Points and Related Programs

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New to Stock Eliminator. 2017 was our first year. I would like to get some thoughts on the below subject.

Section 3, page 3 – Points and Related Programs

NHRA LUCAS OIL REGIONAL AND DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
To accommodate those NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series racers who elect to concentrate activity closer to their homes, separate regional and divisional programs are conducted to honor the top points champion in each NHRA’s four regions or seven geographic divisions.

If the intent is to provide a championship series for those that want to only race within their division and closer to home, and each driver must select a division prior to competing, then why can a racer choose to race only 3 of the six (6) divisional races and an unlimited number out-of-division races and still be eligible for divisional championship points?

An analysis of the Stock Class in Division 6 from 2008 to 2018 shows that if only the 5 best in-division (Home Division) points were used for each participant, 4 of 10 champions crowned over that same period would be different, that’s 40%. Also, over that same period, 8 out of the 10 finishers 3rd through 6th would have changed as well, that’s 80%. There were only 2 years where the finish order did not change using this analysis, 2016 and 2013.

In 2017 car #7474 won both the Division 7 and National Championship in Stock Eliminator. However, if you were to take the best in-division points for the top three drivers in Division 7, Car # 7616 would have won the division instead of finishing 3rd. Car # 7474 competed in 14 events compared to Car #7616 who competed locally in his division at 5 events. Same is true for 2016 in Division 2, 2015 in Division 2, 2013 in Division 7, 2011 in Division 1, and 2009 in Division 3. In 2008 it appears out-of-division points were not considered in the divisional points race, not sure of this assumption.

Wouldn’t this make more sense: To be eligible for a division championship you should have to participate in at least 5 of the 6 divisional races. The 2015 and 2008 champions only participated in four (4) of the six (6) divisional races, while the second-place finishers participated in all six (6) events. Out-of- division points are not considered.