We've got a couple, no, I am going to say three, big names on the bubble of the top35 in owner points. Namely Newman, Logano, & Mark Martin. Argue somewhere else about Logano being a big name. He is a big name for my example.
Let's use Martin as my example. Let's say he has a bad week again, this time @ Bristol. If he's out of the top 35 in owner points after Bristol, he has to start qualifying to make the races. He has to be one of the 7 fastest 'go or go home' cars providing a championship provisional has to be used by someone, 8 if not. That obviously limits his chances tremendously.
Cut back to the pre top 35 years, prior to 2005. With the exception of Daytona & the two extra non-points races, didn't the top 35 or 36 qualify simply on time and the remaining positions were set by provisional's that were earned according to qualifying attempts? The 43'rd spot was used for a past champion, if needed. Why was this such an issue that it had to be changed? Frankly, I don't remember big name drivers being sent home under the old method of qualifying. I've heard mentioned that either Petty or one of his cars failed to make a race once because of this method but I can't find a link to that story.
Needless to say, I'm an anti Top 35 rule person but help me remember the way it used to be. Prior to 05, what were the rules exactly? Post a link if you can find it. I cannot. It just seems to me that this rule may very will produce what it was meant to protect.
Please don't get into whether Logano is a big name or not. Home Depot is and I thought that is what the top 35 rule was meant to protect.
Let's use Martin as my example. Let's say he has a bad week again, this time @ Bristol. If he's out of the top 35 in owner points after Bristol, he has to start qualifying to make the races. He has to be one of the 7 fastest 'go or go home' cars providing a championship provisional has to be used by someone, 8 if not. That obviously limits his chances tremendously.
Cut back to the pre top 35 years, prior to 2005. With the exception of Daytona & the two extra non-points races, didn't the top 35 or 36 qualify simply on time and the remaining positions were set by provisional's that were earned according to qualifying attempts? The 43'rd spot was used for a past champion, if needed. Why was this such an issue that it had to be changed? Frankly, I don't remember big name drivers being sent home under the old method of qualifying. I've heard mentioned that either Petty or one of his cars failed to make a race once because of this method but I can't find a link to that story.
Needless to say, I'm an anti Top 35 rule person but help me remember the way it used to be. Prior to 05, what were the rules exactly? Post a link if you can find it. I cannot. It just seems to me that this rule may very will produce what it was meant to protect.
Please don't get into whether Logano is a big name or not. Home Depot is and I thought that is what the top 35 rule was meant to protect.
