(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
With the Chase for the Championship format now entering its sixth year of existence, I am surprised at the number of folks who still complain and gripe about it with disingenuous arguments. Sorry folks, the Chase is a great addition to the sport. It brings drama and excitement to the end of what is a way-too-long season of action and has been a superb and much-needed addition.
One category of complaints seems to come from the "no change is a good change" crowd. They won't be happy no matter what NASCAR does, unless the Cup series goes back to racing at Rockingham and North Wilkesboro. Yes, those were charming locales, but they have no place in the sport's modern state. If all of the people who made those arguments actually bought tickets for the races at the Rock, we might still be racing there. Yes folks, the future can be scary and change isn't always comforting, but the Chase is here to stay.
These are likely the same people who pine for the days when ESPN first started broadcasting races in the early 1980s. I agree the current ESPN announce crew is a somnambulist's delight, but the constant barrage of complaints and whining has worn me out. (Please leave your additional complaints in the "comments" section, below. Really.) Have you really watched replays of those old races on ESPN Classic? The good ol' days weren't all that good in contrast to today's high-tech coverage. Yes, the TV ratings shrink once the NFL kicks in, but imagine how bleak it would be without the Chase. Seeing the past through rose-colored specs is fine when you're waxing nostalgic with old school chums, but it's not a productive way to direct a massive national sports franchise. Nostalgia and tradition are an important and integral part of the whole, but it's not the only factor. (An NFL nostalgia sidebar: how cool are the AFL throwback uniforms this year... except for the Broncos' UPS-brown and mustard-yellow disasters? And what's up with those striped socks?! Ha...)
As a publicist, the argument that makes me craziest is the cry of "less teams get media coverage during the Chase." In reality, the opposite is true, as more teams earn coverage than they would have without the Chase. Using the 'old' format this season, Tony Stewart would still have a cushy, triple-digit lead over the field right now, as he had for several months. The championship would be a foregone conclusion- and even if Stewart were to stumble, only one or two other teams would have a realistic shot at the title. With the Chase, twelve teams and drivers get a large amount of coverage, which is much more than they'd ever hope to achieve under the old format.
The argument of "less media" is better interpreted as "my driver doesn't get attention." Sadly, that's the nature of sports: to the winners go the spoils. If your team/driver wants coverage, they have a chance to run up front as many as 38 times per year. Does your fourth-place baseball team get much coverage when the MLB playoffs start? No. And they shouldn't.
The Chasers have dominated the top-10 finishes in the championship races, which shows the strongest and most deserving come to the fore when it matters most. Whether you like them or hate them, the consistent excellence of the entire No. 48 team is worthy of massive respect. A fourth consecutive championship? Wow. I have no adjectives to describe the difficulty of that feat. If they win it again, huge credit to them. And, the same respect goes to anyone good enough to knock them off their throne.
So, we have six races remaining with competition so tight that a finish outside of the top-five means you'll likely lose positions in the standings. Hell, a finish inside the top-five can mean a drop (see: Mark Martin). That's good racing. It's compelling and exciting to watch. Because these are the good ol' days. Relish it. Enjoy it.
