Christopher Bell delivers verdict on new NASCAR | Sports News

Christopher Bell gave his stamp of approval on the return of the Chase-style playoff system, insisting that the rule change will be certain that “luck will have far less involvement” in crowning a Cup Series champion.

Earlier this month, NASCAR introduced the return of The Chase, which stood because the de facto postseason format from 2004 to 2013 and will place larger worth on consistency throughout the playoffs. Starting this yr, the Cup Series playoffs will characteristic no eliminations and make up the ultimate 10 races of the marketing campaign. Drivers who secure a race victory may also not obtain computerized entry into the postseason, thereby forcing groups to instill long-term methods quite than relying on “lucky” victories.

Bell, for one, is more than happy with the revisions to the NASCAR rulebook. “I’m just proud of our sport for listening to not me, but just the whole group and being open to make changes,” he mentioned.

“I think where they landed is a really, really good spot. I was team pro 36 races and have a full season championship, but where they ended up is pretty much that. So I’m super happy with the format. I think that this format will take [away] any sort of doubts or ill feelings towards our champion. And I think that it’s a great move in the right direction.”

In Bell’s eyes, The Chase will help be certain that the best drivers within the Cup Series can be commonly vying for the title on the finish of the season. “I think we potentially could see the same few guys running for the championship year in and year out,” he added.

“And that’s the way that’s the way it should be. So we want the best drivers to be able to be the champion. I think we’re in a spot now where luck will have far less involvement with who the champion is, and on-track results and performance will be a much greater impact than what it was in the past.”

With assured playoff spots from wins now falling to the wayside, Bell acknowledged that drivers’ method to occasions will change drastically. “The risk reward is going to be a lot different through the regular season, and even into the playoffs,” he defined. “If you had a win in the bank — whether it was any round of the playoffs or in the regular season — it gave you mulligans.

“If you wrecked, it’s like, ‘Okay, oh, well. We can put it behind us. We can move on.’ Where certainly now the DNFs are going to have a much, much higher price than what they have in the past.”

Addressing his previous struggles at tracks reminiscent of Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway, Bell concluded: “In the last couple of years, we have our tracks that we struggle at, and that has hindered us in the previous formats. So now, I think it weighs all of the tracks a lot closer. Your strengths and your weaknesses will equal out a little bit more.

“It eliminates the need to have greatness at a certain track, and it equalizes it out. We race 36 times a year. We don’t go to Martinsville 36 times a year or Phoenix 36 times a year, so I think it’s a lot fairer.”