NASCAR: Dale Jr.’s Chase Suggestion Makes Sense

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently suggested a way to improve the Xfinity and Truck Series and it could be a great move for NASCAR.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the award for NASCAR’s “Most Popular Driver” for the 13th season in a row. That means people are going to listen when he talks, not just because he is popular, but because he is the face of the sport.

Recently, Earnhardt Jr. made a pretty interesting suggestion. In an article published by Dustin Long of NBC Sports, Jr. leaked his thoughts about the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series benefitting from a Chase format and mentioned that it would be a “great idea” for a postseason element to be added to the other series in NASCAR. If you would like to read more from the original article you can access it here.

The current Chase format for the Sprint Cup Series is one that has attracted much criticism from fans and experts alike. They are not fond of instances where elite drivers can be eliminated just because of one bad race. However, the fact of the matter is that NASCAR designed the Chase to be that way. They wanted it to be loaded with questions so there is no clear answer as to who will come out on top.

If NASCAR decided to go the route suggested by Jr. and add a Chase format to the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, it would definitely mix things up. In this past season, we saw Chris Buescher lead the Xfinity Series standings and Erik Jones lead the Truck Series standings throughout the time when the Chase would have been going on.

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Other drivers got close to them at times but there was never a legitimate threat of another driver taking the lead. That created a less interesting ending to the season and reminded me of the Sprint Cup Series before the new Chase format. There was a chance for someone else to win the Championship at Homestead but that chance never became much of a reality and there was no real drama leading into the dying moments of the race.

Now for the Sprint Cup Series, we’ve seen very high stakes in the past two seasons with things coming down to the last few laps. You never knew when a wreck could occur that would cause a caution and result in a late re-start.

Adding the Chase to the Xfinity Series and Truck Series would create a new style of racing in NASCAR’s less popular groups. It would get the younger guys ready for the intense moments that come with being a driver in the Sprint Cup Series.

Most importantly, it would provide some drivers with a shot at the title that they may have never had without a Chase format. The same reasons why there is drama surrounding the Sprint Cup Series Chase, like wrecks and mechanical failures, could give other guys a better chance at securing a title that they would’ve never dreamed of acquiring.

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In summary, it would take a lot for NASCAR to make a bold move and implement a Chase into their other major groups, but it would be a worthwhile move for the sport to make. The current Chase format brings out emotions in drivers that you would never expect to get mad and it truly is fun to watch the drivers competing each and every week.

A Chase format for the Xfinity Series and Truck Series would be risky but beneficial.