Tweaking the Chase always a hot topic for debate

In all of sports, whether you're talking about baseball, basketball, soccer, NASCAR or tiddlywinks, the ultimate goal is to win. As former NFL coach Herman Edwards famously said, "You play to win the game."

For as long as I can remember, there's always been a belief that the Cup Series point system does not reward winning, instead placing a bigger premium on consistency. NASCAR made a step toward fixing that a few years ago by adding playoff bonus points to those drivers who win races during the regular season.

But what if you can't take it with you?

What if, for example, you're Ryan Newman or Jamie McMurray? Would bonus points for their wins have made a difference in their seasons? McMurray won arguably the two biggest races of the year, yet he heads to Loudon on the outside looking in.

Victories during the season need to be rewarded -- during the season. If you win a Sprint Cup race you should get not just a few more, but many more points than the guy who finished second.

Instead, for drivers such as Newman and McMurray, they get no point reward for their victories, even though they're fighting for position, as well.

That's not right.

More points for victories also may change the strategy that teams use. Now, consistency is key. What would happen if wins were the key? I'm thinking much more aggressive racing, something that NASCAR has said it wants.

Winning, after all, is the point.

Yes, the Chase still is considered "new" in its seventh year of existence, but it will never work if it keeps getting altered. First it was 10 drivers, now it's 12. There was a five-point difference, now points are based on victories. Now, there's talk of more changes.

Just leave the thing alone!

First, for you purists that harken to the days of old, it's time to move on. The Chase isn't going away, and that's good. The drivers like it, the teams like it, the television partners like it -- it's time for you to like it, as well.

But I beg of you, NASCAR, enough with the tinkering and just let the Chase play out.

No playoff system is perfect. There always will be an argument for someone on the outside -- but that's part of the allure. If NASCAR keeps altering the Chase for every different scenario, it would become chaotic and lessen the desired effect it orginally set out to create.

It's unfortunate Jamie McMurray isn't in the Chase, but he doesn't belong just because he has two victories. The top 12 make it, and he wasn't among that group. Extending the field to include all the "regular-season" winners is a mistake -- this year's field would be 16 strong. And bumping out non-winners is ludicrous. Jeff Gordon was second in points; are you telling me he doesn't belong in the Chase and David Reutimann does?

Is the Chase perfect? No. But let's keep this system in place for a decade and then look at any alterations. Reactionary changes every couple of seasons makes a mockery of what this sport is trying to accomplish.