Waltrip: Chase format needs changes

Darrell Waltrip is no fan of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format.

“I don’t think it’s fair at all,” the three-time Cup champion said in a telephone interview. “I know why they do it. They’re trying to create some excitement to finish the year off with, something that can keep fans entertained when football season starts. But I don’t think that it’s fair.”

Waltrip, now an analyst for Fox, said the problems he sees are that the 10-race Chase is too long and that the 12 drivers who qualify for the stock car postseason should have a separate points system to keep things interesting.

“Once we get in the 10-race Chase, they use the same points system that they used to get to that point,” Waltrip said. “And we know for a fact that in three, four races you have several guys who were already eliminated. They need their own point system.

“I would shorten the Chase up. It’s just too long and lets somebody get too far ahead. I would shorten it up and make it a little more intense and change the points structure so that you’re never out of it and you’ve got to be on your toes all the way to the last race.”

If Waltrip were in charge of NASCAR, how long would the Chase be?

“I think it should be five [races],” he said.