Yes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Has a Better Shot at Cup Title With NASCAR's New Chase Format, but So Does Everyone Else- Bobo Records Post

By Matt Myftiu February 3, 2014 11:55 AM COMMENTARY | Much of the NASCAR fan base is fixated on Dale Earnhardt Jr. Related Stories Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. like expected changes to Chase NBC Sports Jimmie Johnson supports NASCAR overhauling Chase for the Sprint Cup format SB Nation Give new Chase for Sprint Cup format a chance NBC Sports Breaking down the new changes to the Chase for the Sprint Cup NBC Sports NASCAR creates winner-take-all championship format The Associated Press On on side, there are those who worship him in almost God-like fashion, in large part because of his name and the legacy that comes with being the legendary Dale Earnhardt's Sr.'s son. They are Jr. Nation, the most vocal and involved fan base in the entire sport, and propel Dale to Most Popular Driver honors. But there are also those who bash Earnhardt whenever possible, as they see him as someone who got breaks in the sport just because of his name and believe he doesn't deserve the ride he has with Hendrick Motorsports. They are quick to point out how rarely he wins and comment on his supposed lack of talent that these numbers show. So with all this fixation on Dale Jr., it's logical that in the discussion following NASCAR's overhaul of the Chase, many people are claiming the change is all about Jr. -- specifically trying to make it easier for him to win a title. As part of this discussion, they even drudged up last year's finishes, ran them through the new points system, and pointed out that Dale Jr. would have been the 2013 champion based on how things finished up last year. That may be true, technically, but all the bellyaching should be ignored -- because it completely disregards logic and compares apple to oranges. It's not just about Earnhardt First, let's deal with the concept of this new elimination-based Chase format allegedly being aimed at making Dale Jr. a stronger title contender. In a way, that's accurate, because the larger Chase field makes it more likely he'll qualify even if he doesn't win during the regular season. And once you're in, anything can happen. But think about this logically and you'll see this argument is bonkers. The anti-Jr. crowd always points out how Dale Jr. doesn't win very often. So in a system that rewards winners and has them automatically advancing to the next round of the Chase, how does that help Jr.? It's not like he wins much, so he'd have to sneak onto the next rounds on points most likely. Now once you get to Homestead, yes, Jr. could just finish ahead of the other three remaining contenders and win the title. But he's got to get into the final round of four drivers before that can happen, and if he's not winning races that's not likely to happen. And I bet if I searched for one person who would find a four-driver, winner-take-all race boring, I'd be searching forever. Just like the Seahawks stepped up to win the Super Bowl, whoever wins the 2014 Cup title will have to step up at Homestead. Last year is last year One of my biggest pet peeves is when people plug in a driver's finishes from a previous year into a new formula for determining a Cup champion. This "what could have been" thing been done since the Chase began, and is absolutely silly. Richard Petty, a pretty smart guy when it comes to this racing stuff, has always said it's impossible to compare people of different eras when rules were different. When they ask him how Jimmie Johnson compares to him and Dale Sr., he says it's a different era and that's just not possible. They were the best of their era, Jimmie is the best of his era. That's the end of it. Who knows how many titles Jimmie would have if the Chase never existed? Who knows what would have happened last year if this new setup had been in place? We'll never know, because the rules were different last year. People raced a certain way based on those rules, and if the new setup had been in place, they would've raced differently. So why even bring it up? Winning matters As I wrote when this system was first proposed, and blasted by many fans, it rewards people who win; first by letting them in the Chase, and then by letting them advance to the later Chase rounds. If Dale Jr. wins, he'll advance. If Jimmie Johnson wins, he'll advance. Same for every other driver. Win and you're in. It makes sense, and it has nothing to do with Dale Earnhardt Jr., despite what the naysayers may claim. Matt Myftiu lives in Michigan, has been a walking encyclopedia of NASCAR since immersing himself in the sport over 15 years ago, and has worked as a journalist for two decades. His blog on the sport, NASCAR: Beyond the Track, has been published by The Oakland Press for the past six years. Follow him on Twitter @MattMyftiu.