Points swapping could leave some NASCAR fans dazed and confused
The points swapping that appears to be going on among NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams is adding confusion to the opening races of the year.
The rule that guarantees the top 35 in owners points will make the field for each race is one of the few that allows teams to build equity in their operations. Since NASCAR does not franchise teams, it is often the lone tangible piece that teams have that shows the value of their organization when they are shutting down or ceasing operation of one of their teams. Still, however, the fact that those points are landing with teams other than those that bought the organization is confusing to those following the sport.
For example, the movement of points from Bill Davis Racing - which was sold to Triad Racing Technologies in the offseason - to the existing No. 77 Penske Racing team with driver Sam Hornish Jr. makes little sense. Also, the No. 41 team will not run at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and a No. 41 will run with Jeremy Mayfield, but it will not have the points of the original No. 41 because those could be transferred to another team. NASCAR requires only that minority ownership by the original team owner be had in the team getting the points. That's an easy concession for owners to make when it comes to the added value of locking someone into the field.
During the offseason the past two years, points have been moved around to lock drivers, who might not otherwise make a race, into those first five events of the season, the ones that are based on last year's owners standings. For two straight seasons, Hornish has locked into the opening five races that way, first by swapping points with teammate Kurt Busch - who was the most recent past champion outside the top 35 and was, therefore, essentially a lock for each of those races anyway - and now through some sort of deal with Bill Davis.
In an era when NASCAR is trying to open the door to new teams, to encourage groups to join the sport, this has become a way to keep the same older ones with an advantage entering each season.
And that's something the sanctioning body needs to consider.
