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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
SPENCER: It Could Happen
A winless NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion doesn’t even seem possible, does it?...
Jimmy Spencer  |  Posted September 10, 2009   Charlotte, NC
Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it on SPEED. (Photo: SPEED)
As unfathomable as it seems, there is a distinct possibility the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will have a big goose egg in the win column.

A winless Sprint Cup champion? That doesn’t even seem possible, does it?

But Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman and Juan Pablo Montoya, all currently vying for spots in the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, have combined for zero wins this year. That’s not to say that if all four make the Chase, they won’t visit Victory Lane at least once, because they very well could. But what if they don’t?

The points system is structured in such a way that this scenario could become a reality and ignite a huge firestorm. How can we have a champion who hasn’t even won a race? Recall that the Chase initially was instituted in the 2004 season after Matt Kenseth won the 2003 title on the strength of only one win but 25 top-10 finishes, while Ryan Newman won eight races but finished sixth.

Should this situation unfold, rest assured NASCAR wouldn’t be too happy because the lingering question that would always follow their 2009 champion is, “How can you be the champion and not have won a race?”

I don’t like this possibility at all but it’s been a strange year already – two first-time winners seized victory in the rain; we’ve had several different winners and several cars have run out of gas on the last couple of laps. So, I guess it would be keeping right in step to have a winless champion.

NASCAR has given teams more incentive to go for wins with the 10 bonus points paid out in the Chase for each win during the year. However, I suggest they up the ante to encourage drivers to throw caution to the wind in an attempt to win as many races as possible, and in turn, ratchet up the on-track excitement.

In the final 10 races, those 12 teams should be able to race for wins without the constant pressure of points racing. So, I’d like to see NASCAR consider throwing out a team’s three worst finishes of the 10 Chase races so the guys could really take some chances. Make only seven of the 10 final races count toward the final point tally.

The scenario would be spectacular. The value of a win would skyrocket, as would the worth of a fifth versus a sixth-place finish and so forth. A restructuring of this nature could produce results akin to that of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race last May, where we witnessed some of the best racing of all time because points were not a concern and winning was paramount.

If teams know they can eliminate three races, they might take another risk on fuel mileage or four tires versus two. Throw a big curveball into the Chase and encourage gambling for the entire 10 weeks. Under this system, I think they’d easily sell out the Homestead race because we potentially could have six or seven drivers with a shot at winning the championship in the final laps.

In a strange sort of way, I might enjoy seeing Montoya, Newman, Edwards or Biffle earn the championship without a win because it would force NASCAR’s hand in re-evaluating the system. I think the Chase has been great for the sport and has injected enthusiasm and attention back into it during a crucial time of year, but it could be even better. Enable the Chasers to take chances. After all, they’re in a league of their own with their own points system anyway.

Additionally, I am afraid that Kyle Busch is going to be the odd-man out Saturday night at Richmond, which is really unjust because he is tied for the most wins at four with Mark Martin. NASCAR points to consistency in these situations but how can we have drivers who have won the most races not make the cut and those without any wins get in the hunt?

There has to be a way to organize the system to enable those with the most victories to get in the Chase without expanding the field beyond 12 contenders, while at the same time, encourage them to stop points racing and just put on a heck of a show for the win.

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it as an analyst on NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Victory Lane on SPEED. He retired from driving with two NASCAR Sprint Cup, 12 NASCAR Nationwide and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, putting him in an elite group of drivers who have logged wins in all three of NASCAR’s premier divisions. In 478 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Spencer amassed 28 top-five and 80 top-10 finishes. He won back-to-back NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships in 1986 and 1987 on the heels of 15 victories, becoming the first driver ever to earn consecutive titles in the series. He earned the nickname “Mr. Excitement” for his flamboyant and aggressive driving style early in his racing career.
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