NASCAR championship weekend and the conclusion to the 2024 season are finally here, but what should normally feel like a joyous occasion is anything but.
Two NASCAR Cup Series teams (and one of its star drivers) are engaged in an ugly battle with NASCAR in court. Questions have been raised about the ethics of racing after a controversial finish to Friday’s (Nov. 1) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, and a possibility of payback exists for two Championship 4 drivers this weekend.
There was another miscue from Race Control (in a season full of them) after it failed to spot a runaway wheel under caution before restarting the Cup race, followed by a post-race decision to penalize Christopher Bell’s wall riding (a decision that took more than 20 minutes to hand out), knocking him out of the Championship 4.
And on top of it all, there is a blazing inferno taking over NASCAR regarding potential race manipulation and manufacturer orders to help William Byron and/or Bell advance.
What was shaping up to be a great race will now live in infamy. You have an owner/driver in Brad Keselowski taking shots at the playoffs, saying that Sunday (Nov. 3) should be the last straw with this format. The last 24 hours has arguably seen the most criticism ever leveled against this format, and cracks are beginning to form in the formation.
Just about all excitement in crowning this season’s champions is dead, and it’s partially dead (Martinsville Speedway controversies notwithstanding) because some of the best Cup drivers this season won’t be racing for a championship trophy on Sunday.
First, all the credit goes out to Byron, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney for qualifying for the Championship 4. Everyone knows the game, and they played the game to perfection.
But I wrote last month that sports experience the most success when its greatest (and by extension, most popular) teams are in the spotlight and competing for all the glory, which is something that NASCAR’s elimination format has consistently struggled to get right. And with all the questions, controversies and uncertainties surrounding the world of NASCAR this week, this year’s Championship 4 lineup is not one that moves the needle.
For starters, the winningest driver this season (Kyle Larson) has been eliminated. He’s won six races this season, while no one else has won more than three. Larson also leads the field in laps led, followed by the Joe Gibbs Racing…
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