Denny's Tournament idea (drivers, truck, nascar, racing)

[Labonte18]

Read through this..


https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/n...ascar-exciting


Interesting, at least.

[UpstateJohn]

Sounds like more of the play-off system that many dont like.

[USNRET04]

Originally Posted by UpstateJohn

Sounds like more of the play-off system that many dont like.

I tell ya, my view of Denny Hamlin has changed so much since he started his podcast. I have listened to every one this season and is the first podcast I listen to after the race. He says some pretty good things and seems to be humble and mostly based.

You know what would really improve NASCAR? Put a friggin driver that has a business background in as president one day. Or at the very least, let the Drivers Council have a bigger say in NASCAR decisions that concern racing. Major decisions would go in front of a three person board...NASCAR, the Owners rep and a Drivers rep.

Some of these drivers, like Denny, have great ideas. Not sure how this one would fly, but it does sound like fun and I agree would bring in more viewers for the lackluster racing we have been watching of late.

I miss the Winston Million (grand slam). I thought that was a very cool concept and made some of the races more exciting. I still have the image in my mind when Jeff Gordon won it by narrowly beating Jeff Burton on the last lap of the 1997 Southern 500 and was following the armored truck around the track as it threw out "money" onto Jeff's car.

[UpstateJohn]

Originally Posted by USNRET04

I tell ya, my view of Denny Hamlin has changed so much since he started his podcast. I have listened to every one this season and is the first podcast I listen to after the race. He says some pretty good things and seems to be humble and mostly based.

You know what would really improve NASCAR? Put a friggin driver that has a business background in as president one day. Or at the very least, let the Drivers Council have a bigger say in NASCAR decisions that concern racing. Major decisions would go in front of a three person board...NASCAR, the Owners rep and a Drivers rep.

Some of these drivers, like Denny, have great ideas. Not sure how this one would fly, but it does sound like fun and I agree would bring in more viewers for the lackluster racing we have been watching of late.

I miss the Winston Million (grand slam). I thought that was a very cool concept and made some of the races more exciting. I still have the image in my mind when Jeff Gordon won it by narrowly beating Jeff Burton on the last lap of the 1997 Southern 500 and was following the armored truck around the track as it threw out "money" onto Jeff's car.

If Denny retired today it wouldnt hurt my feelings one bit. I lost any repsect I had for him years ago.

I dont see anything "good" happening anytime soon. Nascar is going to do what they want, and no influence from any driver is going to change that, current or retired. Their cash cow went away Feb 18, 2001, and it has gone down hill since. (No, I never was an fan, but respected the man.) Granted many good things have happened since, but the quality of racing has gone down drastically especially the last 2 years with this new car, and Nascar is hurting. Its going to take more than just changing the way the run a race to bring Nascar back from the edge of extinction.

[Labonte18]

This is more akin to.., The NCAA tournament happening in the middle of the season..



It's an interesting idea. It's only 5 races.. Maybe if I have some time today I'll see if I can dig up the points over the past few years and the 11th to 15th race results and see how this would have turned out. Skipping the 2020 season for obvious reasons.

[Labonte18]

I love crunching numbers like this.. So.. i'm doing 2022 to start with.. The 10th race was Talladega, so that's where your seeding is set. Top 5 seeds are Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman.


Round 1 takes place at Dover.



4 of the 5 top seeds made it through. #3 Byron lost to #30 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr

There were only 5 surprises in the first round.. "Upsets" shall we say, which.. I mean, upset really isnt' the term for this, but.. Go with it.

Outside of the above mentioned, there was


#16 Austin Cindric lost to #17 Erik Jones
#20 Chris Buescher beat #13 Austin Dillon
#27 Corey Lajoie beat #6 Joey Logano
#23 Michael McDowell beat #10 Aric Almirola


Round 2 takes place from the historic Darlington Speedway.

Race was won by Joey Logano.. But he was eliminated in round 1. We do have our Cinderella stories.. Michael McDowell is the lowest seed still remaining, originally seeded at #23. The top of the charts, however.. While our #1 seed Chase Elliott lives on.. The next highest seed is #8 which is MTJ.


Round 3 brings us to Kansas Speedway. Kurt Busch won this race, but he was eliminated in round 1 by Tyler Reddick..



Kansas shakes things up yet again. Cinderella McDowell makes it through yet again and our top seed is eliminated.

This leaves us with a final four of..


#8 - MTJ
#12 - Chase Briscoe
#14 - Christopher Bell
#23 - Michael McDowell

Which brings us to Charlotte for the Coke 600. Briscoe defeats MTJ and Bell BARELY edges out McDowell with Bell finishing 5th and McDowell 8th


So, this sets up our 'championship' race at Gateway

Briscoe leads laps, but at the end of the day, Christopher Bell with a 9th place finish takes the tourney.


Finishes of 4th, 6th, 5th, 5th and 9th for Bell


Finishes of 13th, 20th, 24th, 4th and 24th for Briscoe

Bell is really fascinating if you look through this.. He had great finishes.. and he needed them.

Round 1 - Bell 4th, Suarez 14th
Round 2- Bell 6th, Stenhouse 8th
Round 3 - Bell 5th, Harvick 15th
Round 4 - Bell 5th, McDowell 8th
Round 5 - Bell 9th, Briscoe 24th


here's the full bracket that you can go and look at.

https://brackethq.com/b/ecbhb/




I'm not sure where I fall on this. Just putting this together was fun and interesting, so.. That'd probably be pretty cool to see it play out over 5 weeks on track. But.. Will it distract from the overall season championship?

If this were used more like the Dash for Cash or the No Bull races or something.. Maybe it has a chance.

Denny's idea of a 3 million prize for anyone with a perfect bracket is interesting. would get fan interest.

Anyone who took Michael McDowell over Almirola, Larson and Reddick.. Hell, you pick those upsets.. More power to you.

I may put together a few more years here. I do have to say it's intriguing at least.

[Labonte18]

So.. 2021.. Our top seed is Denny Hamlin.. Once again, we start with the standings after Talladega.

Top 5, only 1 upset again, #5 Ryan Blaney is knocked out by #28 Chase Briscoe with Chase having a 20th place finish vs a 21st for Blaney at Kansas


round 2 goes to Darlington

MTJ wins the race.. Our Cinderella this year is Chase Briscoe who was seeded at #28. Makes it through beating Austin Dillon


Round 3 is Dover

We lose our #1 and #2 seeds here, along with Cinderella Briscoe. Leaving us with a final 4 of

William Byron, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott and.. Ryan Newman

Round 4 is COTA

Chase Elliott gets the win and moves to the finals.. While Ryan Newman knocks off Kevin Harvick with a 24th place finish to Harvick's 37th

And our final race is the Coke 600. Chase Elliott vs Ryan Newman


Not even close. Chase with a runner up finish and Ryan finishes 27th, 4 laps down.




https://brackethq.com/b/tfbhb/

[Labonte18]

And.. Just for giggles.. Let's put the bracket for 2023 up here, and i'll try to update it over the next 5 races.

https://brackethq.com/b/chbhb/

[silas777]

I just like the fact that the NASCAR community is finally acknowledging they have a ratings/viewer/ fan base problem.
I personally see this as just another gimmick, extremely convoluted, instead of just going back to what they were doing when they didn't have a fan base problem. They are grasping for something that isnt there.

[Labonte18]

Originally Posted by silas777

I just like the fact that the NASCAR community is finally acknowledging they have a ratings/viewer/ fan base problem.
I personally see this as just another gimmick, extremely convoluted, instead of just going back to what they were doing when they didn't have a fan base problem. They are grasping for something that isnt there.

I look at it more as a 'race within a race' kinda thing. Done when you're far enough into the season, but far enough away from the playoffs.


Just something to drum up a little extra interest in these races. Which.. If we're being honest.. This can often be a boring part of the schedule..


Dover, Kansas, Darlington, Coke 600 and Gateway are the races this year.


Darlington is.. Probably the best of the bunch. At least.. Historically. You can have good races at the others there.. But.. Your more apt to have a zonk with them, too.

In reality.. This is probably more something for the gamblers. That's where everyone's trying to get people in now.. Get them gambling which means they're invested, which means they watch.