NASCAR officials are considering a possible Chase playoff format for the Nationwide Series next season that would exclude Sprint Cup competitors, sources confirmed Tuesday. NASCAR president Mike Helton met with Nationwide Series team owners, drivers and crew chiefs Monday in Concord, N.C., to discuss cost-containment ideas and possible changes that would allow a Nationwide-only driver to win the championship. If implemented, a Nationwide Series Chase probably would have fewer drivers and fewer races than the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which has 12 drivers for the final 10 events. Full-time Sprint Cup drivers have won the past four Nationwide Series titles and a Cup driver probably will win it again this season. Brad Keselowski holds a commanding lead over Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, all three of whom are Cup regulars. NASCAR wants to bring more attention to Nationwide Series drivers who don’t compete regularly in the Cup series. Officials discussed the possibility of limiting or eliminating points for a Cup driver who ranks in the top 35 in the Cup standings. Cup drivers still could compete in all the Nationwide events, but not compete for the championship. The team owner of those cars would continue to receive owners points, which would allow the car to win the owner’s championship, but not the driver championship. Teams also talked about making sure the new Nationwide car, which is the same chassis as the Cup car with the same safety features, remains different from the Cup version.(ESPN.com)(8-17-2010)
UPDATE: Whether that proposal will become a reality remains a question, as NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France told ESPNDallas.com’s Richard Durrett that he doubted the Nationwide series would get a Chase. “I don’t think so. It’s a shorter season, for starters with 10 fewer races or so. That would create some issues,” France said. “We have four national divisions, so we’ve got to distinguish them and doing too many things wouldn’t do that. I don’t think you’ll see that.” However, France said creating a structure where a Nationwide regular can win that series instead of a Sprint Cup regular remains a goal.(ESPN)(8-18-2010)
