Being in the top 35 is so important !

[RaceFanStan]

After 2 races, some drivers are at risk of dropping out of the top 35 in Owner's Points.
The 2007 Owner's Points will be used beginning at race 5. :eek:

Drivers currently out of the Top 35 in 2007 Owner’s Points
These drivers are IN the next 2 races with 2006 Owner’s Points :
Jeff Green
Jamie McMurray
Martin Truex Jr
Ken Schrader
Dale Earnhardt Jr
Scott Riggs

These drivers are also out of the 2006 Owner’s Points http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/eek.gif
& they MUST qualify on speed for the next 2 races at least :
Boris Said
David Reutimann
Dave Blaney
John Andretti
Michael Waltrip

With 50+ drivers qualifying for the 43 spots, being in the top 35 in Owner's Points becomes crucial.
A bad qualifying run will send a driver home if he isn't in the top 35 in Owner's Points ! :eek:

[pvtjoker]

I really hate this rule.

[Erki]

Stan, yer getting old. :p :
Blaney was in top 35 last year. :)

[RaceFanStan]

Yep, you're right. Blaney's team was top 35 last year.
Man, lack of sleep really messes-up the thought process. :eek:

[blakebeatty]

i am not a huge earnhardt fan (going against the grain i guess) but i would hate to see that team sitting out races.

[harvick#1]

I would love it :D

so Fox can finally get back to covering the race, than having the Jooyner report every 30 minutes

[blakebeatty]

I would love it :D

so Fox can finally get back to covering the race, than having the Jooyner report every 30 minutes

ha ha too true!

although, perhaps they'd make him a broadcaster and just show video of him talking in the Hollywood Hotel

[harvick#1]

no, I'm sure he would buy a ride, just like what Mikey did last year

[Jonesi]

It shouldn't be that much of a problem for a top funded/run team. If they're not in the top 35 by Martinsville, but have the speed to qualify there, and Texas (& maybe Pheonix), all they really need to do is be running at the end to get enough points to move back into top 35. I think DEI has that ability. Personally I think the #8 will be back in by 4th & 5th race. BTW I just looked at last year, top 35 was used by #8 just two times.

[jslone]

What about Dale Jarrett?I read that he has used up already 2 champ provisionals?I thouhg that his team was in on points from last year,or is it that he is on the new Toyota team and that does not count?Am I wrong on this?

[Speedworx]

As long as Riggs stays in the top 35. Dale Jr can drop out and then we will see how rubbish he really is :)

[Cole_Trickle]

I think Jarrett's team is new and doesn't have any owner points, how many races can you just use the champ's provisional? I don't think he'll have an easy time staying in the top 35, he's been real slow.

[dwboogityfan]

I don't like the top 35 rule but my biggest hope is that Jr is outside the top 35 after 5 races. Why? Because NASCAR will be forced into a rule change to prevent the sports most popular driver and marketable driver potentially missing races.
I really fear for teams like the Wood Brothers though. With the 2 Ginn cars of Sterling and Joe looking good to move into the top 35 along with Johnny Sauter and at least one Toyota (DJ or Vickers) some major teams are going to fall outside. Quiet simply the Woods haven't got the funds to compete nowadays.
My solution would be too extend the fields to 45 cars with the back 4 qualifiers sharing 2 pits stalls and then moving to the first available as a car retires. Having two extra cars out there would make no difference to safety but would give the 'independent' teams like the Woods, Furniture Row, Front Row and Morgan-McClure a better shot to make some races.

[Lee Roy]

I don't like the top 35 rule but my biggest hope is that Jr is outside the top 35 after 5 races. Why? Because NASCAR will be forced into a rule change to prevent the sports most popular driver and marketable driver potentially missing races.

What do you think the top 35 rule is for?

[dwboogityfan]

What I mean is that if Jr is outside the top 35 then perhaps NASCAR will realise what a stupid rule this is and change it. Jr could be 36th in points and theoretically 9th fastest in qualifying and yet miss the race yet another driver could be 35th in points and last in qualifying yet make the show. It needs a big name driver to fall foul of this rule in order for NASCAR to change it. I have always said that the only drivers that should be excempt for each race are the chase drivers. For the first 5 races it should be based on last years top 10 and then after 5 based on the previous weeks top 12.
I also refer back to 45 car fields. You give the little teams more chance to compete without causing any problems.

[Lee Roy]

I also refer back to 45 car fields. You give the little teams more chance to compete without causing any problems.

When did they have 45 car fields?

[cgs]

i think it will be so funny if Dale Jr misses a race!

[RaikkonenRules]

AJ Allmendinger, Jeremy Mayfield, Mike Bliss, Ward Burton, Kenny Wallace and Chad Blount are still yet to make a race this year.

[harvick#1]

When did they have 45 car fields?

if jooyner fails to qualify for a race, you know Nascar will add more cars to the race

[BobbyC]

The top-35 rule was established in 2005 after the 2004 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 in Atlanta Motor Speedway ended up with a huge field, and many regulars did not qualify, and many part-time teams were in the field.

NASCAR, after listening to the teams, decided to adopt an "all-exempt" rule similar to golf, tennis, or bowling. The top seven teams in qualifying make the field on Friday, plus the 35 (and one ex-champion if necessary) exempt teams. Exemption rules are in use in golf, tennis, and bowling, where there is a qualifying round where the top contenders in that tournament advance to compete against the exempt stars.

[NASCARWidow]

AJ Allmendinger, Jeremy Mayfield, Mike Bliss, Ward Burton, Kenny Wallace and Chad Blount are still yet to make a race this year.


I don't have the statistics in front of me so I don't know about the others, but Ward qualified 30th at Daytona and 36th at California and went home both weeks. When there are over 50 cars attempting to make a race and a car qualifying that well (Oh I know it really isn't that well, but it is for them) goes home and thus loses any opportunity to ever get into the top 35, it's a sad statement about the sport. I say qualify 40 on time and then use the other 3 spots if needed for teams in the Top 20 in points that might have trouble for some reason. No more PC. No more Top 35 locked in.

[Lee Roy]

NASCAR, after listening to the teams, decided to adopt an "all-exempt" rule similar to golf, tennis, or bowling. The top seven teams in qualifying make the field on Friday, plus the 35 (and one ex-champion if necessary) exempt teams. Exemption rules are in use in golf, tennis, and bowling, where there is a qualifying round where the top contenders in that tournament advance to compete against the exempt stars.

An "all-exempt" rule is also used in racing. In Formula One is 100% exempt. You have to be part of the Concorde Agreement to be a part of their races. If you aren't part of the "club", you aren't allowed to show up and attempt one of their races.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans, arguably the greatest race in the world, is by invitation only. Didn't get an invitation, don't bother to show up.