Change the Way the National Championship ?

[Don Kennedy]

I feel the time has come to change the format for the National Championship Points race. In my opinion, I would like to have a year-end Race with Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, and Super Comp. The top five in each class and in each division would all show up for the playoffs or I mean National Championship.
In all sports, there is a Playoff series at the end of the season to see who earns the right as the champion. This way an amateur would only have to travel to 5 division races. to win the right to the playoff race to crown the champion.Maybe everyone is ok with the way it is now ? any other opinions ?

[jmcarter]

I soured on the “playoff” format long time ago when Mike Edwards lost the PS championship after running away from the pack during the ‘regular’ season. It adds more drama of course but to me the racer who has the best season should be the champ and the current format provides that. Also think the JEGS Allstars provides the opportunity for racers to gain recognition and still stick to running Divisionals. Under the suggested format a class racer could win every National event they enter, have no success at Divisional races and not make the playoffs.

Actually like the current format even if sometimes there’s not much drama at the Pomona Finals (the Vegas LODRS did; however, provide plenty of drama to the Divisional championships).

[Mark Markow]

I don't like the whole playoff/ countdown idea . imagine yourself dominating the early part of the season , and then having all those points dismissed and having to start over? I also believe the racer with the most consistent strong finishes should win the title.

[Mike Pearson]

Dumb idea.

[Floyd Staggs]

They do it in the Summit ET series. Finalists from all 7 divisions come to Pomona to claim the national championship.

[Bill Grubbs]

Lets have the final race in Gainesville, and Stockers can start at 7 AM...you know 4 AM west coast time... Yea that's the ticket.

Or maybe Epping in November...we can stay until the weather is nice enough to race...
The winner would be whoever could stay the longest. Kind of like whoever is the last person with their hand on the car wins it.

[jamie2370]

Originally Posted by Floyd Staggs

They do it in the Summit ET series. Finalists from all 7 divisions come to Pomona to claim the national championship.

No, only the Division Champions got to Pomona. It is a 7 car race. And they get paid to show up and purse is winner takes all.

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

I soured on the “playoff” format long time ago when Mike Edwards lost the PS championship after running away from the pack during the ‘regular’ season.

If I recall correctly didn't Mike Neff miss the magic cutoff one year yet out point them? So he wasn't awarded the National Funny Car Championship.

[FireSale]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

I feel the time has come to change the format for the National Championship Points race. In my opinion, I would like to have a year-end Race with Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, and Super Comp. The top five in each class and in each division would all show up for the playoffs or I mean National Championship.
In all sports, there is a Playoff series at the end of the season to see who earns the right as the champion. This way an amateur would only have to travel to 5 division races. to win the right to the playoff race to crown the champion.Maybe everyone is ok with the way it is now ? any other opinions ?

Sounds like the Bracket Finals. The top 6 cars from each D6 track converged on Pacific Raceway for a final shoot out. It was great fun but I don't know if it is a workable format on a National level.

[Keith 944]

I say leave it the way it is! here’s my story, IHRA did this very thing and I believe, like many others that it did not make the best racer the champion
I was fortunate enough to win my first world championship under the old point system, yes I traveled around many miles but when I became the champion I had more round wins than anyone else in my class
Now my second IHRA world championship came under the playoff program. I was only third in my division and did not have a very good year but it got me into the one race playoff. I went to Memphis and was fortunate enough to win that race . it made me a two time world champion.
Did I feel like I earned the championship? absolutely not. I just felt that I got lucky and won on the correct day.
And just a sidenote, when they took my interview they never said anything like that. they changed my whole wording around to say I loved the idea!
I thought I had at least earned the right to tell them how I thought of their playoff points system!!!!!