As Sunday's turn from touchdowns and turnovers to drafting and driving, there is only one thing I know for sure. . .This is not your father's NASCAR.  Of course, we've gotten used to that by now.  We've changed from Winston to Nextel.  We've gone from the race for the championship to the race for the Chase.  We've gone from southern drivers who like to drive fast to sophisticated advertising agents who are well groomed, well spoken, and well. . .less rough and tough.  Not just anyone who can turn a wheel can be a NASCAR driver anymore.  Not only that, but now the best driver may not be able to win the championship anymore.

The Winston Cup was always about consistency.  Most Cup champs have a few things in common.  The first is that they won races.  They didn't always have the most wins, but they won their share.  Second, and most importantly, they were consistently good.  Very good.  The year end resume would have three or four wins, but 20-25 top tens.  The key to winning was always not only winning, but having the opportunity to win.  This new point system puts so much of an emphasis on winning, that it may turn its back on the Alan Kulwicki's of the racing world. 

It's ridiculous to add points for wins to driver's totals AFTER the points have been reset for the Chase.  I started watching NASCAR in 1992.  My favorite driver, Davey Allison, had won the Daytona 500 so I was hooked!  I watched Bill Elliott proceed to win the next four consecutive races.  I watched as Davey and "Awesome" Bill won five races each that season.  I also watched a consistent and determined Alan Kulwicki break my heart and win the championship with his measly two wins.  However, I understood that my guy finished third in the standings because he wasn't consistent enough to be a champion.  Why do we want to change that?  Is it because NASCAR is desirous of its new glamour boy, Kasey Kahne, to win the title?  Is it because we don't want the no-names like Kulwicki to win titles ever again?  Some teams don't have what it takes to win five races per season.  However, they do have what it takes to consistently put their car in the top 10.  That deserves something.  If it leads to them scoring more Nextel Cup points over the course of a season than any other team, then it deserves a championship.

Winning a race is a lot about luck.  If you don't believe me, ask Derrick Cope!  Consistently putting your car in the top 10 is a lot about skill.  Sure, luck is still a factor, but great cars, great drivers, and great teams consistently run up front.  There is a reason why Matt Kenseth is a champion and Ryan Newman is not.  Consistency is that reason.  Please NASCAR, don't fall so in love with the win that you stop rewarding consistency!