone but first place is given points to catch up.

Its a shame, if Dave had been able to run the entire season, based on ppr average so far, he'd be in a tight battle for the lead.

They've already blown my countdown meter out of the water the last 2 races and I've turned it off and walked away. Last year I didn't even finish the season.


I wonder how many short fields there will be in TF next year? When 10 out of the 13 full time touring pros make the "playoffs" and with budgets being tight skipping a race may not be a bad idea.

 

[JFrechJr]

I am not a huge fan of the countdown like everyone else but it does seem to have its upside to it atleast for this season and if the economy keeps going down hill; it might help in the future.

In reguards pretty much only to TF, i think the countdown will help keep car counts up to a certain degree. With operating costs going through the roof and not being able to test because of nitro, I think there would be more cars dropping out for the season if it wasnt for the countdown giving them an (unfair) advantage to make it somewhere. Currently #7-#10 are 750 and more points behind Shumacher with the worst being almost 920 points!

If the "old" system was still being used I wouldnt be at all surprised if the TF field dwindled down to about 5-6 cars for the rest of '08. I know there have been huge points spreads in the past and not as many people have went away but in the past the operating costs were no where near as high and there wasnt a nitro monopoly.

I still dont like the countdown but i think, for now, it is keeping cars on the track and asses in the seats.

my .02