What can make the Chase great? A change of scenery

Let the 2008 Chase to the Sprint Cup championship commence.

Yet as interesting as it appears it will be, it could be better. Much better.

So let us play NASCAR god with the schedule for a moment, if you will. This is fantasy stuff -- likely never to happen in any similar form, let alone the complete format about to be proposed. But if it could occur, it would take what has been for the most part a good thing and make it even more appealing.

The first fantasy improvement would be expanding the Chase from 10 races to 12. Twelve for the 12 who qualify for it. That would enable two more racetracks deserving of a Chase date their rightful spot in the sport, without messing up the rest of the schedule too much for anyone else.

Racetrack operators love being locked in on a date that works for them, so we don't want to mess with too many date and venue switches. Going to 12 races would enable Bristol and Richmond to be added to the mix without a dramatic date change for either track.

The Chase, after all, determines each season's champion. Wouldn't it be better if the best tracks on the circuit -- and every track configuration -- were all represented? Having established that, here is the fantasy Chase schedule one man, or One Menz, proposes:

1. Bristol -- Instead of having the Bristol night race in late August three races before the Chase, as it currently is, why not have it kick off the Chase? Imagine the sparks that would fly as drivers jostled for position, knowing that even those on the back end of the 12 who qualify now have an extra two races to try to make up points deficits.

2. Darlington (Labor Day) -- Why was this race moved in the first place? And since the Saturday night race has been so popular with fans since the event was moved from Labor Day weekend to Mother's Day weekend, keep it a night event. But the fact is, Darlington arguably is the most challenging (and also one of the most historic) racetracks on the circuit and deserves a date in the Chase.

3. Richmond -- As the schedule currently is constructed, the .75-mile track has a niche as the last race before the Chase. Under this scenario, it could be in the Chase itself without necessitating a drastic change in the race date. And again, it could be another night event -- which are proving wildly popular. Leave the last race before the Chase to Homestead, which quite frankly is not the best choice for the place to end the season but might be able to develop a better niche for itself in the new role. (Continued)