NASCAR: Introducing even chances for all drivers.
NASCAR has devised a new rule to the upcoming championship to prevent the season dominancy that the Sprint Cup drivers have enjoyed in the Nationwide Series in recent times.
The drivers are now reduced to elect a single championship among the top three series – Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck – to further pursue a championship eliminating the chances of the high skilled drivers to double
dip, chasing two championships at once.
The last year’s Nationwide Series champion, Brad Keselowslki finished 25th in the final Sprint Cup standing while the runner-up in the Nationwide standings, Carl Edwards finished fourth over-all. The new rules are designed
to make sure that the points shall be accumulated in only one series.
The news has not been officially announced yet but several drivers told NASCAR.com that an addition in their applications for the 2011 competition license suggests accordingly.
The RAB Racing driver Kenny Wallace said the application reads: “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.”
The scoring strategy of NASCAR, with “non-point” drivers is not yet clear but all announcements, including the changes in the License forms and the others about the NASCAR 2011 season are due next week.
NASCAR is currently looking ahead for 21st January when they have scheduled a “competition update”, where in the presence of NASCAR President Mike Helton; they will announce all the changes.
“I’m sure we can answer all your questions at our competition update” said the NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp. Tharp also confirmed that NASCAR would state the method of awarding the championship points to the drivers in each division’s
race.
However, NASCAR’s new rules would not be a hindrance to the drivers competing in as many races as they can in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and the Camping World Truck series. This would make it probable that a Cup driver would have
even chances to beat the Nationwide champion in the “traditional” standings.