Despite confusing points swaps, top-35 rule is still good
Bob Pockrass
Bob Pockrass began covering NASCAR in 1992, primarily covering short-track racing and events. He has worked for Street & Smith's Motorsports Group since 2003.
With all the last-minute swapping of points – Front Row Motorsports is trying to make a deal to get Travis Kvapil and Robert Richardson Jr. locked into the Daytona 500 field, presumably with points from Yates Racing – it tends to get fans angry with the top-35 rule. It makes a joke of a system that in reality is a good one.
Racing purists might say the 43 fastest cars in qualifying should be the ones to make the show. But the top-35 rule allows teams to concentrate two days of practice on getting ready for the race instead of one day on qualifying and another on racing. It allows a sponsor to have confidence that as long as the team has minimal performance, its cars will be in the race. It allows fans to have confidence that as long as their favorite driver has minimal performance, he likely will be starting on Sunday (an owner can always replace a driver).
That’s good, and leaving at least seven spots open (and one past champion’s provisional) is enough, although if NASCAR changed it to a top-30 rule, that could make qualifying a little more exciting.
Still, the real show is Sunday, not Friday in qualifying. The best drivers and the best teams belong in that show. They shouldn’t have to throw a ton of money and a ton of time toward qualifying each week. If NASCAR wants a show on Friday, then have qualifying races for those not locked in.
All the last-minute dealing for points is just a sour reality of a good rule. NASCAR could set a deadline for points swapping, and that might not be a bad thing, but a points swap, whether on Dec. 31 or Jan. 31, will leave a bad taste in someone’s mouth. The only benefit would be those in limbo would know how to set up their cars for the first practice a little earlier.
Many good rules have unfortunate consequences. And the top-35 rule is one that needs to stay, even if it makes people want to shake their heads when looking at the Daytona 500 lineup and shake them throughout the year when an aspiring driver qualifies better than one of the drivers with a guaranteed spot.
