not sure if this was a joke or what, seemed off the wall, but on Speed Channel’s Inside Winston Cup, Jimmy Spencer [and he sounded serious) said while at Homestead he was talking to NASCAR’s Brian France, and was told that NASCAR ‘may’ change the Cup drivers points system where after the race at Richmond in Sept 2004 with 10 races left, the slate would be ‘cleaned’ and the top 10 would be locked in and they would run for the title. NOTE: have heard NOTHING on a change like this, no idea how it would work or what happens to the points with the drivers 11th and back, if this is serious or just a tongue in cheek to saying how crazy it is to change the points system when two out of three national series had such close points battles. Not looking for comments, debates or new system ideas, just reporting what was on the show. UPDATE: Been told this is seriously being discussed.(11-18-2003) UPDATE 2: NASCAR is considering a dramatic change in how it determines the champion of its top series, studying a plan to make only the drivers in the top 10 after 26 races eligible to run for the title over the season’s final 10 events. Sources told The [Charlotte] Observer that, while no decision has been made and that NASCAR could still keep intact the system it has used since 1975, it is weighing a major overhaul. When applied to the past eight seasons, the most sweeping plan under study would have produced a different champion than the old system five times, including this season. That plan would advance the top 10 drivers following the Sept. 11 race at Richmond into a 10-race “postseason.” Points earned in the first 26 races would be erased or evened up in some manner so points earned in the final 10 races would determine the champion. If this year’s top 10 went back to zero after the September race at Richmond, Matt Kenseth would have seen a 418-point lead erased. Michael Waltrip, 785 points back in 10th at that juncture, would have gone to the first “playoff” race at New Hampshire on equal footing with Kenseth and the eight other drivers in the top 10. And Jimmie Johnson, who wound up second behind Kenseth in the final standings, would have won the title with 1,569 points over the final 10 races. Johnson would have been the guest of honor at Friday night’s awards ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Kenseth would have finished seventh. Earlier this year NASCAR chief executive officer Bill France Jr. indicated changes to the championship were likely after the 2003 season. France later stepped aside and turned the CEO job over to his son, Brian France, who said Thursday NASCAR is comfortable with its system despite criticism for its emphasis on season-long consistency. Kenseth won only one race in the 2003 but finished 90 points ahead of Johnson, who won three races. Ryan Newman, who led the circuit with eight victories, finished sixth in the final standings because he also had seven races where his No. 12 Dodge was not running at the finish. Top NASCAR officials are scheduled to meet in New York City Saturday to look at possible changes in the system. France said Thursday a final decision on changes to the points system could be announced as late as mid-January. The first reports that such a system might be considered came from driver Jimmy Spencer on a television show that aired the day after the season’s final race at Homestead Miami Speedway. Because the change seemed so radical, however, Spencer’s comments drew marginal attention [except on Jayski]. Now it is clear the plan has advocates at the sport’s top levels.
