NASCAR is taking lessons from liberalism when it comes to its chase format. There are drivers NASCAR feels who are entitled to make the Chase--mainly the biggest star with the least amount of talent, Dale Earnhardt Jr. T
The original Chase format featured the top ten in the first 26 races of the season racing the last ten races for the championship. When Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't make the Chase in 2005, NASCAR added two more entries into the Chase letting the top 12 drivers compete in the final ten races. While Gordon has no problems making the Chase, it's still out of Jr's reach, even in a car developed by the sports top team, Hendrick Racing.
So NASCAR is back at it considering adding three more drivers to the Chase so the top 15 make it into NASCAR's version of the playoffs. In other words, Jr. isn't good enough to make the Chase, but we feel because he is an Earnhardt, he is entitled to make the Chase. So what happens when he finishes 16? Does it ever end?
Why not just phase the chase format out and race all year for the championship? I hear fans all over the place tired of Jimmie Johnson only showing up for the last ten races of the season. This year was no exception. With a huge point deficit at race 26, the points were basically evened out so Johnson could turn on the heat in the final ten races without having to make up a deficit.
NASCAR might as well phase it out. With all this talk of adding more spots to the Chase format, the Chase will become meaningless.
