Drivers only able to accumulate points in one series in 2011

[JeffJordan]

Drivers must declare one series to accrue points: Drivers in NASCAR's three national series will have to elect a single championship to chase in 2011, eliminating the ability of drivers such as Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Paul Menard -- who were full-time double-dippers in 2010 -- to chase two championships at once. NASCAR has scheduled a "competition update" on Jan. 21 with NASCAR president Mike Helton and vice president for competition Robin Pemberton as part of the "Preseason Thunder" Sprint Cup test session at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp declined to comment on the change in 2011 license applications Monday except to say, "I'm sure we can answer all your questions at our competition update." Changes across the board in NASCAR -- including format changes in the Chase -- have been the subject of racing rumor mills since last fall. But when Kenny Wallace picked up his 2011 NASCAR competition, membership and license application last Saturday while taking a break from a Grand-Am Rolex Series test at Daytona, he knew at least one rumor was true. Wallace, who has 843 national series starts between the Cup (344), Nationwide (488) and Truck series (11), stopped on his way to the U.S. Post Office on Monday to tear open his license application and read the news. "The brand-new license forms that are out, there's a box and in it, it states that you have to mark -- put an X -- what championship you're running for," Wallace said, quoting his application. "A driver will only be permitted to earn driver championship points in one (1) of the following three series: NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide or NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Please select the series in which you would like to accumulate driver championship points. Choose one." Tharp confirmed that NASCAR would answer any questions about the three national series' championships next week, including whether the method of awarding drivers' championship points in each division's races would be covered in the respective series' rule books; if it would be covered in the respective series' race entry blanks; or in both places. And also how "championship drivers" in each division would be differentiated in the respective race rundowns in respect to points awarded per position from "non-championship drivers," as well as whether or not the dispersal of points in each division's owners' championship, particularly in the Nationwide and Truck series, would be unaffected by owners' use of "non-championship drivers."

Sorry if I missed this and it has already been posted.

 

[4WideRacing]

I have mixed feelings about this.

 

[Highbank]

WOW, that's one way to herd the sheep.

 

[Carl Robinson]

Mike helton at the mailout:
"Make sure Jimmie's only has TWO boxes two check.

I think there should be a year cut off after your third year in cup you shouldnt be able to run for more than one.
But still itll be fun seeing a NNs regular as a champion.

 

[Chevellion]

About time they fixed this...though it probably won't keep people like Busch and Edwards from running.

 

[ValvolineMan]

It sucks that guys like Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, and Brad Keselowski ruined it for guys like Aric Almirola and Trevor Bayne.

 

[Chevellion]

It sucks that guys like Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, and Brad Keselowski ruined it for guys like Aric Almirola and Trevor Bayne.

Almirola isn't running the Cup series in 2011...and Bayne will more than likely declare for the Nationwide series. They haven't said anything about how owners points will work...so Bayne could possibly still run races for the Wood Brothers.

 

[FloridaFan88]

There's one step in the right direction. NASCAR wants to make the Nationwide Series a developmental series again. I applaud this move.

 

[ValvolineMan]

Almirola isn't running the Cup series in 2011...and Bayne will more than likely declare for the Nationwide series. They haven't said anything about how owners points will work...so Bayne could possibly still run races for the Wood Brothers.

I'm pretty sure Almirola is running trucks and I think this makes Bayne ineligible for ROTY.

 

[Alan Harkleroad]

well this will be good in the long run and confusing as hell for the first year trying to understand what has got to be and insane scoring system. cant wait for next week, roar to life motors, mouths and smack talking.

 

[moppenheimer]

I'm pretty sure Almirola is running trucks and I think this makes Bayne ineligible for ROTY.

Almirola is driving the full NNS season...so points would be irrelevant in Trucks for him even if he ran them (I dont think he is running them at all), he couldn't run anywhere near all the races...

 

[Markfan]

In the past few years, I couldn't take NASCAR seriously because of all the changes they've made to it . . . . . . now that feeling is even stronger. Seriously, NASCAR? This is only going to make things worse. Why?

Last year, all but one driver in the cup series won a nationwide race. So why is disallowing the points bad, then? They can still race.

So now, the odds of a Nationwide driver winning the championship with a whopping zero wins are completely possible and borderline inevitable within the next 5 years, if not this year . . . . .

 

[dalejrgamer]

Better than nothing. But think of it this way, between NASCAR making a very difficult decision and NASCAR making an easy decision that has more flaws than Mormons have wives, they'll usually perform the latter.

 

[CMennie47]

On paper, I think it's a great idea. The only flaw I can see is that there may be no Nationwide/Truck-only driver that wins a race in their respective series. My only solution to this is to split the field into 2 classes. 1 of series regulars, 1 of "guests", with only the regulars able to compete for points and wins. The "guest" drivers would simply be there to bring experience from a higher level to the newcomers

 

[MattSRD28]

CALLED IT!

I'm really glad for this. While it isn't the perfect solution, it's the best solution that I could envision as being actually possible. It's good to know my reasoning skills are halfway decent.

What we wait for now is the answer to, IMO, the most obvious question: How and when can this check box be changed? Will changing the box be allowed? If so, what does changing it entail?

 

[Furinkazen]

That causes a problem. What about the so-called "road-course ringers" and other drivers. Say Boris Said wins a Nationwide race and then win a Sprint Cup race at say, Watkins Glen, do the points count? I can see problems for those drivers who go in other series as well... the one's fighting around the 35th spot (Nemechek, Fuller, Mears, etc.)

 

[MWick4]

I'm pretty sure Almirola is running trucks and I think this makes Bayne ineligible for ROTY.

Almorola will probably Declare Nationwide bc he is now full time in the 88 which means he will only run some fo trucks

 

[4WideRacing]

That causes a problem. What about the so-called "road-course ringers" and other drivers. Say Boris Said wins a Nationwide race and then win a Sprint Cup race at say, Watkins Glen, do the points count? I can see problems for those drivers who go in other series as well... the one's fighting around the 35th spot (Nemechek, Fuller, Mears, etc.)

It most likely effects just the drivers' points not the Owners' points that matter for the top 35.

 

[fatcatracing]

It most likely effects just the drivers' points not the Owners' points that matter for the top 35.

I hope so that would allow someone like Nemechek who ran full time in both to say run for points in nationwide where he actually has a decent chance of winning and still allowing his cup team to collect owner points and money. He could still run some cup races to the end when money allows but that doesn't seem to happen enough to make running for the driver's title worthwhile.

As for the bushwackers it won't stop them from running but they may be less likely to be flying cross-country to run in the non-companion races. Which in my opinion could make the cup title chase closer this year with guys like Edwards and Busch only focusing on one series.

I don't mind the cup guys racing in the lower tiers it's when they take the title away from teams and drivers that only run that series that it bothers me.

 

[labontefanboy]

There's good and bad with this. Look at Trevor Bayne-it's likely he'll be running 17 races, which would make him eligible for cup ROTY, EXCEPT.... he'll be running for the NWS championship.