No Big Changes Expects in Points System/Chase: NASCAR has all but ruled out major changes to the point system or Chase for the Championship format, three of the sanctioning body's top officials said Thursday.

President Mike Helton, vice president for competition Robin Pemberton and Nextel Cup series director John Darby said if there are any changes, they'll be minor.

Helton said there is no need "to fix what isn't broken," and Darby said the most likely adjustment will be a few more points for wins. An announcement, he said, probably would come in January.

Darby said NASCAR executives favor keeping the Chase field at 10 drivers, but he wouldn't rule out changing the format to make it slightly easier for someone below 10th place to qualify.

Currently, any driver below 10th place who is within 400 points of the leader would qualify, and that hasn't happened yet. Pemberton said NASCAR won't drastically alter the existing formula, partly because of the risk of having someone who wins a few times during the Chase running away with it.

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I don't think there needs to be major changes. I'm all for giving a winner 10 or so more points, but that's about it, and maybe increasing the 400-point margin.

The only thing I truly want to see is more points for wins.

Agreed 100%

I don't want to see a big change. Maybe 10, 15 max.

I want 20. Something fairly significant, but not over-the-top. I read an article yesterday where the guy was like, "Double the points for winning."

Really? 360? Um.

They don't need to double them, but the do need some kind of increase for winning.

Doubling the points for winning would be dumb.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what they do.

:nod I agree with having just a few more points for getting a win but not too much.

I'm in favor of limiting the past champion's provisional and adding more points for a win, but no more than 200 total. Besides those changes, during the first 26 races, I think that the current points system is fine the way it is. It'll help winners a little and reward the ten most consistent drivers and teams spots in the Chase. I don't want to see more than 10 drivers and teams in the Chase.

I'm mixed as to whether or not I want a new points system for the top 10 once the Chase starts. Theoretically, we could see a driver who isn't necessarily running well win the Championship because they consistently finish top 15 every week while the driver and team running the best has a few problems. However, the last three years, the driver who was running the best overcame some problems and won the Championship that he deserved. So, I think that I’m happy with the current Chase system, too, although I would prefer that it be removed entirely...which isn't going to happen.

Another change that I'd like to see happen is changing the way that the starting lineup is determined. In 2004, the top 35 rule worked well because there were only 35 competitive, fully-sponsored teams. Now, there are going to be 50+, and something needs to change. Theoretically, NASCAR could increase the top 35 rule to top 38-43, but that would work terribly with only 43 cars racing each week. Limiting the top 35 to top 25-35 could potentially work, but it would make a lot more teams miserable every Friday and reverse what they're trying to accomplish with the top 35.

The best solution that I see is increasing the amount of cars that can race every week, but until a way to accommodate this in the pits is reached, then I don’t see any solution. I think it’s ridiculous, though, that there may be 15+ go-or-go home cars racing for 2 spots during each of the the two Gatorade Duel races. Daytona’s a large track, and NASCAR should at least be able to add more pit stalls there. I wouldn't mind seeing more exciting Gatorade Duels and larger field in the Daytona 500.

Me too.

I agree.

rewarding more points for a win is a good start........see how that works and then go from there. I think changing a few things at a time is the smart way to go so you don't go to drastic and over-do things.

It will be interesting to see what does happen and what changes they do make come January

I agree awarding more points for winning...

part of me would like to see in the final races the top 10 having thier own point system so that way if someone outside of the top 10 screws up then it doesn't ruin the chances for a top 10 driver... but I wouldn't want something super drastic... maybe they get their usual points and then X amount of extra points for where they finish out of the top 10... but then again I say only part of me would like to see that. The other part of me thinks I'd get too darned confused if they did :)