For the primary time in his profession, Shane van Gisbergen is experiencing what it’s wish to be totally concerned within the drama of the NASCAR Cup Collection. The continued tussle within the sport over the championship format and the elimination-style playoffs has led to him offering an opinion based mostly on what he has seen up to now, and it’s not one thing that may make everyone comfortable.
The previous Australian Supercars champion was requested for his ideas on allotting playoff berths to drivers who win a race within the common season throughout a current look on Corey LaJoie’s Stacking Pennies podcast. Van Gisbergen himself has a playoff spot secured by this implies, for his victories in Mexico, Chicago, and Sonoma. He responded by expressing sturdy self-awareness proper off the bat.
Admitting that he made it to the playoffs solely by the courtesy of the present system, he mentioned, “After I first gained the race, I used to be thirty second or one thing [in points], so I can see why, however I really need Brad Keselowski to win a race ’trigger he was like thirtieth as nicely on the time.
“And it could have been fascinating to see what folks thought of that as a result of he’s a champion. And he may run fairly deep within the playoffs. So, I actually just like the dynamic it brings now, particularly with Bubba [Wallace] successful.”
He identified how there are drivers on the bubble who’re determined for a win, and that their competitiveness makes issues much more thrilling. This isn’t a stand that the likes of Denny Hamlin and Mark Martin would recognize.
They’ve been pitching for a full-season points-based format devoid of the formulation by which drivers get to the playoffs by regular-season victories. SVG expressed openness to restructuring how the championship is being determined by a single race, however he’s too keen on how drivers grow to be eligible to race within the playoffs at the moment.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hamlin have mentioned a number of codecs up to now by which the champion might be determined by two, three, or extra races. The aim behind that is to crown probably the most worthy driver. The season finale happening at a single observe can become vastly advantageous for a single driver.
For example, if the finale went down in a highway course, van Gisbergen is the seemingly driver to finish up being the champion, as a result of his mastery of the observe sort, even when he hasn’t essentially been one of the best driver of the season. That is one thing NASCAR should attempt to keep away from, and the Kiwi is all there to see change on this entrance.
