“This is a great move at the right time. More than ever, the focus in every race during the season will be on winning, and I can see this changing race strategy everywhere the teams go,” said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc.
“As for the 10-race Chase format, the changes will certainly be good for Dover in September, and the eliminations should create the same level of excitement we just witnessed in the recent NFL playoffs. The fans will love this.”
Dover Motorsports PR
“With NASCAR’s changes to the point system, I think we can safely say points racing is dead. When it comes to race day, winning is the only thing that matters — period. The new system gives the drivers just 26 chances for only 16 spots in the Chase; That makes every single race critical. I think the changes are probably the best thing to happen in NASCAR in the last 10 years and I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing how the increased incentive to win plays out on race day.”
Marcus Smith/CMS
“There’s always been a premium on winning races at Bristol Motor Speedway because of the inherent difficulty,” said BMS GM and Executive Vice President Jerry Caldwell. “With this new twist in the system it takes it up another notch. In March for the Food City 500, I believe you will see drivers trying to establish an early season win to lock themselves into the Chase. In August, fans will see a sense of desperation from the drivers who have not managed to qualify for one of the Chase spots. It should be exciting.”
Jerry Caldwell, Bristol Motor Speedway GM/Exec. VP
“I am thrilled with the changes announced by Brian France today regarding the Chase to the Sprint Cup for 2014. Now the emphasis is where it belongs….winning! This should be one of the most exciting years ever for NASCAR and in particular, our fans.
“Now it’s very simple to understand how we determine our champion. You don’t need a calculator, you don’t need to ponder ‘what if’ scenarios and you don’t have to be a mathematic whizz. Every race is important now and the races here at Martinsville Speedway are always exciting so I can’t imagine how exciting it’s going to be now with winning being so important. The word ‘bumper’ does come to mind though! NASCAR has done a tremendous job over the past few years listening to our fans and I think this dramatic change is proof of that.”
Clay Campbell – Martinsville Speedway
“I couldn’t be more excited about 2014. The new Chase format really favors a team like ours. It’s certainly a long shot, but if we could figure out a way to win another race this year it elevates us potentially into the Chase and then we’d have to re-think everything. We’d obviously have to go out and do some crazy things to be more competitive in the Chase, but it does open the door to teams like ours to have some success and I think it’s good for the sport.”
Bob Jenkins – Front Row Motorsports
“We are extremely excited with the changes announced today,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “Great competition is all about winning, and the new championship structure puts unprecedented emphasis on winning races. The best drivers and teams in the world compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and the format ensures that our fans see the best racing in person at Kansas Speedway.”
Kansas Speedway President
“When our fans leave a race, they’re talking about who won, not who scored how many points. The object of racing is to win and this new format is going to make that clear and simple every week. I applaud NASCAR for taking this bold step and we’ll all be excited to see the results on the track this season, including the series’ visit to Sonoma this June.”
Steve Page – Sonoma Raceway President
“There’s always been a feeling of electricity in the air during the ‘One Last Race to Make The Chase’ weekend at Richmond International Raceway, when everyone is talking about winning and being in a position to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup,” said RIR President Dennis Bickmeier. “The new changes to NASCAR’s ‘play-off’ system will now bring that feeling of excitement to all the races by putting the focus on winning every single week.”
“There’s never been 16 different winners in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series going into the 26th race of the season,” explained Bickmeier. “The stakes are high and fans should expect to see a lot of drivers fighting for the win here in Richmond!”
Dennis Bickmeier – President Richmond International Raceway
“NASCAR’s new championship playoff format certainly puts more emphasis on winning races, no matter if it’s the first race or the 26th one. And that’s great,” said Jamie Allison,director, Ford Racing. “We also know that the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Ford Championship Weekend will be one of the most exciting battlegrounds and a ‘must-watch’ event in sports.”
Jamie Allison – Ford Racing
