The NEXTEL Cup trophy presented to the champion after the Ford 400.

The Sprint for the Cup,, originally called "The Chase for the Championship" and then changed to "The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup"^[1] is the playoff system used in NASCAR's top division, the Sprint Cup Series. The Chase was initiated for the 2004 NASCAR Season, and announced on January 21, 2004. The format used in the 2004-2006 seasons was modified slightly for the 2007 season. The 10-race Chase pits the 12 drivers with the highest "regular season" points against each other, while racing in the standard field of 43 cars. Beginning with the 2008 season, the playoff will become known by it's new name as a result of the merger of Nextel Communications with Sprint Corporation. The winner of the ten-race playoff wins the Sprint Cup. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... The NEXTEL Cup is a trophy that is awarded to the winner of the NASCAR stock car racing series of the same name. ... The Ford 400 is a NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. ... A playoff in sports (North American professional sports in particular) is a game or series of games played after the regular season is over with the goal of determining a league champion, or a similar accolade. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... The Sprint Cup is a Group 1 United Kingdom flat racing horse race for those horses aged three years and above run over a distance of 6 furlongs at Haydock Park during September. ... The 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup season began on Saturday, February 7 and ended on Sunday, November 21. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... NASCARs premiere series becomes the Sprint Cup in 2008 as seen in this new logo. ... NEXTEL Communications (Former NASDAQ: NXTL) which is now known as the Sprint Nextel Corporation was a telecommunications firm based in the United States. ... Sprint Corporation (Former NYSE: FON) which is now known as the Sprint Nextel Corporation, was one of the worlds largest telecommunication companies. ...

NEXTEL Chase Champions

• 2004 Chase - Kurt Busch
• 2005 Chase - Tony Stewart
• 2006 Chase - Jimmie Johnson
• 2007 Chase - Jimmie Johnson

The 2004 Chase for the Nextel Cup served as the ten-race playoff series among the top ten drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. ... Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a NASCAR driver. ... The 2005 Chase for the Nextel Cup serveed as the ten-race playoff series among the top ten drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. ... For other persons named Tony Stewart, see Tony Stewart (disambiguation). ... The 2006 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup is a ten-race series that commenced with the Sylvania 300 on September 17, 2006 at New Hampshire International Speedway and will conclude with the Ford 400 on November 19 of that same year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... For other persons of the same name, see Jimmy Johnson. ... The 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup is a ten-race series that will commence with the Sylvania 300 on September 18, 2007 at New Hampshire International Speedway and will conclude with the Ford 400 on November 18, 2007 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... For other persons of the same name, see Jimmy Johnson. ...

Seeding and Scoring

The current version of the Chase was announced by NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France on January 22, 2007. The current format modifies the existing format announced on January 21, 2004, and is the 12th time since 1949 that the point system has been changed.^[1] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Brian France (born August 2, 1962) is the CEO and chairman of NASCAR, taking over the position from his father, Bill France, Jr. ... is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season began on February 10 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout and will end with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After 26 "regular season" races, the top 12-ranked drivers, as determined by points accumulated during the season, advance to contend for the Cup championship. The 12 driver's championship points are reset to a base of 5,000 points per driver, with a bonus of 10 points awarded to each driver for each win during the regular season. At the conclusion of the 10-race Chase, the driver with the highest point total is the Nextel Cup champion. During the Chase, normal scoring applies, with drivers who win a race receiving 185 points for the win, 5 bonus points for leading a single lap, and 5 points for leading the most laps.

In 2007, NASCAR expanded the field of contenders from 10 drivers to 12, and implemented a 10 point-per-win bonus. Brian France explained why NASCAR made the changes to the chase:

"The adjustments taken [Monday] put a greater emphasis on winning races. Winning is what this sport is all about. Nobody likes to see drivers content to finish in the top 10. We want our sport -- especially during the Chase -- to be more about winning."

Origins of the Chase

The publicly stated purpose for the NASCAR Chase playoff system was to make the NASCAR mid-season more competitive, and increase fan interest and television ratings. The timing coincides with the commencement of the National Football League season. Prior to the playoff format, the Cup champion was often determined mathematically long before the end of the NASCAR season; a situation that still exists in the NASCAR Busch Series, which does not have a playoff system. NFL redirects here. ...

By reseting and compressing the scoring of top 10 drivers, the chances of each of those ten drivers winning the championship was increased, while not precluding anyone with a legitimate chance of winning (based on the historical analysis that no driver outside the top 10, with 10 races remaining in the season, has ever gone on to win the Championship). ^[1]

^{[citation needed]} Short track racing, the grassroots of NASCAR, began experimenting with ideas to help the entry-level racer. In 2001, the United Speed Alliance Racing organization, sanctioning body of the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, a short-track stock car touring series, devised a five-race playoff system where the top teams in their Hooters ProCup North and Hooters ProCup South divisions would participate in a five-race playoff, the Four Champions, named for the four Hooters Racing staff members (including 1992 NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki) and pilot killed in an April 1, 1993 plane crash in Blountville, Tennessee. The system organized the teams with starting points based on the team's performance in their division (division champions earn a bonus), and the teams would participate in a five-race playoff. The five races, added to the team's seeding points, would determine the winner. The 2001 version was four races, as one was canceled because of the September 11th terrorist attacks; however, NASCAR watched as the ProCup's Four Champions became a success and drivers from the series began looking at NASCAR rides. The idea was to give NASCAR, which was becoming in many areas the fourth-largest sport (after Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NBA and surpassing in some regions the NHL) attention during baseball's road to the World Series and the outset of the pro and college football, NHL and NBA seasons. United Speed Alliance Racing is a stock car sanctioning body that operates the USAR Hooters Pro Cup series, that primarily races short tracks in different regions of the United States. ... The USAR Hooter Pro Cup is a stock car auto racing series in the United States. ... This article is about the two restaurant chains collectively using the shared Hooters brand. ... Alan Kulwicki (December 14, 1954 - April 1, 1993) was an American NASCAR driver. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Major Leagues redirects here. ... NFL redirects here. ... NBA redirects here. ... NHL redirects here. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... A college football game between Colorado State and Air Force. ...

"The Matt Kenseth Rule"

The Chase has been referred to as "the Matt Kenseth Rule" as a result of Kenseth's controversial championship in the final Winston Cup in 2003, the year prior to NASCAR adopting the Chase system and NEXTEL becoming the namesake sponsor. In 2003, Kenseth won the then-Winston Cup series championship despite winning only one race but ending the season with 25 top-ten finishes. In contrast, Ryan Newman won eight races that year (22% of the 36 races run in 2003), but finished sixth in points. In truth, "the Matt Kenseth Rule" more properly refers to the NASCAR numerical scoring system also implemented for the 2004 season, which increased the points awarded to race winners, thus emphasizing winning in addition to consistency. NASCAR acknowledged that the 2003 championship outcome was not the driving factor in establishment of The Chase, as NASCAR had been researching methods to adjust the points system to put more emphasis on winning races since 2000. However, the coincidence of the commencement of the new format in 2004 and Kenseth's 2003 championship linked the issues, and were even referred to by NASCAR officials in the interviews and press releases following the announcement of the new format. Matt Kenseths 2004 car being pushed out by his crew 2007 Busch Series car 2007 Cup car Matthew Roy Kenseth (born March 10, 1972) is a stock car racing driver for the Roush Fenway Racing team in NASCARs Nextel Cup series. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... Ryan Joseph Newman (born December 8, 1977 in South Bend, Indiana) is a driver in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. ... NASCAR makes and enforces numerous rules and regulations that transcend all racing series. ... Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ...

Sprint for the Cup Tracks

The following are the ten race tracks at which the 10 NASCAR Sprint for the Cup races are run. Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, Texas) was added in 2005 as a result of outcome of the Ferko lawsuit. Prior to this suit, the final three races of the NASCAR season, and thus, the final three race tracks for The Chase, were held at Phoenix International Raceway (Avondale, Arizona), Darlington Raceway (Darlington, South Carolina, eliminated by NASCAR as a result of the lawsuit), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Florida). Texas Motor Speedway is a superspeedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas -- the portion located in Denton County, Texas. ... Nickname: Motto: Where the West Begins Location of Fort Worth in Tarrant County, Texas Coordinates: , Country State Counties Tarrant and Denton Government  - Mayor Michael J. Moncrief Area  - City  298. ... The Ferko lawsuit is a common nickname for an American lawsuit that was challenged between plaintiff Francis Ferko, a shareholder of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. ... Phoenix International Raceway is a one mile tri-oval race track located in Avondale, AZ. It opened in 1964, but wasnt used by NASCAR until 1988, with the first race won by the late Alan Kulwicki. ... Avondale is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Darlington Raceway during the 2006 Dodge Charger 500. ... Darlington is a city in Darlington County, in northeastern South Carolina. ... Homestead-Miami Speedway is a speedway in Homestead, Florida, USA, southwest of Miami. ... Coordinates: , Country United States State Florida County Miami-Dade Established 1913 Government  - Type Council-Manager  - Mayor Roscoe Warren Area  - City  14. ...

NHIS New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a 1. ... Location in Merrimack County, New Hampshire Coordinates: Country United States State New Hampshire County Merrimack County Incorporated 1773  - Board of Selectmen Dustin Bowles Roger Maxfield Steven R. Ives Area    - Town 123. ... Dover International Speedway (nickname: The Monster Mile) is a NASCAR race track located near Dover, Delaware. ... : The State Capital since 1777 United States Delaware Kent 22. ... Kansas Speedway is a speedway in Kansas City, in the U.S. state of Kansas. ... Nickname: Location in Wyandotte, County in the state of Kansas. ... Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located in Talladega, Alabama. ... Talladega is a city located in Talladega County, Alabama. ... Lowes Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a speedway in Concord, North Carolina, north of Charlotte. ... Concord is a city located in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte. ... Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Martinsville, Virginia. ... Martinsville is an independent city located within the confines of Henry County, Virginia. ... Atlanta Motor Speedway is a superspeedway in Hampton, Georgia, USA, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. ... Hampton is a city located in western Henry County and partially in the Clayton County panhandle region, in the U.S. state of Georgia. ... Texas Motor Speedway is a superspeedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas -- the portion located in Denton County, Texas. ... Nickname: Motto: Where the West Begins Location of Fort Worth in Tarrant County, Texas Coordinates: , Country State Counties Tarrant and Denton Government  - Mayor Michael J. Moncrief Area  - City  298. ... Phoenix International Raceway is a one mile tri-oval race track located in Avondale, AZ. It opened in 1964, but wasnt used by NASCAR until 1988, with the first race won by the late Alan Kulwicki. ... Avondale is a city located in Maricopa County, Arizona. ... Homestead-Miami Speedway is a speedway in Homestead, Florida, USA, southwest of Miami. ... Coordinates: , Country United States State Florida County Miami-Dade Established 1913 Government  - Type Council-Manager  - Mayor Roscoe Warren Area  - City  14. ...

Comparisons of Formats of The Chase

2006 Chase Contenders and Seedings in 2006 and 2007 Systems

The Chase for the NEXTEL Cup was created in 2004 by NASCAR when NEXTEL started to sponsor the series. In original version of the Chase, following the 26th race of the season, all drivers in the top 10 and any others within 400 points of the leader got a spot in the 10-race playoff. Like the current system, drivers in the Chase had their point totals adjusted. However, it was based on the number of points at the conclusion of the 26th race. The first-place driver in the standings led with 5,050 points; the second-place driver started with 5,045. Incremental five-point drops continued through 10th place with 5,005 points). In addition, drivers received 180 points for winning a race, 5 bonus points for leading the most laps, and 5 bonus for leading a single lap. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup season began on Saturday, February 7 and ended on Sunday, November 21. ... NEXTEL Communications (NASDAQ: NXTL) is a telecommunications firm based in the United States which provides a national mobile communications system. ...

The most evident shift in the Chase seeding which reflects the emphasis on winning of the 2007 format, is Kasey Kahne who, under the 2006 system entered the Chase in 10th place, with 5000 points. Had the 2007 format been in place in 2006, Kahne's 5 wins would have placed him first in the Chase seeding. A tennis scoreboard. ... Kasey Kenneth Kahne (born April 10, 1980 in Enumclaw, Washington) is a driver in NASCARs NEXTEL Cup series. ... Matt Kenseths 2004 car being pushed out by his crew 2007 Busch Series car 2007 Cup car Matthew Roy Kenseth (born March 10, 1972) is a stock car racing driver for the Roush Fenway Racing team in NASCARs Nextel Cup series. ... For other persons of the same name, see Jimmy Johnson. ... For the racing team owned by Kevin Harvick and his wife Delana, see Kevin Harvick Incorporated. ... For other persons named Tony Stewart, see Tony Stewart (disambiguation). ... Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is a professional American race car driver. ... Denny Hamlin is a race car driver currently contracted to Joe Gibbs Racing. ... Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is an American race car driver. ... Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ... Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969 in Vancouver, Washington) is a NASCAR Nextel Cup driver. ... There are several well-known men named Mark Martin. ... Jeffrey Brian Burton (born June 29, 1967 in South Boston, Virginia) also sometimes referred to as JB is a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver. ...

2004 through 2007 Chase Champions Under (Pre-Chase) System

A comparison of the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 Chase results for the top three drivers, if those seasons had been run using the (Pre Chase) points format. Actual Winner in Bold. In 2004 Kurt Busch would place 4th in the overall standings, 247 points behind Jeff Gordon

Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is a professional American race car driver. ... For other persons of the same name, see Jimmy Johnson. ... For other persons named Tony Stewart, see Tony Stewart (disambiguation). ...

Criticism

The format is widely derided by NASCAR fans for locking out all but 12 drivers from any possibility of a top-ten points finish in the final ten races and for concurrently locking in drivers not strong enough to finish in the top ten over the season's final ten races. The 2004 Chase is often cited in defense of the concept because the final points margin was eight, but this ignores that champion Kurt Busch was under no realistic threat of losing the championship and raced accordingly; a closer title chase entering the final race would have been raced accordingly by Busch. Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a NASCAR driver. ...

Originally criticized was also the fact that the season leader, in terms of races won, has yet to win a Chase and carried no points advantage under original format - Jimmie Johnson outwon Kurt Busch eight wins to three in 2004, Tony Stewart was outwon by Greg Biffle six to five in 2005, and Kasey Kahne outwon Johnson six to five in 2006. Some observers note, as a point out of comparison, that other major sports such as American football, baseball, provide no advantage to teams with superior win-loss records. For other persons of the same name, see Jimmy Johnson. ... For other persons named Tony Stewart, see Tony Stewart (disambiguation). ... Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969 in Vancouver, Washington) is a NASCAR Nextel Cup driver. ... Kasey Kenneth Kahne (born April 10, 1980 in Enumclaw, Washington) is a driver in NASCARs NEXTEL Cup series. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... This article is about the sport. ...

The revised format for 2007 and beyond addresses the issue of increased emphasis on winning. NASCAR officials are optimistic the new emphasis on wins (during the regular season, the "seeding" for the Chase, and during the 10-race Chase) will be received more warmly by drivers/crews/owners and fans alike.

Another criticism of the playoff is that it lacks a road course event. Currently, two races on the regular season Sprint Cup schedule are run at road courses: Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International Raceway. Advocates of a road course in the final 10 races say it would highlight the best all-around driver in the series and force those teams in the Chase to put balanced time and effort into road-course racing and the subsequent car setup, in addition to the oval and speedway courses that dominate the final 10 races. Road racing can be a term involving road running, road bicycle races, or automobile races. ... Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills. ... Watkins Glen International (nicknamed The Glen) is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. ...

Another criticism is that while other drivers get the advantage of catching up, the points leader is the biggest loser no matter how one looks at it. Despite working hard to earn that points lead, the points leader can easily lose a championship due to not having as many race wins as example: eighth place having possibly two more wins than the points leader. In 2007 despite the rules and two fewer wins than Jimmie Johnson, runner up Jeff Gordon had out run Jimmie Johnson 22 times during the season, and had more enough wins (6) to be considered championship material. Jeff Gordon also set a record 30 top ten finishes, and lost his points lead to someone in 6th place just because they had two more wins. Under the old points system he would have won the title over Johnson by 353 points but under the circumstances that he had a season of consistency and six wins.

Moreover, The Chase continues to be "tweaked", almost on an annual basis. It shows a lack of consistincy on NASCAR's part in determining champions. It has already showed signs of back pedaling, widening the chase to 12 drivers from the original 10. Now awarding 10 bonus points per win (and rumored to be going through yet another change of rewarding the points leader after the first 26 races) this may have an adverse effect on the consistency of champions being compared to champions through out the course of history. For instance a large array of nascar fans have expressed an interest for sometime in comparing Jeff Gordon's championship legacy to that of Dale Earhardt's. The statistics have been grossly scewd with the new system. The Chase is not a small change like that of the 1996 change in rewarding the drive 5 more point for a win. Witch has proved to be rather insignificant and understandable in comparison. The Chase, a format strictly derived only to make racing more exiting, has many wondering. Jeff Gordon Has earned the most points 6 times in his career. Will this be overlooked statisticly because he is only credited for 4 championships?. All 7 Dale of Earnhardt's championships were based on "The most points earned". In it's 4th full year, the only Driver to have earned the most points and failed to win the championship has been Jeff Gordon (2004, 2007).

See also

Chase for the NEXTEL Cup : 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 The 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup is a ten-race series that will commence with the Sylvania 300 on September 18, 2007 at New Hampshire International Speedway and will conclude with the Ford 400 on November 18, 2007 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... The 2006 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup is a ten-race series that commenced with the Sylvania 300 on September 17, 2006 at New Hampshire International Speedway and will conclude with the Ford 400 on November 19 of that same year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. ... The 2005 Chase for the Nextel Cup serveed as the ten-race playoff series among the top ten drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. ... The 2004 Chase for the Nextel Cup served as the ten-race playoff series among the top ten drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} NASCAR Press Release - January 21, 2004

External links

• NEXTEL Cup Series Official Site
• (2004-06) Point system explained - NASCAR.com
• It's a little complicated, but it just might work - NASCAR.com
• (2007) Changes announced to points system and Chase - NASCAR.com
• New points would have affected some title races - NASCAR.com