Second Thoughts: Chase Format Puts Spotlight On Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace Decisions

When NASCAR introduced the new Chase system and got rid of the win-and-in element to its postseason, there was the thought that drivers might not make bold moves or crew chiefs might not take chances because of the new points system. And in some ways, fans can argue that has happened. Crazy moves for the win where the leaders crash? Haven’t seen it. But at least for one Cup race, that wasn’t the case. Chase Elliott’s team made a relatively bold decision to pit twice instead of once in the final stage, putting it in position to be a couple of laps down if the caution came out at the wrong time. Bubba Wallace appeared to let the frustration get to him as he turned Carson Hocevar (Wallace said in his television interview he misjudged it) and ended up wrecking himself out of the race. Both moves resulted in huge point swings. Elliott ended up with the win and a boatload of points. If he had lost a couple of laps, he possibly would have finished with around 15 points instead of 55. Wallace was the big loser, finishing with one point while Hocevar finished with 20. Just how much of a difference does that make? A difference of 40 points would have dropped Elliott from fourth to eighth in the standings. A difference of 19 points would have put Wallace from tied for eighth to sixth in the standings. Drivers and teams need to weigh these possibilities more in the new points system, where regular-season standing could make or break whether a driver qualifies for the Chase and how much of a shot that driver has at a championship. In the past, risking it on fuel mileage to get the win (and the automatic playoff berth or the playoff points) made sense, even if it cost 20-30 regular-season points. In the past, going off the strategy could win a race but if things don’t go the needed way, it could cost 10-20 points. In this system, teams and drivers need to make methodical and deliberate decisions. There is only one problem with that: They are competitors in race cars. That isn’t a recipe for methodical and deliberate for every occasion. Has the new points system made it so that a driver doesn’t make a crazy move for the win on the final lap? Possibly. And while that is a shame for the highlight reel or the water cooler talk, it probably adds to what fans view as the legitimacy of the racing. In past years, there was so much “don’t hate the player, hate the game” that NASCAR opted to change the game. But as long as there is a trophy available and fenders on the cars, there will be teams that roll the dice for a win and there will be drivers who make silly moves out of frustration. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing — unless you’re the driver losing points. The dramatic moments now will be more natural. Such as banking on the caution not coming out (or that history says it will come out). Such as getting into a wreck that is probably avoidable. Did the drivers do the right thing? It’s pretty obvious from the result in the points whether the choice was good or bad. And it shows that no matter the system, human nature and race cars can create drama.