A NASCAR question

[Sir T-Cups]

As I'm briefly watching the Daytona 500 right now I hear them say that there was a big ol' accident right off the bat, and since those beginning laps one of the cars is coming back to race.

My question is why? Surely he can't win can he? since he's missed almost 20 some odd laps, so why return when you're clearly out?

[lisiate]

I'm not watching, but here are some possibilities/WAGs:

If the other cars are under caution while the damaged car was being fixed up there might not be that much of a deficit.
Contractual obligations to sponsors requiring the team to complete x number of laps?
Quirks in the points system - you can't record too many DNFs and stay qualified for the main competition?
Sheer bloody-mindedness; "I'll finish come hell or high water."
Ludicrous optimism; "I've had my share of bad luck already, now it's time for everyone else to hit the wall."

[Lamar Mundane]

Originally Posted by Sir T-Cups

As I'm briefly watching the Daytona 500 right now I hear them say that there was a big ol' accident right off the bat, and since those beginning laps one of the cars is coming back to race.

My question is why? Surely he can't win can he? since he's missed almost 20 some odd laps, so why return when you're clearly out?

I'm not a racing fan, but I'm pretty sure they have a season-long points system, so you are best served picking up as many as you can whenever you can. You could pass other drivers getting knocked out along the way.

[BrassyPhrase]

It may be the points thing? My Better Half is really more into open wheel/indy car, but will take NASCAR if that's what's there.


We're watching it too. Yay. (It's currently paused b/c he went to get me some pizza.)

But there are points for how many laps you do; points for if you finish a race; blah blah..yadda <soft snore>.

I'd rather watch the Herbie the Love Bug movies twenty times but I'm happy and cheery for him, b/c he gets all excited.

[Sir T-Cups]

They just said Danica is out to get her some experience, which makes sense to me.

But they never mentioned why the guy (whos name I can't remember) came back out after being about 20 down. Although points makes a lot of sense.

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Sir T-Cups

They just said Danica is out to get her some experience, which makes sense to me.

But they never mentioned why the guy (whos name I can't remember) came back out after being about 20 down. Although points makes a lot of sense.

In Danica's case, it's experience. She's registered for points in the Nationwide Series this year, and will only be racing about 10 Sprint Cup races.

Otherwise, yeah, it's points. Just get out there and run around and hope others drop out or get knocked out. You never know when that extra two or ten points you might gain will make a difference at the end of the season.

[thewgill]

In this sport, you ALWAYS get as many points as possible, even if it means running the last half of the race in a half wrecked machine hoping to squeeze out one more point.

[dzeiger]

Also note that in NASCAR, there are points given to the driver, and points given to the car (owner's points).

This is important in NASCAR because, after the first 5 races of the season, the cars in the top 35 points before each race are automatically qualified to run the race--qualifying laps are only for start position. If you're outside of the top 35, if you're not fast enough on qualifying day, you don't make the race.

So even though Danica is not running a full Cup schedule, the team owner might be trying to run the 10 car for the entire season with different drivers--the two or three points she picked up by going back out can help make sure the car gets in the race down the line.

[Munch]

Don't you get points for each lap you complete? Or is that just for laps with the lead?

[Wheelz]

Originally Posted by Munch

Don't you get points for each lap you complete? Or is that just for laps with the lead?

There are bonus points awarded for leading at least one lap and for leading the most laps in the race.

Other than that, you don't get points just for making laps, but for your finishing position. Coming back on the track after a wreck usually results in "passing" one or more cars that wrecked and couldn't get back out. As others have said, every point is valuable, so it's worth doing.

[Winnowill]

Originally Posted by dzeiger

Also note that in NASCAR, there are points given to the driver, and points given to the car (owner's points).

This is important in NASCAR because, after the first 5 races of the season, the cars in the top 35 points before each race are automatically qualified to run the race--qualifying laps are only for start position. If you're outside of the top 35, if you're not fast enough on qualifying day, you don't make the race.

So even though Danica is not running a full Cup schedule, the team owner might be trying to run the 10 car for the entire season with different drivers--the two or three points she picked up by going back out can help make sure the car gets in the race down the line.

Danica's racing for Stewart-Haas, home of reigning Sprint Cup champ Tony Stewart. Owner points aren't going to be a factor for her or anyone else on the team.

In her case she was racing for the experience, yes, but also (and this is the case with Kurt Busch who also came back out onto the track down a bunch of laps) to avoid a "DNF." If a team can keep a goose-egg in the "DNF" column for the season, it's a really good thing. For Busch, points were a consideration, as well, as he's doing the whole Sprint season. A couple of points can make all the difference in this sport. Just ask Carl Edwards.

[J-P L]

Originally Posted by Winnowill

Danica's racing for Stewart-Haas, home of reigning Sprint Cup champ Tony Stewart. Owner points aren't going to be a factor for her or anyone else on the team.

In her case she was racing for the experience, yes, but also (and this is the case with Kurt Busch who also came back out onto the track down a bunch of laps) to avoid a "DNF." If a team can keep a goose-egg in the "DNF" column for the season, it's a really good thing. For Busch, points were a consideration, as well, as he's doing the whole Sprint season. A couple of points can make all the difference in this sport. Just ask Carl Edwards.

Actually, Steward-Haas Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing have a deal to keep the 10 car racing the full season. David Reutiman will be drivving the races that Danica does not, so keeping the car in the top 35 is important for both organization.

[Winnowill]

Originally Posted by J-P L

Actually, Steward-Haas Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing have a deal to keep the 10 car racing the full season. David Reutiman will be drivving the races that Danica does not, so keeping the car in the top 35 is important for both organization.

Hmm. That's interesting - I hadn't heard that. So who's going to be driving the 93Toyota when Reutimann's driving the 10 Chevy? And how is it possible that TBR is running both Toyota and Chevy nameplates (I note that Dave Blaney's driving a TBR Chevy, too)?

[That Don Guy]

Originally Posted by lisiate

I'm not watching, but here are some possibilities/WAGs:

If the other cars are under caution while the damaged car was being fixed up there might not be that much of a deficit.

Contractual obligations to sponsors requiring the team to complete x number of laps?

Quirks in the points system - you can't record too many DNFs and stay qualified for the main competition?

Sheer bloody-mindedness; "I'll finish come hell or high water."

Ludicrous optimism; "I've had my share of bad luck already, now it's time for everyone else to hit the wall."

#3 is not a rule, but as a number of people have noted, every point is important - just ask Tony Stewart what one fewer point (in the last 10 races, at least) would have meant. In fact, a number of the poorer teams "start and park" - that is, start the race, run a few laps, then pull off the track and accept the one point (and, more importantly, the money) you get for finishing 43rd.

#2 is not really feasible - what happens if that wreck Montoya had would have been early in the race?

Somebody mentioned #4 at the 500, not so much because of "bloody-mindedness," but because of the stigma of having a DNF (Did Not Finish, which is a statistic NASCAR keeps).

[J-P L]

Originally Posted by Winnowill

Hmm. That's interesting - I hadn't heard that. So who's going to be driving the 93Toyota when Reutimann's driving the 10 Chevy? And how is it possible that TBR is running both Toyota and Chevy nameplates (I note that Dave Blaney's driving a TBR Chevy, too)?

Reutimann was driving the 93 for BK Racing, Travis Kvapil will also drive the 93 and Reutimann may drive it again when he's not driving the 10.


This information was taken from Jayski's site. A good source of Nascar news and rumours.

[Winnowill]

Originally Posted by J-P L

Reutimann was driving the 93 for BK Racing, Travis Kvapil will also drive the 93 and Reutimann may drive it again when he's not driving the 10.


This information was taken from Jayski's site. A good source of Nascar news and rumours.

See, this is what happens when I don't pay attention over the offseason. It happens to me in baseball, too. I'll see a guy playing against the Diamondbacks when I thought he was firmly ensconced in the AL, or something. "Wait. What? He's playing for WHO? When did that happen?"

Of course, in baseball, a player isn't going to be playing for an opposing team if he's scheduled to be on the bench for his regular team...

[J-P L]

Well, I can't help you with baseball trivia.

Nascar is pretty much the only sport I follow.

[Jim's Son]

Usually it is to pick up points in case any other drivers break down. As others have said, you want to be in the top 35 to automatically qualify for the next race.
In Danica Patrick's case it is also to get experience in stock cars, which are far different
from the Indycars she is used to.

If you can put your car on the track, it might get shown on TV when it is next to Danica or Earnhardt Jr and you will get TV time for your sponsor. They have people who keep track of how often you are on TV.

A few years ago on a Fox telecast, analyst Larry Mcreynolds said when he was a crew chief, he always wanted one of his cars to finish a race, that it lessened the hurt by getting the car fixed and out on the track to run again.

You will also get extra purse money if you finish higher. Although for the smaller "start and park" teams this is not enough to justify doing it, as it will not pay for tires, etc. An "S&P" will qualify, run a few laps, fake a problem, and pull into the pits. It's not worth trying to finish 35th instead of 40th for them. Sounds stupid, I know, but in order to attract a sponsor and his money, you have to prove that you can make a race and run pretty decent.