Updated: This post was originally the live blog from the "State of the Sport" adddress delivered by Brian France Wednesday night. In order to let readers who did not watch this presentation understand what happened, I am leaving this original post up so you can review the comments. Just click on the comments button below.
In essence, France presented a rambling non-scripted explanation of the new points system. He reviewed some other changes and then took questions from the media. Unfortunately, the NASCAR.com feed failed in the middle of his remarks and on location there were also audio and video failures. It looked like only one camera was working in the venue.
SPEED TV actually left the live press conference as media members asked key questions so Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond could give opinions on Race Hub. Ironically, Waltrip was very interested in what was being asked by the reporters. He must have been watching online. Despite everything going on, Race Hub closed the show at 8PM.
ESPN gave France some live coverage on SportsCenter and then moved on after several minutes as France continued his obtuse style of speaking. Several drivers called in to offer initial reaction to the changes, including a very informative Jeff Burton.
Please feel free to add your comments on the day after the big press conference.
Here we go with the first live blog of the season. NASCAR.com begins streaming from the NASCAR Hall of Fame at 6:30PM and will carry the entire live press conference. SPEED's "Race Hub" will join live at 7PM and carry Brian France's remarks.
After France is done, it will be Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond with host Steve Byrnes in the SPEED studios to discuss this topic. Waltrip and Byrnes, as well as the Race Hub program are very active on Twitter. Hopefully, fan comments will be included.
No one really knows what France has in mind tonight. Points were not a hot topic after last season, but that issue has risen to the top of the board as far as the media is concerned. NASCAR's top executives also said last week that France was still in the process of determining how the Sprint Cup Series would be structured this season.
This should be an interesting night. We welcome your comments before, during and after France's remarks. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Just click the comments button below to post and use the refresh function to see new comments being posted. Thank you for stopping by The Daly Planet.
183 comments:
Hi guys, thanks for stopping by. This should be interesting!
It should be interesting if it ever gets started!
Thank for having us. Looking forward to the 2011 Nascar Season. Good or bad!
I'm on NASCAR.COM and see no evidence that they are streaming this. not surprisingly, there also appears to be no way to contact them to express my dissatidsfaction. Are they aware that the internet exists?
Don, check the next story down on my blog for the link.
I don't have anything yet.
Chadder neither do we? Where's Waldo, I mean where's Brian?
Added the live streaming link on the post. Thanks.
Got it, thanks.
Like I said, are they aware that the internet exists? Should it be necessary to go to a critic's website to get a link to a self-aggrandizing press conference?
Maybe they're waiting until SPEED picks up the live coverage.
Let's get this show on the road!
I have the link but still have nothing but the BF face it's not streaming
Told things are running a little late.....DUH!
Heard that traffic is a little rough in Charlotte right now, which is holding up media from arriving at the HOF. That's the reason for the delay I guess.
Lucky us we get to see BF's smiling mug while we cool our heels!
If Brian's waiting for the bar to close then we're going to be here a while.
I'm pouring a large glass of Kool-Aid right now.
Refresh your browser. NASCAR just went live!
Probably just double checking that they have all new changes for 2011 just perfect.
Paul is the guy who runs all the tv stuff.
What's with the sounds
Lee Spencer from FOX Sports says Tony Stewart just showed up with Brian France!
Wrong audio was being streamed.
Streaming on my low end computer is stop and go. It pauses then starts again. The audio does not stop, video does.
Speed streaming is better.
What's with all this filler?
Did they ever release an agenda for this conference? I'm sure the big news will be at the end, but how long 'til that? I have errands to run tonite.
Maybe Tony Stewart was BF's driver.
JD, thanks for your link on the right side of the page. nascar.com did not post it till about 1835hrs.
Once again The Daly Planet comes through.
thank you
lou
I think people are getting more info on twitter than this live streaming.
I feel bad for the media members that must sit through monotone speakers and fluff.
sooo SPEED's not "actually" joining this in progress but is running their own stuff during this first part, huh? guess they join when france takes the stage.
Nascar.com is one of the worse web sites out there.
Just try to find this streaming quickly on nascar.com
red,
They only want France!
I am not smart enough to know what this all means yet. But I am listening!
vicky d
thanks for the info. here i go again. Multi tasking again for info on nascar. now i have the stream, jd's blog and twitter.
enjoying the stream though without commerical break. and glad nascar.com is streaming the address.
jd, guess that's why they're loading all these commercials in right now, huh?
ok, this time i'm really done! dinner awaits & i can get the info i need other ways than hanging on to SPEED &/or nascar.com.
maybe that's what's wrong with nascar fans nowadays: we're impatient.
red, you aren't missing much. A lot of corporate wording that has no meaning or support.
I stopped using Nascar.com about 2 years ago because I could not find anything. It's like a scavenger hunt over there.
Heeerreeeee's BZF
ESPN SportsCenter live now.
3 extra points for winning?
A tie for once
So the new points system is so *Brian* can understand it!
Oh wildcards explanation now. Is BF using someone else's teleprompter?
Too bad he didn't practice beforehand
Until they have a season with less than 12 different winners.
"NASCAR Craftsman World Truck Series" - BZF
I have the stream on and SPEED on the tv. The stream is ahead. Usually streaming is behind. That makes me giggle. (I think I need a nap. LOL)
So the 'regular season' points leader still gets no bonus for leading before the crapshoot. Crap.
Did BF just say Craftsman's World Truck Series?
What would the tie breaker be if 3 drivers are outside the top 12 and each have 2 wins, and 11th and 12th have no wins? Highest in points with 2 wins?
I just lost the audio feed on TV
and now I lost the feed
Is all the throat clearing by BZF nerves, or....?
lost the feed
just lost it on nascar.com
Craftman's World Truck Series actually sounds cool.
What a bunch of third-rate bubbas. The sport is circling the drain, folks.
What happened to the sound when they cut to the video. This is SO LAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTH?
So, nothing we didn't already know, except for the lame 'bonus' points.
Sure, have me sit through thirty minutes of warm-up pitching, then cancel the game.
I think Kyle Busch pulled the plug on Brian
Abd you still get a oint for leading a lap under caution.
The guy now is all mumbly and buzzy. For crying out loud. SPEED needs to hire REAL behind the scenes technician.
Pitiful
New Wireless Mic please.
Jesus, Mary & Josephine. What happened to the sound once they cut to cars on the track? And now it's buzzy & horrible.
Question from audience sounded like Charlie Brown school teacher.
I tuned in for this trainwreck of a production for the ANNUAL state of the sport.
Sound continues to STINK.
Indeed, this is pathetic SPEED technicians :-( Sad, really
Have any of you cared about the instantaneous points differential except during the last race?
I've been content to get the points update several hours after each race.
OK, so this did not go too well!
Brian is terrible at answering questions.
So NASCAR started their year by hitting a pothole in the State of the Sport speech.
Wow, live stream down again.
Sounds like Jack In the Box mic in the drivethru!
NASCAR stream is still up here.
Isn't it now a smaller differential between 1st and 2nd? How does that emphasize winning?
There is not much excitement in BF's body language. Seems they could put forth some excitement for the new season.
OK, I'm done with this mess. Over and out, Planteers.
Popped back up after I got another ad. Yeehaw.
It IS funny to hear him not be able to bring a thought around to it's conclusion
I will be putting up a column referencing the media coverage of this event and the aftermath.
These changes did nothing but alienate & confuse the fans.
Brian continues to ramble and contradict himself in his Q&A.
Still no reward for leading the first 26 races?? That was a huge mistake. Along with the whole points change, imo.
Mike Helton dodging the obvious. The intergrity of the Nationwide championship has been compromised.
This entire event would make a Staurday Night Live skit. Parts could show up on Jay Leno.
BF has some bizarre answers to questions.
Brian just admitted that Helton & himself did not understand the old point system. This is pathetic but hilarious.
Has DW had cosmetic surgery or been botoxed?
Too much makeup?
"There's a positive start to the season" - BZF in response to Jenna Freyer's question on attendance & tv ratings.
Isn't it the job of the media to ask challenging questions?
Jenna Freyer just smacked him a good one. Whats going to be her penalty?
DW and Hammond both look "refreshed."
Looks like DW & Hammond go to the same hairdresser too!
jenna needs to stand up and let BF know what the big problems are so that he can't step all over her like this... makes me wanna puke with that huge stuttering ego on stage..
I missed Jenna's question?
- Reporter asks a question
BZF - "Not a follow up to Jenna's right?" (AUDIENCE giggles)
- Reporter "No, although it would be appropriate" (France shrugs)
I can't stop laughing right now.
Why did Brian mock Jenna Fryer? Hell, Brian deserves mocking more than anyone there!
New points system is an insult. Play to the ignorant hillbilly stereotype of the NASCAR fan as being unable to understand math. And the drivers, too.
Maybe I will go work the concessions for cocker spaniel rescue instead of watching the Daytona 500... seems like the doggies not only need it more but appreciate it more!
Hey, this is Ann Ominous. google won't recognize my id. I'm even signed in to my own blog and it won't let me post as me. Did Brian France take over Google and blogspot?
Bless the man. He's working hard to make the sport better but I feel that he continually goes in the wrong direction.
Bill Ford was in charge of his family's auto company and was brave enough to step aside for a new CEO. Brian can keep the chairman's job but he really needs someone else to do the long-term thinking.
WOW had no idea conference was still going on until read comments on Twitter. WHY did SPEED end it at Q&A and go back to Steve B in STUDIO!?!?!?!?!?
I thought SPEED would carry it live. Apparently I missed some bad answers to questions since I had to get on the laptop.
Sigh. SMH = shaking my head.
Chadderbox: Jenna said that the fans have a very long list of problems in the sport. Changing the points was not on top, but slumped attendance & tv ratings are on top. She asked what NASCAR would do about it.
Helton has gotta be the most pissed off/determined person on that stage
I'm still chewing on why points even became an issue.
Like Jenna said, there are sooo many others.
What was Jenna Fs question?????? I missed it.
PITIFUL SPEED TV cut this off. EPIC FAIL
Points became an issue because Brian France could not wrap his Homer Simpson mind around the old system.
It's working just fine on here: http://www.nascar.com/multimedia/webcast/media_conference/
points became an issue because it was something they could dink with, claim "fan input," come out with some idiotic "solution," and not address the real issues.
sound and fury, signifying nothing, indeed.
Thank you Buschseries61.
She had the right question! That's for sure!
The Onion Sports Network could have fun with this subject.
From Jenna Fryer: If only Helton had answered my question cause he apparently gets it.
they never mentioned anything about the input the fan council had on the new issues for 2011.....
I think that's a good reason not to eliminate or equalize points from 20th down.
Something that I had been in favor of.
BF is arrogance and incompetence all rolled up in a suit.
Brian was late for happy hour.
That was embarassing. No wonder the NASCAR media has shrunk with France's attitude.
Brian looked like an unprepared idiot during the speech. He sounded like Marty Reid as he stumbled through the lines on the teleprompter. I was excited for this season, but this is a buzzkill. Here we go fixing 2 things that didnt need to be fixed, points system and qualifying, and not fixing the minor details that could turn the ship around.
Both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup championships have now been reduced to nothing more than a farce. If Jimmie wins under Brians new format, it will be the "nails in the final coffin" as Marty would say
I don't want to be overwhelmingly negative. I just don't get the feeling that Brian knows why things are done.
He was very vague on the Top 35 when he should have been able to come back with a clear answer as to why it exists, what changes they may have thought of and why they weren't implemented.
He rambled through most questions instead of actually addressing them or showing any knowledge of the issue.
The question about VW and Honda should have been "No, there is no news but we continue to work on new alliances". End of story.
This was just plain weird. France outlines changes in something no one had every questioned. Mike Helton gets mad. France slams a reporter for a question. And after all that, I still don't get it.
Nascar really needs BF to move over so a competent person can run the day to day operations of this sport!
Nascar deserves better.
Weird is correct but this is just about what I expected. Not what I wanted but what it seems to be par for the course lately.
I've said this on other blogs. NASCAR fears a sixth championship for JJ but is drooling over the thought of going for 7 in a row. it's the type of story that makes the cover of all of the magazines.
It also establishes a new figurehead to replace the Grand National era Petty and the Winston Cup era Earnhardt.
They certainly need to find someone to replace Earnhardt. A lot of great racers died before him and they are just as deserving of sainthood.
Was Brian France positive tonight?
He expects the media to be positive but him - he's a disaster.
I don't understand the attitude they have towards the media.
David Hill blames the media, Larry Mac takes a shot and now BF. It's attack the media week.
I guess this is rather sad. but, i thought this is the best BF looked and sounded in the last couple of years. but on the same thought i think Mr.Helton proved how hard it is to soar with eagles and work with a turkey.
Welp, got my question answered by BZF. He doesn't think leader of first part of season means ANYTHING, because of the "chase".My heart just hurts for my only sport....:( Gotta say it-sorry JD. He's a FRIGGIN'G moron!! I HATE him!
Pammmm, that was just a rough performance in so many ways. When he slammed Jenna Fryer, it really was over the top.
Those reporters treated him with kid gloves.
because everything else had already been reported accurately AND coherently by the dreaded "negative nascar media" earlier this week, here's my take-away from tonight:
brian france is a bully. he is not equipped to be a spokesman, let alone controlling figure, in nascar and should be "strongly encouraged to pursue other opportunities" for the good of his family's business.
his response to a legitimate question raised by a respected member of nascar media was appalling. i cannot believe that helton or pemberton would have been so arrogant, dismissive and rude to fryer as was their (theoretically) boss.
france family: this man is destroying the sport your family created and nutured. i don't understand how you, as a group, can continue to give him any role in nascar. move him over to handle your racetracks and then keep him on a very, very tight leash.
the rest tonight? dinking with what didn't need to be touched while studiously ignoring the big issues facing the sport. c'mon nascar: even an ostrich has to come up out of the sand now and again.
The entire thing came off like it was a spur of the moment event with no preparation or equipment testing. You would have thought that they would have had a dry run to make sure everything was ready to go and Brian was more prepared.
I don't think anything they announced will help with the problems Nascar is facing.
red, I think you articulated my thinking well...the fact that France could so easily come up with his quip shows practice... it made me think, how easy it was for him to be rude...the other Frances need to get real and do what Tony George's family did. He's got to go.
I know points weren't really the issue, but I think NASCAR is trying to get more excitment to attrack new fans into the sport. For example: the finale last season created an increase in ratings (although not by much). But still, it was one of the better Chase races as far as ratings. I really do believe people will watch if it is exciting. Thats what people crave.
Everything announced about the point system tells me one thing. All NASCAR really wanted is a tighter point lead to make the series sound more competitive. Everything is now a smaller number than before (maximum points, minimum points, bonus points, Chase reset, Chase point seed and penalty points). So now, instead of saying the leader has a 120-point lead, it's going to be, say, a 15-point lead. Same darn thing, except they'll say the points are tighter.
Brian says it's fan input that dictated a new point system. Yet, when I first heard about this 43 points to 1 point thing, I didn't see any problem with the old point system nor had I ever heard another fan say they couldn't understand the system.
kept losing feed so just gave up - at work (on west coast) so can't watch recording for another couple of hours - when it is time for the chase is there any reset or does it just keep going and the only thing that changes is the name???
@Anon 8:39pm - Instead of 5000 + 10 points per win, it's 2000 + 3 points per win. 11th and 12th are now determined by winners of races in the 11th to 20th in points (but they don't get the 3-point seed per win). If no winners, then 11th and 12th in points get in.
This new points system may be the final straw for me. I don't get it at all. It now rewards consistancy more than ever. No way does this help make racing better. If I'm running top 5, no way am I going to take a chance on wrecking and get 5 or 6 points, instead of the 38 or 40 points I get staying where I'm at. No doubt it's time for a new group to direct Nascar. B. France, Helton, and everybody else needs to hit the road.
Sorry, was on the phone talking about these issues.
Martin Vincent - thanksk for the info
@RWar24 - I'm sure if Brian France went away and Mike Helton was the man at the top, things would be much different. I think nobody within NASCAR wants to tell the emperor he's wearing no clothes.
One more reason I think this point system change is stupid. You want to make the point system simpler, but by awarding bonus points for leading a lap, 2nd place will sometimes pay 42 points, sometimes 43 and sometimes 44. How is that simpler?
With the old system, you had drivers who earned more points even though they finished lower in the race rundown. That's still going to happen with this system. No simpler than before!
JD, Your headline says Brian France's State of the Sport Address. What I saw tonight represented the state of the sport completely.
I still believe Nascar will survive despite this clown!
Y'all are made of stronger stuff than I am. I almost gave up after "Craftsman World Truck Series", and finally bailed when the sound went south around 7:15.
Brian, seriously, if you can't be bothered to rehearse, then turn the public speaking duties over to someone else. Camping World has been a sponsor for a couple of years; even I don't say Craftsman any more. If one of the broadcast team members had said that, you'd have gone ballistic. Then later you mentioned 'bowties' and Ford with no mention of Dodge or Toyota; you can't be seen as playing favorites.
The failure to provide a link to your own streaming content on the mouthpiece web site, and the inability to provide consistent functional streaming over even this brief period of time, says you STILL don't grasp the value of electronic media. Geez, high school computer clubs stream entire football games.
I love this sport, and this certainly isn't enough to run me off, but you don't challenge the NFL on Sundays with this kind of pathetic, pitiable public presentation.
Being an NFL fan, I have to agree with you Palmetto!
Oh, and if you don't want to answer someone's question, then DON'T TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. That's the chance you take, that someone will ask something that makes you feel uncomfortable and tests your deodorant (Old Spice (tm)). If you start putting qualifications on the questions, then you might as well just have Helton toss you staged softballs over the plate.
Chadderbox, you don't see Roger Goodell tripping over a stadium sponsor's name, or David Stern referring to a team by the town it used to occupy. ESPN's Mike and Mike would eat France for breakfast.
43 points for 1st place. 3 points for the win. 1 for leading a lap. 1 for leading most laps.
That's 48 points!
48????
Let the Jimmie Johnson conspiracy theories begin!
I have some misgivings about the new points system (for instance, it seems it'll be harder to make up points unless the guy you're chasing has a really bad finish), but the worst part about it is that it's being marketed as "easier to understand". The fans should be incredibly insulted because this approach reinforces the idea that NASCAR fans are too dumb to understand the current points system.
Regardless, the emphasis in recent years has always been wrong. The racing is more important than the championship when it comes to making the fans tune in week after week. Much of NASCAR's emphasis and the media's hype has been on the points for the last several years, rather than the racing
If I'm Jimmie Johnson, and I get 3 wins early in the season, like he usually does, then I would just go ahead and assume that that's enough to make the Chase as a wild-card, and then spend the rest of the season testing on-track.
Don't have much to add.
Anon 9:45--yup the conspiracy theories started once the points were announced.
Steve probably had his Twitter blow up tonight, a lot of folks upset how BZF spoke to Jenna. He is good about responding to us so it's great to have that "contact".
Osbornk--I know it's not like they decided at 4 p m today to do this & people were scrambling to get things together they KNEW about it way ahead of time!
Except for that one glitch where it went black I didn't have issues with the online streaming.
I'll have to see how it works in the season but still digesting how I feel about it.
anon 10:03--yup someone mentioned that in Twitterville! Will be interesting to watch indeed.
After reading the comments here 2 things are obvious to me -
Palmetto & I quit the fiasco at about the same time- Craftsman!?! truck just about sent me round the bend
And mercifully the sound went out soon after (Thank you to who ever pulled the plug)
Martin Vincent was able to explain the points "improvements" better than BZF. BZF has no idea what he is doing - he reminded me of the guy in the office who always had a bit to much to drink at lunch, no good for our sport.
The whole thing was embarrassing,
it has always been my firmest belief do not fix what ain't broken. Fix the biggest problems first then worry about the little bits. BZF does the reverse...mind numbing. Its all just bait & switch with these "fixes"
And like Nero - BZF fiddles while all goes up in flames
I really hate how they made it seem like this is something the fans asked for.
We didn't.
Ever.
I felt so embarrassed for Nascar that I stopped watching.
The Q-order would make more sense if it gave choice from top to bottom,by practice speed.This will be obvious at Indy,Talladega,Fall Atlanta,among others. As for the chase will their be a bump up in points for the chasers? Previously 2000 points would be added to all chasers after race 26.
@kang: good question about the points added to chasers. so many details not really addressed yesterday. why should it fall to media and fans to raise these and the attempt to get answers?
it's one thing to roll out a revised points program; it's another to do it without having addressed all the issues.
and again, i have to ask: why re-set the standings after race 26 in the first place? if a team performs well enough to stand at the top of the field after 26 races, why should that be changed at race 27? chasers should go into the final 10 races in the same order they exited race 26, just as the rest of the field does.
just a few more examples of how nascar mishandled this major media blitz they tried yesterday, from technical missteps right through insufficent information and bad behavior.
a cluster, to be certain.
and doesn't excite me for the new season . . .
For God's sake...will someone please DRUG test Brian France OMG.... That was the biggest train wreck ...maybe Speed left to save him the embarassment.
Press Conference Grade: C -
I think that Nascar missed an opportunity to reward the point leader after 26 races. They reward for everything else, why not reward for that accomplishment?
I don't have a problem with the points changes. It's another version of the same thing in a lot of ways.
The Press Conference didn't really cover the big issues and instead just answered questions on hypothetical points and qualifying scenarios.
MV I agree with your comments about the points. I don't believe for the past 3 years that anyone said we needed an updated point system. Is anyone at Nascar listening to the race viewers?
I expected a lot better presentation from the NMGroup and
SPEED. No one wanted listen to
DW and mini-me in lieu of the
questions.
It's back to take or leave it and
the Beach Boys are back home counting their money.
Want to make this more simple AND more exciting ?....
Every race should pay a Million Dollars to WIN !
Winner gets 50 point bonus.
Reduce fields to 36 cars.
Raise pit road speeds.... It's racing, how can you get caught "speeding" ?
Last and for all.... Race back to the checkered flag on the last lap.
Fans still need the "danger" element in NASCAR. The safety features today are great and much needed, but to a certain extent it has taken the danger out of the sport.
Mr Bob Latford, an integral part of what is now known as the "old" points system, is rolling over in his grave this morning.
The ONLY thing that needed to be done with the points was ADD considerable more points for the winner.
Technical issues on SPEED were uncalled for. Its not the first time that SPEED has had trouble with audio during a LIVE event of this nature.
Brian France....dude....get a clue.
NASCAR.com Streaming Grade: F. The conference started late, but did not appear automatically. I had to refresh my browser and get through ads. The stream shut down in the middle of the conference. Embarassing, considering the pride officials took in discussing their new media campaign.
Other thoughts:
- France was terrible reading through his unprepared speech on the new changes.
- His Q&A session provided more bizarre moments that actual answers. Both France and Helton seemed to take offense when the media asked a difficult, but appropriate question. France's attitude was terrible.
- As many have stated, the change in the point system is something nobody asked for. France views it as an easier concept for fans, commentators and himself to understand. After watching the sport for over 12 years, I've never had a problem with it.
- I view the change as a gimmick to make the points appear to be closer. The system is the same, the points are just tighter. France seems to be very determined to create more drama & excitement than there really is.
- The race itself continues to lose value. TV is focused on points, endurance is no longer a factor due to the wave around. People don't see the point in racing 400 miles, and it worries me.
- TV / Attendance was ignored completely
- The Nationwide series championship will be a joke this season. Two drivers race the whole season. A Cup driver wins 15 races, and a Nationwide driver wins 1. NASCAR has no idea how to explain why the Nationwide driver wins the championship over the Cup driver. They had their shot to limit of ban Cup drivers from competing, but they blew it.
- The only positive change is the rainout procedure, which was needed half a decade ago when there were more than 38 full time teams.
Found this on Jayski this morning:
If qualifying gets rained out, drivers that make the race will be the same, based on the rule book (top 35, past champion, race winners, etc), but the starting positions will be deteremined by practice speeds.
If Boris Said shows up for a road course or Daytona with a part-time team that only runs once in a while, turns the fastest lap in practice and rain cancels qualifying,... he still goes home if the above is what NASCAR announced.
Well, I watched the "speech" on race hub since I didn't setup the computer - sorry I did as it was a complete waste of time. BZF looked a bit more put together than usual, but his speech was the usual rambling junk.
The sound quality was terrible, so I missed Jenna's question, although I heard his answer. What a pompus jerk.
France is a joke as well as a jerk. He doesn't know ANYTHING about what the fans want. The fan council survey deal is really a farce and obviously no one in NASCAR reads the comments since the points system was not the issue.
Once again, I am not impressed and this sure didn't motivate me to tune in for each race.
Red - I thought this statement in your post was perfect! Why the heck can't NASCAR do something so simple. "why re-set the standings after race 26 in the first place? if a team performs well enough to stand at the top of the field after 26 races, why should that be changed at race 27? chasers should go into the final 10 races in the same order they exited race 26, just as the rest of the field does"
It would make them ALL race all season and help put a stop to this nonsense of doing what another poster said - Johnson gets 3 wins early and then just tests for the rest of the season and goes in as the leader in the last 10.
As much as I hate the chase, the reset in points ticks me off just as much.
@GinaV24
France is a joke as well as a jerk. He doesn't know ANYTHING about what the fans want. The fan council survey deal is really a farce and obviously no one in NASCAR reads the comments since the points system was not the issue.
France mentioned something about fan input when justifying the need for a new point system. Since around 8:00pm last night, I've been reading the media's reactions to the announcement and the fans' reactions to the media's articles... It's all negative! Nobody likes the new point system!
I have no idea where Brian found the fans who wanted a new point system... Oh wait, I just figured out. He called in all the fans who don't like the Chase and listened to their opinion.
MV - Thanks for the clarification! Brian made it sound different, but it is still the same people in the field if qualifying is cancled.
BF just doesn't get it. It's not a new points system they wanted. It was getting rid of the Chase. But this idiot just insists that his idea of a playoff system is what the sport needs. Sorry, BF, but once September comes around, Nascar will die when fans move to NCAAFB and NFL. The Chase is plain stupid and is not a playoff. And these new points will not force drivers to race hard to win, but to continue to race in a long line, trying to collect points. BF needed to dump the Chase, dump the Top 35 and make winning the ONLY thing.
I was curious about the 11th and 12th place format changes so I did a little stat studying and found that despite all the hype around wins...it really doesn't do anything.
A lot of talk is about Kyle Busch and the 09 season, but as you can tell by the numbers, no other season was like the 09. The change really doesn't do much. 236 out of 260 races were won by the top 12 going back 10 years(using a chase format). Only 21 were won by those eligible for the chase under the new format.
I posted all the numbers and changes to 11th and 12th on my blog:
http://apabo.blogspot.com/
Pretty insightful to see it in a 10 year view.
The whole focus on wins aspect is being played up, but it really was a non-factor as the numbers show.
MV- i think BZF looked into the mirror and asked himself what he wanted changed and did that. I'll bet that's the amount of "fan input" he considered.
Of course, if we don't like it, it will all be because the media is so "negative". Ha - the media for the most part is FOLLOWING the fans in their dislike of the way things are being done. The media is not leading the revolt.
Great comments. I look forward to your summary of all the changes JD
NASCAR claims that the new points system puts a bigger emphasis on winning.
You basically get 4 points for winning (3 for victory, 1 for leading last lap). That's four spots.
In the old system you got 20 points for a victory (15 points for win plus 5 for leading a lap). At three-points per position, that is 6 spots.
So doesn't the new points system DISCOURAGE winning and EMPHASIZE points racing?
Brian France is totally clueless. If he wants to "fix" NASCAR, go back to the mid to late 90's when the sport was growing and tweak a few things from there. Fixing a fix is not the answer.
Also, regarding the start times during the NFL season - it won't work.
Well one thing is clear, BZF couldn't put a coherent sentence together if his life depended on it.
Arrogant, ignorant, obnoxious, no class, I could go on and on. Compare BZF to the NFL's commish, Roger Goodell. Night and day difference. Goodell is accomplished and professional, BZF is pathetic. I sometimes wonder how he can get dressed every day without somebody helping him.
I don't have a problem with the new points system. Just with the way it was presented. The whole production was unprofessional. My kids AV club in high school put on better productions than what I saw from Nascar. It's like they slopped the whole thing together at the last minute.
Nascar needs a serious and I mean SERIOUS PR/Mktg make over from top to bottom. I've been a fan for 45 years and the presser looked like a kludge to me. I can imagine what one of their "casual" fans thought about that production.
So, what happened JD? I was not able to watch the streaming due to other things. But from reading the comments, for a multi-billion dollar industry, state of the art facilities, and the importance of the State of the Sport speech, is this the best they could do in regard to the broadcasting? I know of high schools that could have done a better job. Or am I reading too much into the production problems from the comments? I am not even going to touch the "new points system will bring closer racing organically." BZF is way over my head. Thanks, MC
Anon 6:52PM,
Am told that the NASCAR Media Group lost the entire feed of the press conference mid-way through.
SPEED has it's own camera and transmission pathway. That was the single camera that NASCAR.com then used in order to have something to show.
The audio for a while was actually the little microphone on the camera.
No clue what happened and NMG does not have a PR person. Don't want to get the spin, so I just left it alone.
Would be easy to call names, but let's just say if there was ever a time when a second (redundant) path should have been available immediately, it was Wednesday night.
SPEED pulled it out for themselves and NASCAR.com in a big way.
What is that they say? When it rains, it pours!
JD
Thank you JD. MC
MY husband who is a casual fan of the sport watched Race Hub with me as Brian France spoke. He was laughing through a good portion of the speech and stopped only to say "maybe he could have practiced his speech". From Frances' speech to the audio it demonstrates that this sport does have a lot of room for improvement. This night was not a shining star for Nascar.
So the point system is changing. Having been a fan for some years I completely got the old points system. I thought this would be a good change if it gives more points for winning. Having looked at the percentage changes in the old vs new points system little changed. I have problems when change is made for changes sake and this in my opinion was. It dumbed down the Nascar fans saying we can't figure out math that is larger than 2 places. This was reiterated over and over by Brian saying it will be easier for us fans to figure out.
Nascar has to realize that right now they have the most educated and sophisticated fans than ever before. We also have many choices and in the past year or so many have chose not to watch Nascar at all. I am anxious to see how this all unfolds as the year progresses.
Wow, NMG didn't feel like a redundancy was in order for an "event" like this?
No wonder it sounded like BZF was talking inside a tin can if the only mike available was the one on the camera!
All hype and no show.
"NASCAR claims that the new points system puts a bigger emphasis on winning.
You basically get 4 points for winning (3 for victory, 1 for leading last lap). That's four spots.
In the old system you got 20 points for a victory (15 points for win plus 5 for leading a lap). At three-points per position, that is 6 spots.
So doesn't the new points system DISCOURAGE winning and EMPHASIZE points racing?"
anon, under the old points system, the point differential in the top few positions is actually 5 points, then it goes down to 4, and then down to 3. Your example is still gaining 4 spots worth of points.
@MRM4
So, what you're saying is that this new points system is really no change at all.
Congrats NASCAR - changing for the sake of change. Way to kill your credibility without actually making any progress!
Ive been thinking about something. If theres a chance of qualifying raining out at a plate track whats to stop some of the go or go homers from getting out and drafting in practice? I dont think its fair that guys will go out there and draft and run a fast lap and get in the race because of it. Bet Brian didnt take that into account.
I've got stuff to say on all this. Busy week. But I'll wait just awhile to do so. Still thinking.
Was pleased, though, that BZF did not show up for his "speech" with that very odd red hair he sported at the HOF inductions.
And Nascar is blaming the poor fans for the points change because "we" didn't understand the old way! Then when it doesn't work out like BF/Nascar thought it would, they can say it's the fans that wanted the change and we listened to them and see what happened???
It's too bad there's no Intimidator anymore, to walk into NASCAR's office and tell them they're wrong.
After all the “announcements” and thinking about them for a couple of days, I feel like someone has died and I am waiting for the funeral. I am sad and depressed. I am a tv nascar fan and none of the problems I have had with the tv coverage was addressed. Even worse, all the “needed” changes “that I, as a fan, wanted” (HA!) will in my opinion make things worse. I just want to watch a race with the announcers telling me what is going on in the race, with the cameras showing the race and not just cars, and with all the cars included in the broadcast. Yes, I have other issues like the cot, the chase, commercials, etc., but when all is said and done, I just want to watch a race. Help me out Planeteers and tell me I am wrong. And please, please, please, let Daytona prove me wrong. MC
My question at this point is this: How much control over the race broadcasts does Nascar have?
Most of us here agree that the broadcasts are awful and do not seem to be getting better. That is the main complaint. We assume our complaints have been heard by Nascar along with other complaints like the Chase etc. What does Nascar do - they change the points system and qualifying around. It's just silly and does not make much sense.
Since I do not have a background in broadcasting or Nascar, I wonder what should be done on Nascar's part (or could be done) to affect the broadcasts?
Who is in charge of this thing called Nascar? It obviously isn't BF. I think we realize now that BF is not going to get the job done.
As a NASCAR fan since BEFORE the just-replaced point system was put in place, I for one am glad they simplified it. No other major motorsports series had a system as obtuse as NASCAR's. Plenty of us with college educations had no use for it.
While the goals and needs of our sport's points system are somewhat different due to the large fields, the old system was needlessly complicated. Anything that makes it easier for non-fans to understand is OK in my book.
With that being said, the unforgiveable technical problems that occurred during this broadcast and the absence of any mention of much larger issues makes me wonder if the federal government has quietly taken-over the sport like they did GM.
The results look to be about the same: it's STILL going downhill and nobody will even address the REAL problems.
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