Did Junior ‘Mail It In’ At Talladega? The New Chase System And Dale Jr., Are Under Fire!
The new chase system states that once you win a race, you are in the chase! Lucky for Dale Earnhardt Jr., he knew after Race One he was IN! That didn't seem to stop him from trying to win again. He’s had an impressive season so far. But after last week's Talladega race, NASCAR fans are left wondering: once my driver wins, is he going to take the rest of the season off?
Here's what happened:
Junior finished 26th at Talladega on Sunday. His fear of a late race wreck motivated him to go the back and just finish the race. Maybe he thought he could get back to the front once things calmed down, maybe he didn't. But this is what he thought was best for his racing strategy. He coasted to the end of the race.
"You know they're going to crash and I can't afford to wreck anymore here," said Earnhardt, who sustained a concussion in a multi-car crash at Talladega in October 2012. "You've just got to pick your battles, and I felt like we were better off not getting in a wreck and trying to stay back there." --USA Today
Is the new chase system allowing driver to “relax” and not try their hardest? Once you win a race, sit back and enjoy the ride? Or should drivers try their hardest to win every race, after all they have fans that pay money to see a win at the track or spend money on their merchandise!
I don’t know. I for one would like to see Jimmie WIN a race, but I also want to see him and his team working hard to be the best every week after that, it's the only way to know for sure you are ready when the chase does actually start.
Should NASCAR change the system back? Will we see more drivers relaxing and not really racing this year once they win? What do you think?