look at the chase in 2006 matt kennseth would have won the title if there was no chase,then 2007 jeff gordon would have won the title if there was no chase,then 2008 kyle busch would have won if there was no chase

If there were no chase then the strategies would change so you can not compare that way. Teams like the 48 save their best cars and parts for the chase.

The rules are the chase and the champion will play to those rules.

The true champion will win the chase.

Shoulda,coulda,wouldas..Like l said before,everyone knew the system going into the season,so if you do not win it the way it is set up,then you are not the true champion.The true champion is the one who wins it by the rules.Jeff Gordon won 4 championships by the rules,Matt Kenseth won a championship by the rules,and Jimmie Johnson has won 2 championships by the rules.

l do not like the chase either willie. Why do not they just take the 12 that made it into the chase, have them race weekly, and send the other cars home? They can not win much of anything..oh wow..13th place!

kyle busch would NOT have won the championship if there were no chase. in fact, jimmie johnson would be the current points leader under the old system.

i'm sure there is a few people that feel that way. But at the beginning of the season the true champions know what it takes to be a champion. Kyle is team was all show (just a flat out ''rowdy'' display) Jimmie and his team were more choreographed to win the chase. It takes a little intelligence to know ''how to play the game'' Kyle and his team could learn from what Jimmies team already knew. l guess being ''rowdy'' and ''wild'' does not win championships.

l totally agree with you! The Chase sucks!

Thats not true. Only for 2007 would Johnson not have won the title if the Chase was never implemented. Under the old points system, Jimmie Johnson would still have won the championship in 2006, edging out Kenseth by 4 points. And for this season, Johnson would be the current leader with a 113 point advantage over Carl Edwards.

''Classic'' 2006 Points Standings.the old way, not the Chase after Homestead:
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson 5158 CHASE CHAMP
2) #17-Matt Kenseth, 5154, -4
3) #29-Kevin Harvick, 4838, -320
4) #20-Tony Stewart, 4727, -431
5) #11-Denny Hamlin, 4725, -433
6) #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 4641, -517
7) #24-Jeff Gordon, 4567, -591
8) #31-Jeff Burton, 4535, -623
9) #9-Kasey Kahne, 4497, -661
10) #6-Mark Martin, 4484, -674

UNOFFICAL Classic Driver Points Standings [after Martinsville race 32 of 36]:
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson 4609 [6 wins]
2) #99-Carl Edwards 4496 -113 [6 wins]
3) #18-Kyle Busch 4426 -183 [8 wins]
4) #31-Jeff Burton 4295 -314 [2 wins]
5) #16-Greg Biffle 4204 -405 [2 wins]
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4172 -437 [1 win]
7) #29-Kevin Harvick 4100 -509
8) #20-Tony Stewart 4020 -589 [1 win]
9) #24-Jeff Gordon 4019 -590
10) #07-Clint Bowyer 3937 -672 [1 win]

Personally l do not like the chase. But the teams, drivers, sponsors and owners know the rules.

They can always go race somewhere else, or start their own series if they do not like it.

It is kind of asinine to throw away the first 26 races.

This year Jimmie Johnson would still have the points lead by 113. Kyle Busch would be 3rd in points, 183 back. The chase does steal the Cup from other drivers, but it is not the case this year.

l hate the chase. But as others have stated Kyle would not currently be 1st in points right now even under the old format.
l still hate the chase.

l agree with a_racefan , so l will repeat it!!!!!!!!!!!!
UNOFFICAL Classic Driver Points Standings [after Martinsville race 32 of 36]:
1) #48-Jimmie Johnson 4609 [6 wins]
2) #99-Carl Edwards 4496 -113 [6 wins]
3) #18-Kyle Busch 4426 -183 [8 wins]
4) #31-Jeff Burton 4295 -314 [2 wins]
5) #16-Greg Biffle 4204 -405 [2 wins]
6) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4172 -437 [1 win]
7) #29-Kevin Harvick 4100 -509
8) #20-Tony Stewart 4020 -589 [1 win]
9) #24-Jeff Gordon 4019 -590
10) #07-Clint Bowyer 3937 -672 [1 win]
11) #11-Denny Hamlin 3878 -731 [1 win]
12) #6-David Ragan 3802 -807
13) #17-Matt Kenseth 3797 -812
14) #9-Kasey Kahne 3656 -953 [2 wins]
(10-19-2008)

l wish JJ was not winning the chase either, but he is winning fair & squarePLUS LUCK