NASCAR needs to make championship race changes to shake things up a bit. I’ve had a few ideas floating around in my head for a while. It is time to share them.

Now, I’ve written article after article complaining about the direction of NASCAR. It really makes the sport less enjoyable for me to watch. Ergo, I’ve decided to take a slightly different approach. I accept that this next gen car is here to stay. Furthermore, I don’t think NASCAR is ever going to realize that the so-called “parity” the car brings is actually hurting the sport. For example, a lot of people want to blame the broadcast booth for missing certain battles. Here’s the thing, it’s hard to know where to look when the entire field can’t pass and looks like a 180 mph parking lot, but I digress.

Instead, I’m going to lean into the direction of the sport and make suggestions in places where I think NASCAR could actually make some improvements even in the next gen era of Cup series racing. Ultimately, I think some big changes could be made to the championship race that could make both older more hardcore fans and newer more casual fans happy.

Championship race

Image Credit: NASCAR.com

First change is the simplest

First and foremost, NASCAR needs to get rid of the 15 point bonus for winning the regular season. Make the regular season more important by granting the regular season champion an automatic berth into the championship race. It only makes sense. Right now the regular season doesn’t mean a whole lot. Basically, it’s a win and you’re in the playoffs, which are the last ten races of the season. This diminishes the value of the regular season, as well as the meaning of regular season wins beyond that first one.

People will want to say that this is too big of a prize for winning the regular season championship, and that making this change will diminish the importance of the playoffs. There is a way to do this which doesn’t diminish the playoffs either. Four drivers will still make the final championship race via the playoffs. If the regular season champion happens to be one of them, then it will just be four drivers competing for the championship. If four other drivers qualify for the championship race via the playoffs system, then it’ll be a five car race for the title. This isn’t basketball. It doesn’t have to be a “final four.”

Championship Race

Image Credit: NASCAR.com

Second Change is a throwback

The second change is a bit of a throwback to old school NASCAR. In a way, part of this change isn’t really a change at all. Currently, for the drivers competing for the championship, there are no stage points or bonus points. It’s all about where they finish. The first part of the second change for the championship race, is to make this the situation for the whole field.

Of course, I want to take it a couple steps further than that. How about for the championship race we just don’t use stages? I know that NASCAR execs are worried about the field getting too separated, but this could be something that is done to set the championship race apart from all the other races. Making the championship race different, will naturally draw more people to it. I’m no NFL fan. I prefer college football, but I still try and watch the Super Bowl. I feel like that is what NASCAR is after with their playoff system and having one race decide the champion. Ergo, we need to make the race different. It should be tougher. Eliminating stage racing for the championship race would be one way of doing that.

Championship Race

Image Credit: Jared C. Tilton — Getty Images

A Little More Throwback Please

Another part of this “throwback change,” as I like to call it, is the championship race should have like a weeks worth of activities building up to it. Practice is limited these days. I want an off week for the teams prior to the championship race. The track should be open the Monday before the championship weekend and remain open for all teams to practice.

Recently, NASCAR offered to relax the rules for the all-star Race for teams to experiment. The teams decided against it, due to the million dollar prize for winning not being large enough. How about a championship title? The excessive rules for modifications of the next gen car parts should be removed for the championship race. This would give the teams reason to use Monday through Thursday for testing at the track prior to the championship race.

The streaming rights could be sold for testing/practice sessions. It would really build up to the championship race. It will always be hard to compete with the Daytona 500. Still, a lot of fans miss Daytona Speedweeks. Take that concept and bring it to the championship race. This leads me to my final change to the championship race.

Championship Race

Image Credit: Andy Coffey — Pit Pass Network

Make the Championship Racetrack unique for the Season

The championship race should be the first time the drivers visit the specific track. It should alternate every year. Furthermore, every type of track should be in the rotation. Road courses, superspeedways, short tracks, street courses, etc should all be in the rotation. With a week’s worth of practice before the race and the removal of the strict Next Gen modification rules, we won’t have to worry about a good race being put on.

Obviously, this would leave crown jewel races out of the championship. Daytona isn’t going to give up the Daytona 500 to host the championship race, nor should it. Regardless, the championship race should be one of a kind for that season. Whatever track holds it, loses its other spots in the schedule. This will open up the schedule to expand to new areas, as well. Imagine a championship race being held at Bristol with the theoretical roof installed! That would be worth giving up the two other spots. With the rules being dropped, I trust the crew chiefs would be able to put on a great championship race even with the next gen car.