[Bob Tanner]

Just lifted this from our boy jayski:
Points Swapping could happen for Martinsville: If needed, Michael Waltrip Racing could swap its owner points to ensure that drivers David Reutimann and Michael Waltrip are locked into the top 35 beginning at Martinsville. With MWR set to have different drivers in two of its cars after Dale Jarrett’s final points race on Sunday, rookie driver Michael McDowell said he’ll likely inherit the owner points of the car that is outside the top 35, if necessary. All three MWR cars are currently in the top 35, but McDowell knows it makes little sense to have the unsponsored #00 locked into the field with David Reutimann and the #44 UPS car or Michael Waltrip and the #55 Napa car on the outside. As for finding a sponsor, McDowell said the only thing he can do is get the best finishes possible once he debuts at Martinsville. Aaron’s has sponsored the #00 and Reutimann through the first five races.(SceneDaily.com)
AND other teams may swap points depending on how they stand after the race at Bristol as the 2008 Owners Points will be used for the the Top-35 guaranteed spots at Martinsville March 30th. Just to be clear, the Top-35 would only be locked in for Martinsville, not the rest of the season, the Top-35 can change from race-to-race all the way thru the last week at Homestead.
Other teams/drivers that MAY switch: #45-Kyle Petty and #43-Bobby Labonte [Petty is currently 40th on OWNERs pts and the #43 is 14th], Labonte would have the past champions provisonal to use...up to 6
#2-Busch [10th] and #77-Hornish [36th]...again, with Busch still having 5 champion provisionals left to use.
NASCAR would have to approve any of these swaps.(3-15-200

I have only one comment: "NA__AR, please do something about your points system rule. You have allowed the teams to prove once more just how damaging, confusing and utterly stupid you damn Chosen 35 Rule is! Change it! N-O-W!

[simple simon]

why even bother having points at all ?

let's just have a vote at the end of the season to decide who the champion should be

hey i know ... let's just give them all a trophy at the end of the season so no one's feelings get hurt ..... the do it for my son in soccer

where will it stop ?

an owner has a driver 25th in points and another 45th ..... can he just slide enough to split the difference and make the both 35th ?

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by simple simon

why even bother having points at all ?

let's just have a vote at the end of the season to decide who the champion should be

hey i know ... let's just give them all a trophy at the end of the season so no one's feelings get hurt ..... the do it for my son in soccer

where will it stop ?

an owner has a driver 25th in points and another 45th ..... can he just slide enough to split the difference and make the both 35th ?

Outcome-based racing. Truly the "sport" of the 21st Century. It looks like Bud Moore, Junior Johnson, Gary Bechtel, Butch Mock and some of the other former team owners, will have the last laugh. They're probably thankful that "they couldn't keep up with the times and so they're gone so good riddance!," and they aren't an active part of this new and improved NA__AR.

Lucky them.

[jks812]

I didn't like the swapping of the points when they let Penske do it. Now they've opened up a can of worms that they can't close. It's ridiculous as almost anything I've seen in Nascar. So I can understand now that they pretty much can't stop anyone from swapping points. But are they seriously gonna let the 2 and 77 swap points yet again? If I was Kurt's sponsor I think I would have something to say if they tried to do that again.

[Phils20]

I had heard that NASCAR was very unlikely to allow this mid season, among teams. I hope they don't. I think PE was rumored to be thinking of swapping the 43 and 45. If they do, and I'm Bobby, I walk at the end of the year.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I had heard that NASCAR was very unlikely to allow this mid season, among teams. I hope they don't. I think PE was rumored to be thinking of swapping the 43 and 45. If they do, and I'm Bobby, I walk at the end of the year.

Don't blame the teams. Blame NA__AR and the stupid Chosen 35 Rule. The teams are just taking advantage of loopholes made available to them by the sanctioning body, in order to compete in the Chosen 35 environment. It's no different when you, or I, take advantage of a loophole in the tax code in order to take advantage of a questionable tax deduction.

NA__AR and it's very, very, very wrong Chosen 35 Rule are the real culprits here, not the teams. They're just doing what they can legally do in order to survive.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Don't blame the teams. Blame NA__AR and the stupid Chosen 35 Rule. The teams are just taking advantage of loopholes made available to them by the sanctioning body, in order to compete in the Chosen 35 environment. It's no different when you, or I, take advantage of a loophole in the tax code in order to take advantage of a questionable tax deduction.

NA__AR and it's very, very, very wrong Chosen 35 Rule are the real culprits here, not the teams. They're just doing what they can legally do in order to survive.

True, but then it really isn't even fair within the team. I'm no Kurt Bush fan, but how does it help his career to lose the points his team has earned last year?

Of how does it help Bobby, who while not spectacular, has done well enough to earn 14th??

Like you said, it is NASCARS fualt, but if I'm the driver, it shows a lack of commitment to doing things the right way long term. This points swap is a quick fix, and doesn't address the longer term issues.

Now Hornish is going to have to qual based on that teams merits, and PE would be taking a team in 14, and giving those point to Kyle, who will just squander them away.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Phils20

True, but then it really isn't even fair within the team. I'm no Kurt Bush fan, but how does it help his career to lose the points his team has earned last year?

Of how does it help Bobby, who while not spectacular, has done well enough to earn 14th??

Like you said, it is NASCARS fualt, but if I'm the driver, it shows a lack of commitment to doing things the right way long term. This points swap is a quick fix, and doesn't address the longer term issues.

Now Hornish is going to have to qual based on that teams merits, and PE would be taking a team in 14, and giving those point to Kyle, who will just squander them away.

Big picture racing management, here.

It's not about the drivers, contrary to what we would like to think. It's about the team profit and bottom line. The Chosen 35 Rule makes it even more difficult for the weaker teams to meet this bottom line demand, which they must do in order to stay in business.

Most of the fans concern themselves with only the (("their?") driver. If only it were that simple. The money involved in the sport, and the costs, have made the drivers secondary, in the "Big Picture." The Chosen 35 Rule has exacerbated that fact and has convoluted the entire procedure.

Throw the drivers and their winning/losing completely out of the picture. It's all about the money and staying alive within the system. Don't blame the teams for that; it's all on NA__AR's back.

But, I could be very, very wrong...

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Big picture racing management, here.

It's not about the drivers, contrary to what we would like to think. It's about the team profit and bottom line. The Chosen 35 Rule makes it even more difficult for the weaker teams to meet this bottom line demand, which they must do in order to stay in business.

Most of the fans concern themselves with only the (("their?") driver. If only it were that simple. The money involved in the sport, and the costs, have made the drivers secondary, in the "Big Picture." The Chosen 35 Rule has exacerbated that fact and has convoluted the entire procedure.

Throw the drivers and their winning/losing completely out of the picture. It's all about the money and staying alive within the system. Don't blame the teams for that; it's all on NA__AR's back.

But, I could be very, very wrong...

Well, while a part of me knows that you are right, I don't see how PE in particular would benefit from two top 25 cars, when they could have one that would at least be close to the chase.

In the case of Penske, at least you are making a chase team start from scratch, and trying to get another team a little head start.

What PE is thinking of doing, if true, is just trying to be mediocre.

[BiscuitMan]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I had heard that NASCAR was very unlikely to allow this mid season, among teams. I hope they don't. I think PE was rumored to be thinking of swapping the 43 and 45. If they do, and I'm Bobby, I walk at the end of the year.

It has been rumored that Bobby Labonte is close to the deal with General Mills that Bobby Labonte will be moving with his sponsor to RCR next year any way.

[Phils20]

Originally Posted by BiscuitMan

It has been rumored that Bobby Labonte is close to the deal with General Mills that Bobby Labonte will be moving with his sponsor to RCR next year any way.

I heard that, but then I also heard the General Mills doesn't want to be associated with an Alcohol sponsor. That is part of the allure of PE for them.

Who knows what is true!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Phils20

Well, while a part of me knows that you are right, I don't see how PE in particular would benefit from two top 25 cars, when they could have one that would at least be close to the chase.

What PE is thinking of doing, if true, is just trying to be mediocre.

Does it make any sense that having two teams in The Chosen, no mater if they're mediocre or not, keeps two, not just one, sponsor happy seeing their rolling billboard out there each race day?

I repeat, it's all about the bottom line, as far as the teams are concerned. IF one of the billboard chauffeurs happen to win, or make the playoffs, or becomes rock-star famous... well, that just a nice benefit.

To paraphrase the eloquent Lord Acton: Big money distorts things; lots of big money gets you lots of distortion.

[Phils20]

To paraphrase the eloquent Lord Acton: Big money distorts things; lots of big money gets you lots of distortion

I'll buy that. I don't like it, but I have to buy it...

ah well, it just sucks that it isn't about making smart racing decisions anymore.

[WestCoast]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Big picture racing management, here.

It's not about the drivers, contrary to what we would like to think. It's about the team profit and bottom line. The Chosen 35 Rule makes it even more difficult for the weaker teams to meet this bottom line demand, which they must do in order to stay in business.

Most of the fans concern themselves with only the (("their?") driver. If only it were that simple. The money involved in the sport, and the costs, have made the drivers secondary, in the "Big Picture." The Chosen 35 Rule has exacerbated that fact and has convoluted the entire procedure.

Throw the drivers and their winning/losing completely out of the picture. It's all about the money and staying alive within the system. Don't blame the teams for that; it's all on NA__AR's back.

But, I could be very, very wrong...

NOPE, your very, very, right.

Now that we know how the system works, let's expedite it and go to its eventuality (according to me anyway).

40 Cars, 10 Super Teams with 4 cars each.
- Everybody makes the weekly show.
- No 35 rule
- No anxiety
- No sponsor/driver dilemma

Regardless.. the same teams keep prevailing anyway.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Phils20

I'll buy that. I don't like it, but I have to buy it...

ah well, it just sucks that it isn't about making smart racing decisions anymore.

My advice is to not take too seriously what I say, Phil Just enjoy what you see and keep your idealistic viewpoint.

Remember, I seem to have made a career out of raining on the parades of others, and probably have some small responsibility for the sale of Prozac, all this by just telling things like I see them.

Just take the final statement I make in many of my posts to heart, my friend; "I could be very, very wrong..."

Peace out