General Discussion Sunday - a post to discuss whatever you want: the economy, other sports, books, or anything else on your mind, even further NASCAR discussion!
Reminder for tomorrow's announcement: The lawsuit was never about the points system. People who say they are going to stop watching are lying because they are going to show up in the race threads anyway. Just because people are okay with the new format, don't call them "shills" or "bootlickers" because, come on, that's getting old, and you need to get more creative. And finally, it's not an illegitimate championship, no matter how much you scream, cry, and argue.
I am looking forward to the changes and see how it impacts the teams, strategies, and the race itself. Whenever there is change , there is also some sort of unpredictable outcome. I am curious what that may be and how much impact it has. I have been a NASCAR fan for nearly 40 years going back to the Rusty Wallace Miller Genuine Draft days. There have been many changes over the years. Some good, some bad. No matter what, I keep coming back year after year.
I'm at the point in my life where I no longer have space to be upset about results in NASCAR. I didn't love the playoffs, but I found parts to enjoy. I may not love the next system, but I'll also find parts to like.
Yeah...I'm in the same boat here. I know going in that I'll be disappointed that it isn't full-season, but I also keep reminding myself that nearly anything (IMO) is better than the single-race champion format we've been living with. Really, I'm only surprised that full-season managed to get as much seemingly-legit momentum behind it as it did...enough that I allowed myself to think it might actually happen for a while. It will be interesting to see the unintended consequences that come from whatever the new rules are.
I had a fight the other day with someone who said Larson wasn't a legitimate champion, despite scoring the most points because everyone would have raced differently under a different system.
They went into Phoenix looking to be mad, and no matter what happened, they found their excuse.
You don’t even need to make that argument. He won under the system that applied to everyone. That’s enough. Did he basically luck into it because Hamlin took four tires at the end? Yup. But that’s still legitimate.
Three and many more. The legitimate champion is whoever wins and the in-place rules have been uniformly applied. Period. All this piety and whining about "legitimacy" parameters has become performative.
To call something legitimate or illegitimate requires this not to all be made up in the first place. Grandpappys championship was not getting caught by the Feds while moving shine. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren had to make up some arbitrary rules to define winning. What the Chase format did was make NASCAR incomparable to other racing that uses standard formats, and it made it incomparable to its own history.
Is Jimmie's championships equivalent to Dale's and Richard's? People are going to have differing opinions about that. If the championship format were the same, there would be no question about it.
Dale is in the conversation for best racer ever. And part of that comparison can be made becase so many other motorsports use a simiar points formats to when Dale blazed those championships. Does Jimmie belong in that conversation? Maybe, but again people will disagree because of the format, and there would be ZERO debate if he won under the old format.
Whether or not we like it, this format has driven a wedge between NASCAR and the rest of motorsports. Even the beautiful nightmare that is dirt track racing normally has a championship base off seasonal point totals. I personally think it is important for us to rejoin the rest of motorsports, because it makes us equivalent to F1, Indy, IMSA, etc. just with different car builds.
FWIW, I also dislike that the Indianapolis 500 is double points for a single race, but thats another story.
Also a general discussion Sunday post that auto sorts by new on Superbowl Sunday. That way we can shitpost about it among friends, but I know if we put “Superbowl” in the title we’re basically inviting bots.
No matter how much some NASCAR fans complain about the points format, they aren’t nearly as bad as Supercross fans complaining about the broadcast every week.
Yay me. Corporate just added 3 more hours onto our Saturday. So now our 6 1/2 hour "half day" is almost a regular 10 hour weekday. And Saturdays at our shop are mostly nickle and dime stuff, not major mechanical.
We have had all sorts of different sponsors over the years. It would nice to see some really over the top ones for a change. With some activities becoming more mainstream nowadays, it would be interesting to see sponsors from Previously taboo activities. Like a Cannabis distributor or Adult entertainment company.
Which brings another question. Does NASCAR need to approve paint schemes prior to a race?
I would assume that NASCAR still has to approve them. There have been cases in the past of teams showing up with a scheme and having to make changes due to NASCAR feeling the sponsor and/or something about the scheme was inappropriate.
Would people hate if it is a full season points format but the last 8-10 races are worth double points? We get our full season format but something to make the last 10 races more exciting.
Ross Chastain is returning to Niece Motorsports for an eight-race schedule in the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Team Reaume announced its crew chief lineup and has rebranded from Reaume Brothers Racing. Front Row Motorsports solidified its personnel roster for the 2026 season, including tapping Grant Hutchens as crew chief for the No. 4 Ford. Spire Motorsports announced crew chief details and a partnership with Tibbetts Lumber Company for Michael McDowell's Daytona Truck Series opener. Chip Wile, a long-time NASCAR executive and former Daytona International Speedway president, has been named Executive Director of the NASCAR Drivers Advisory Council. Ram launched an innovative reality competition series called Race For The Seat to offer a new path for a driver to enter NASCAR. The Kulwicki Driver Development Program began its North American search for the 2026 "Underbirds" to identify and support future talent. NASCAR has a new 750-horsepower rules configuration for most Cup Series tracks and held an organizational test at North Wilkesboro this past week. Country music superstar Miranda Lambert was announced as the pre-race concert performer for the 2026 Daytona 500. The ARCA Menards Series held pre-race practice sessions at Daytona International Speedway on January 9-10, 2026, as teams prepare for their season-opening race.
Welp, the settlement was the dawn of the new era of NASCAR and tomorrow’s announcement is another piece to that puzzle. Hopefully they made the right decision, I am little nervous.
Reminder for tomorrow's announcement: The lawsuit was never about the points system. People who say they are going to stop watching are lying because they are going to show up in the race threads anyway. Just because people are okay with the new format, don't call them "shills" or "bootlickers" because, come on, that's getting old, and you need to get more creative. And finally, it's not an illegitimate championship, no matter how much you scream, cry, and argue.
I am looking forward to the changes and see how it impacts the teams, strategies, and the race itself. Whenever there is change , there is also some sort of unpredictable outcome. I am curious what that may be and how much impact it has. I have been a NASCAR fan for nearly 40 years going back to the Rusty Wallace Miller Genuine Draft days. There have been many changes over the years. Some good, some bad. No matter what, I keep coming back year after year.
I'm at the point in my life where I no longer have space to be upset about results in NASCAR. I didn't love the playoffs, but I found parts to enjoy. I may not love the next system, but I'll also find parts to like.
Yeah...I'm in the same boat here. I know going in that I'll be disappointed that it isn't full-season, but I also keep reminding myself that nearly anything (IMO) is better than the single-race champion format we've been living with. Really, I'm only surprised that full-season managed to get as much seemingly-legit momentum behind it as it did...enough that I allowed myself to think it might actually happen for a while. It will be interesting to see the unintended consequences that come from whatever the new rules are.
And remember the championship isn’t illegitimate because your driver didn’t win.
If that was the case, only the 1989 champion is the only legitimate champion in the history of the sport (sarcasm).
I'm prepared for a vocal minority to be very upset with the changes.
I'm also prepared for the "does anyone miss the playoffs" posts in 6 months.
And if people are happy tomorrow, I expect them to be upset 6 months from now
Talk to em’, PoopyPants 💯
So this makes two people who realize not liking a format doesn’t make it illegitimate. Maybe we’ll convince a few others eventually.
I had a fight the other day with someone who said Larson wasn't a legitimate champion, despite scoring the most points because everyone would have raced differently under a different system.
They went into Phoenix looking to be mad, and no matter what happened, they found their excuse.
It’s the same people complaining too.
You don’t even need to make that argument. He won under the system that applied to everyone. That’s enough. Did he basically luck into it because Hamlin took four tires at the end? Yup. But that’s still legitimate.
Three and many more. The legitimate champion is whoever wins and the in-place rules have been uniformly applied. Period. All this piety and whining about "legitimacy" parameters has become performative.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Oh you gonna get hate for this one
To call something legitimate or illegitimate requires this not to all be made up in the first place. Grandpappys championship was not getting caught by the Feds while moving shine. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren had to make up some arbitrary rules to define winning. What the Chase format did was make NASCAR incomparable to other racing that uses standard formats, and it made it incomparable to its own history.
Is Jimmie's championships equivalent to Dale's and Richard's? People are going to have differing opinions about that. If the championship format were the same, there would be no question about it.
Dale is in the conversation for best racer ever. And part of that comparison can be made becase so many other motorsports use a simiar points formats to when Dale blazed those championships. Does Jimmie belong in that conversation? Maybe, but again people will disagree because of the format, and there would be ZERO debate if he won under the old format.
Whether or not we like it, this format has driven a wedge between NASCAR and the rest of motorsports. Even the beautiful nightmare that is dirt track racing normally has a championship base off seasonal point totals. I personally think it is important for us to rejoin the rest of motorsports, because it makes us equivalent to F1, Indy, IMSA, etc. just with different car builds.
FWIW, I also dislike that the Indianapolis 500 is double points for a single race, but thats another story.
@Mods New points system megathread tomorrow please.
Or else we’ll be drowning in everyone’s opinions and how they would do it.
Also a general discussion Sunday post that auto sorts by new on Superbowl Sunday. That way we can shitpost about it among friends, but I know if we put “Superbowl” in the title we’re basically inviting bots.
"Only one week until Daytona" Sunday Megathread
I finished my Cookie Monster hat.
https://preview.redd.it/q50r450abscg1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46e75e9163a46d1b6cd090f32d3f31c51518e97b
I'm honestly kinda excited to see what the new format is.
I'm also dreading how insufferable this sub will be when it's not a full season points format
It would be funny if our expectations were subverted and the sub was oddly calm
The day that happens is the day the world will know peace
Bears won, I am so pleased. 🐻 ⬇️
FTP
My brain: Fuck Tha Police! Wait. That's a weird thing to say in this thread. Oh, Packers.
i've always wondered why the economy was always named first in these general post. like oh yeah how's the dow jones looking guys 😭
Alphabetical by the second letter. I mean, it's pretty obvious.
No matter how much some NASCAR fans complain about the points format, they aren’t nearly as bad as Supercross fans complaining about the broadcast every week.
I have a job interview tomorrow. If that fails, then I fall back on a program that you learn skills and certification while also giving you a stipend.
I wish you luck!
Yay me. Corporate just added 3 more hours onto our Saturday. So now our 6 1/2 hour "half day" is almost a regular 10 hour weekday. And Saturdays at our shop are mostly nickle and dime stuff, not major mechanical.
Time to retire and go fishing with the Mrs.
All I can seem to do is go missin with the fishes. lol
I just saw a video of Double Decker bus races. It was oddly amusing.
Getting closer to the Rolex 24 fellas! Im hyped
Same, hoping Zilisch gets his 2nd Rolex!
Zilisch getting his second Rolex before 20 when the Taylor brothers have two each and have been racing since they were in diapers, is crazy.
It is pretty crazy but it's definitely possible
So ready for the season to begin
We have had all sorts of different sponsors over the years. It would nice to see some really over the top ones for a change. With some activities becoming more mainstream nowadays, it would be interesting to see sponsors from Previously taboo activities. Like a Cannabis distributor or Adult entertainment company.
Which brings another question. Does NASCAR need to approve paint schemes prior to a race?
Yes, NASCAR does need to approve paint schemes.
I would assume that NASCAR still has to approve them. There have been cases in the past of teams showing up with a scheme and having to make changes due to NASCAR feeling the sponsor and/or something about the scheme was inappropriate.
Just getting over the hump of missing races. Felt nice to have Sundays free but let's get some cars roaring around the track again!
Most Normal Packers playoff loss
Would people hate if it is a full season points format but the last 8-10 races are worth double points? We get our full season format but something to make the last 10 races more exciting.
San Diego Fleet was a sports team name that went hard. Nobody will ever go that hard again. Alliance forever.
Ross Chastain is returning to Niece Motorsports for an eight-race schedule in the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Team Reaume announced its crew chief lineup and has rebranded from Reaume Brothers Racing. Front Row Motorsports solidified its personnel roster for the 2026 season, including tapping Grant Hutchens as crew chief for the No. 4 Ford. Spire Motorsports announced crew chief details and a partnership with Tibbetts Lumber Company for Michael McDowell's Daytona Truck Series opener. Chip Wile, a long-time NASCAR executive and former Daytona International Speedway president, has been named Executive Director of the NASCAR Drivers Advisory Council. Ram launched an innovative reality competition series called Race For The Seat to offer a new path for a driver to enter NASCAR. The Kulwicki Driver Development Program began its North American search for the 2026 "Underbirds" to identify and support future talent. NASCAR has a new 750-horsepower rules configuration for most Cup Series tracks and held an organizational test at North Wilkesboro this past week. Country music superstar Miranda Lambert was announced as the pre-race concert performer for the 2026 Daytona 500. The ARCA Menards Series held pre-race practice sessions at Daytona International Speedway on January 9-10, 2026, as teams prepare for their season-opening race.
so i guess the general consensus is 10 race chase? i'd be more than okay with that, obviously would rather have full season points though
What can we as a collective group on here jump to conclusions about today?
The new format will suck and the whole season will suck /s
https://preview.redd.it/3bbg4dqipscg1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7b39baedafb775041cead7e27356eeff7128d2f1
Dont mind me, just posting a Prius race car
https://preview.redd.it/6a4lfktu4qcg1.jpeg?width=3840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5db7f4fd7403cf1227626c9809feb79506558136
Here's a snapshot of the Camaro I mentioned from Wednesday, taken at Daytona
https://youtube.com/watch?v=a38vgSX5UV4
Fork In The Road did a good YouTube video showcasing the alternate timeline winner of every NASCAR race if there was no overtime.
What were other ESPN names for DNQs in the 1990s? All I can think of is “gone fishing”.
Flipping burgers or seeing granny are a few I remember
Welp, the settlement was the dawn of the new era of NASCAR and tomorrow’s announcement is another piece to that puzzle. Hopefully they made the right decision, I am little nervous.