Inside Dish: Points system is headed for a change

Elwood · August 4, 2003

By Lee Spencer - SportingNews.com

Changing the points system was a hot topic last weekend at Indianapolis. NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. says NASCAR is looking at awarding bonus points during different periods of each race. Although race winners likely will receive a bump in points, France doesn't anticipate teams receiving points for qualifying. Regardless of what is agreed upon, expect a new points system to be in place for 2004. Why not just adopt TSN's Power Poll? . . .

NASCAR made changes in the provisional system last week before the Brickyard 400 and might tweak it more in time for 2004. The cars that rank in the top 25 in owners points now are guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup. That should play well with most owners and sponsors and perhaps head off any move toward franchising. And if only 43 cars show up for a race, no provisionals will be charged to teams that qualify in positions 37 through 43. . . .

Bill Davis Racing has been in a downward spiral since Ward Burton won the Daytona 500 last season, and Burton's imminent departure won't help. BDR had hoped Burton, who has a year left on his contract, would go quietly at the end of the season. But why should he? Not only did Burton bring the Caterpillar sponsorship to the table, he gave Bill Davis his five wins as an owner and has been loyal since joining Davis in 1995, even turning down better offers. So how did Davis repay Burton? He fired crew chief Tommy Baldwin, one of the best strategists and motivators on pit road, last fall and brought in Frank Stoddard, who drove the No. 99 team into the ground before he was fired by Jack Roush. Davis' dream of developing a first-tier team has fizzled, but Burton, 41, will land on his feet. Several teams have asked about his status for 2004, including Richard Childress, who says he will talk to Burton after he becomes a free agent. . . .

Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon haven't always been the best of teammates, but that might change. Gordon held up rookie Jamie McMurray long enough for Harvick to pull away near the end of the Brickyard 400. Harvick's team also made a good call by staying out while others pitted during the final caution. . . .

Though rookie Greg Biffle won last month at Daytona, his learning curve would be accelerated by the addition of a veteran Winston Cup crew chief. Biffle's crew chief is Randy Goss, who is in his first full Winston Cup season in that job. Roush would not confirm that changes are ahead for any of his teams, but he says he won't wait until the end of the season if he believes a move should be made. … The fast, consistent test laps Jason Leffler ran at Kentucky Speedway were among the reasons crew chief Tony Furr elected to put Leffler in the No. 0 Pontiac at Indy. Leffler joined the team at 5 the morning of the test and stayed until 3 the next morning to make sure the car would be ready, and that sealed the deal. Furr was impressed enough by Leffler that he signed him to nine races, on the weekends Leffler doesn't have a conflict with the trucks series. John Andretti already was signed to drive the car Sunday at Watkins Glen. . . .

Might Bruton Smith be in the market for another track? There are rumblings that Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports, will purchase an existing racetrack to get the Winston Cup date for one of his current tracks, likely Las Vegas. He did it at North Wilkesboro, and Rockingham might be next. . . .

NASCAR will take cars to the wind tunnel for the first time this season Tuesday in Marietta, Ga., to test how they react to a reduction in spoiler height. The cars that will be tested: Chevrolet, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart; Ford, Matt Kenseth and Elliott Sadler; Dodge, Rusty Wallace and Jamie McMurray; and Pontiac, Ricky Craven and Johnny Benson. Reducing the spoiler height likely would lead to slower speeds because the rear end of the car wouldn't be as stable. The tests also will serve as baseline for the 2004 Taurus, which will go to the wind tunnel later in the week.

antig24 · August 4, 2003

I like the points system how it is now, if it isn't broke, why fix it?

JonesNTN · August 4, 2003

I used to believe it was fine the way it was. I now believe we do need a change. I think points should be given for the top 10 or so qualifiers and ass-draggers don't need points. i.e. 30-last race finishers.This will also help keep tore-up cars from coming back on the track and getting in the way. The provisional system also needs redone completely.