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Post by JSPorts on Jan 5, 2019 11:45:04 GMT -5
In 2011, NASCAR changed the rules to make drivers select one series in which they would earn points. Then in 2016, they began placing more restrictions on which races the Cup drivers could run in lower series. Those restrictions were increased in 2017 and again in 2018. But have these strategies really been effective? To find out, let's look at a breakdown of Cup participation & winning in the lower series since 2011.
Cup drivers in the Xfinity Series:
2011: 224 starts (15%), 28 wins (82%)
2012: 238 starts (17%), 18 wins (55%)
2013: 147 starts (11%), 28 wins (85%)
2014: 168 starts (13%), 22 wins (67%)
2015: 142 starts (11%), 23 wins (70%)
2016: 165 starts (13%), 21 wins (64%)
2017: 170 starts (13%), 19 wins (58%)
2018: 77 starts (6%), 13 wins (39%)
The average Xfinity race since 2011 has 5 Cup drivers. The average Xfinity season since 2011 has 21 race wins poached by Cup drivers.
Cup drivers in the Truck Series:
2011: 44 starts (5%), 14 wins (56%)
2012: 45 starts (6%), 3 wins (14%)
2013: 44 starts (6%), 5 wins (23%)
2014: 33 starts (4%), 9 wins (41%)
2015: 27 starts (4%), 5 wins (22%)
2016: 18 starts (2%), 3 wins (13%)
2017: 21 starts (3%), 4 wins (17%)
2018: 10 starts (1%), 2 wins (9%)
The average Truck race since 2011 has 1 Cup driver. The average Truck season since 2011 has 6 race wins poached by Cup drivers.
As you can see, the new regulations in 2018 did a lot to decrease Cup driver participation. Clearly, the problem still exists, as Cup drivers won 27% of all lower-series races last year (over a quarter), but it's getting better. Hopefully, NASCAR will continue to implement rules to limit Cup drivers in the lower series.
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Post by racefan76 on Jan 5, 2019 12:26:20 GMT -5
I think another thing you should look at is Cup teams. I feel that that may have some influence on Buschwackers.
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Post by JSPorts on Jan 5, 2019 12:46:54 GMT -5
I think another thing you should look at is Cup teams. I feel that that may have some influence on Buschwackers. Xfinity Series: 2011: 9 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2012: 12 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2013: 14 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2014: 13 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2015: 17 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2016: 15 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2017: 17 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2018: 15 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2019 (projected): 12 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams Truck Series: 2011: 9 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2012: 5 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2013: 7 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2014: 4 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2015: 6 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2016: 6 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2017: 6 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2018: 5 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams 2019 (projected): 4 full-time Cup or Cup-affiliated teams This is interesting to look at, too. In 2011, there were 9 Cup teams in Xfinity and 9 in the Trucks. Since 2011, that number has increased in Xfinity but decreased in Trucks. |
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Post by Mile501 on Jan 5, 2019 20:46:43 GMT -5
I think it's a fairly good balance right now. Ideally, I'd love to see drivers run in only one series. But many drivers in the second-tier (Busch, Nationwide, Xfinity) series over the years have stated that they enjoy running against Cup drivers to improve their skills. But, I'm sure getting beaten by them virtually every week isn't good for anyone. Plus, having Cup drivers helps fund other drivers (like Dale Jr.'s explanation that he ran one Xfinity race last year to pay for a lot of other races). Cup drivers winning around 1/3 of the races last years seems like a fairly good balance, all things considered.
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Post by JSPorts on Jan 6, 2019 9:55:33 GMT -5
I've always liked the idea that drivers should get an amount of races in the lower series based on their points position from the previous year. I don't have a problem with drivers being able to earn points in more than one series as long as there's a participation limit. If you finish 1st in Cup points, you should get 1 lower-series race the next year. 10th gets 10. 16th gets 16, etc. They could spread them out between Xfinity/Trucks/other lower divisions however they want. The reason I think that strategy is better than flat-out banning Cup drivers is that it would allow Cup teams to remain in the series but not run exclusively Cup drivers. It would also let a driver like Regan Smith (who finished 33rd in Cup points last year) run all the Xfinity races and compete for a title in that series, which I don't really have a problem with since he isn't dominating on Sundays and doesn't have a full-time ride, plus it would give team owners a chance to look at him again. Yeah, I know they could do that without him being allowed to compete for a title, but winning a championship would make a big difference. If they were to take this strategy, I don't think Cup drivers should be banned from the D4C, regular-season finale or playoff races. But if we look at the biggest Buschwhackers out there - Joey Logano could run 1 race, Harvick could run 3, Kyle Busch could do 4, Keselowski could do 8, Larson 9, Blaney 10, Austin Dillon 13, Jones 15. Keep in mind, that's not just Xfinity, but to be divided among all the lower-level series. Kyle Busch, supreme Buschwhacker, has run an average of 32 non-Cup races per year since 2005, when he became a full-time Cup driver. Last year, with the new rules, he ran only 12 (the maximum he could run.) Now he'd only be able to run 4 with this new rule, across any lower-division series (Xfinity, Truck, regional, local, international series.)
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Post by JSPorts on Jan 6, 2019 10:20:38 GMT -5
My point here is, it's better than it's been, and it may be as good as it's going to get, but it's still an issue.
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Post by Mile501 on Jan 6, 2019 14:14:00 GMT -5
I've always liked the idea that drivers should get an amount of races in the lower series based on their points position from the previous year. I don't have a problem with drivers being able to earn points in more than one series as long as there's a participation limit. If you finish 1st in Cup points, you should get 1 lower-series race the next year. 10th gets 10. 16th gets 16, etc. They could spread them out between Xfinity/Trucks/other lower divisions however they want. The reason I think that strategy is better than flat-out banning Cup drivers is that it would allow Cup teams to remain in the series but not run exclusively Cup drivers. It would also let a driver like Regan Smith (who finished 33rd in Cup points last year) run all the Xfinity races and compete for a title in that series, which I don't really have a problem with since he isn't dominating on Sundays and doesn't have a full-time ride, plus it would give team owners a chance to look at him again. Yeah, I know they could do that without him being allowed to compete for a title, but winning a championship would make a big difference. If they were to take this strategy, I don't think Cup drivers should be banned from the D4C, regular-season finale or playoff races. But if we look at the biggest Buschwhackers out there - Joey Logano could run 1 race, Harvick could run 3, Kyle Busch could do 4, Keselowski could do 8, Larson 9, Blaney 10, Austin Dillon 13, Jones 15. Keep in mind, that's not just Xfinity, but to be divided among all the lower-level series. Kyle Busch, supreme Buschwhacker, has run an average of 32 non-Cup races per year since 2005, when he became a full-time Cup driver. Last year, with the new rules, he ran only 12 (the maximum he could run.) Now he'd only be able to run 4 with this new rule, across any lower-division series (Xfinity, Truck, regional, local, international series.) I've seen you post that idea before and I do think it's a very good idea. I wonder if anyone within NASCAR has ever thought of it. Maybe you should send it to them somehow? |
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Post by JSPorts on Jan 6, 2019 14:32:19 GMT -5
I've always liked the idea that drivers should get an amount of races in the lower series based on their points position from the previous year. I don't have a problem with drivers being able to earn points in more than one series as long as there's a participation limit. If you finish 1st in Cup points, you should get 1 lower-series race the next year. 10th gets 10. 16th gets 16, etc. They could spread them out between Xfinity/Trucks/other lower divisions however they want. The reason I think that strategy is better than flat-out banning Cup drivers is that it would allow Cup teams to remain in the series but not run exclusively Cup drivers. It would also let a driver like Regan Smith (who finished 33rd in Cup points last year) run all the Xfinity races and compete for a title in that series, which I don't really have a problem with since he isn't dominating on Sundays and doesn't have a full-time ride, plus it would give team owners a chance to look at him again. Yeah, I know they could do that without him being allowed to compete for a title, but winning a championship would make a big difference. If they were to take this strategy, I don't think Cup drivers should be banned from the D4C, regular-season finale or playoff races. But if we look at the biggest Buschwhackers out there - Joey Logano could run 1 race, Harvick could run 3, Kyle Busch could do 4, Keselowski could do 8, Larson 9, Blaney 10, Austin Dillon 13, Jones 15. Keep in mind, that's not just Xfinity, but to be divided among all the lower-level series. Kyle Busch, supreme Buschwhacker, has run an average of 32 non-Cup races per year since 2005, when he became a full-time Cup driver. Last year, with the new rules, he ran only 12 (the maximum he could run.) Now he'd only be able to run 4 with this new rule, across any lower-division series (Xfinity, Truck, regional, local, international series.) I've seen you post that idea before and I do think it's a very good idea. I wonder if anyone within NASCAR has ever thought of it. Maybe you should send it to them somehow? I don't know if that's possible, and if it is, I'm not sure how to do it. |
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Post by Mile501 on Jan 6, 2019 20:11:18 GMT -5
I've seen you post that idea before and I do think it's a very good idea. I wonder if anyone within NASCAR has ever thought of it. Maybe you should send it to them somehow? I don't know if that's possible, and if it is, I'm not sure how to do it. I don't know either. I submitted some ideas to Marty Smith one time and never got a reply. In hindsight, he probably thought it was silly. Regarding contacting NASCAR, Jayski has this information: www.jayski.com/pages/faqrace.htm#contact |
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