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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 20 2006, 8:59 PM EST (current) | SillyLins | |
| May 24 2006, 3:27 PM EDT | Speedfreak | 7 words added, 1 word deleted |
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For the 2004 season, NASCAR implemented its first ever playoff system, the “Chase for the Cup.” After the first 26 races of the season, the top 10 drivers in the points standings, plus any drivers who are within 400 points of the leader, qualify for the Chase for the Championship, a 10-race playoff that determines the Nextel Cup Champion. Those drivers that do not make the Chase continue to race in the final 10 races, though they are no longer eligible for the championship.
Those who qualify for the Chase essentially have their points erased, and then are spaced out in five point intervals based on where they were in the standings when they began the chase, so that the leader is 45 points ahead of the driver who qualified in 10th.
This playoff system was seen as a way to maintain fan interest in the fall as football season began. Many credit Matt Kenseth’s 2003 championship season with finally giving NASCAR the push to create the system. That year, Kenseth scored just one win, but was consistent and began walking away with the championship by mid-season.
See also:
Those who qualify for the Chase essentially have their points erased, and then are spaced out in five point intervals based on where they were in the standings when they began the chase, so that the leader is 45 points ahead of the driver who qualified in 10th.
This playoff system was seen as a way to maintain fan interest in the fall as football season began. Many credit Matt Kenseth’s 2003 championship season with finally giving NASCAR the push to create the system. That year, Kenseth scored just one win, but was consistent and began walking away with the championship by mid-season.
See also:
