...and I thought this year's MLB World Series was the quietest one I have ever heard about...
I have no problem with Jimmie Johnson, but NASCAR has become a joke the past ten years (and even some before that). I was never super fanatical about it, because I don't like racing that goes in a circle, but the powers that be in it have made so many stupid decisions the past decade it's a shell of even it's former self and even the redeeming qualities it used to have are long gone. The "Car of Tomorrow", The Chase, among countless other blunders that are more than I care to list right now have destroyed it. It's not racing so much as contrived entertainment on wheels disguised as racing, and the longer it goes on the less people it's fooling. Jimmie Johnson just so happens to have his winning streak during the crappiest moment of NASCAR's existence.
Ding!
Long time Nascar fan. The Chase has destroyed Nascar.
It used to be 36 races to decide the champion. A driver might wrap the chase up with 2 races to go, but that was a rarity.
Now its 26 races to decide who gets to race for the chance to race for the championship.
If your driver is outside the top twelve, why watch? He isn't going to win, even if he won the last 10 races. He is officially out of the chase.
2004 Old system: J. Gordon | Chase: K. Busch
2005 Old System: T. Stewart | Chase: T. Stewart
2006 Old System: J. Johnson | Chase: J. Johnson
2007 Old System: J. Gordon | Chase: J. Johnson
2008 Old System: C. Edwards | Chase: J. Johnson
2009 Old System: J. Johnson | Chase: J. Johnson
Its like taking the NYC marathon, stopping them at 20 miles, taking the top 10 runners from there, restarting the last 6 miles, and only the top 10 at 20 miles can win, regardless of who actually wins.