Fixing NASCAR: Top 35 Rule
Those who believe NASCAR caters more to sponsors and its business partners rather than the fans need to look no further than the controversial Top 35 rule, which was implemented last season.
Drivers who held a spot within the first 35 of the NEXTEL Cup Series standings are granted an automatic starting spot in that week's race, regardless of where they qualified in the weekend's time trial session.
With sometimes more than 50 teams showing up on a weekly basis, NASCAR decided to try and protect sponsors who supported teams on a full-time basis by guaranteeing those drivers a starting position.
The move destroyed the old spirit the sport was built upon when if a driver showed up with a car that was fast enough in qualifying, he could race on Sunday.
The Top 35 rule created numerous embarrassing scenarios last season when several cars made fields despite being drastically slower in qualifying than drivers who were sent home simply because of where they stood in the series standings.
It also put several of the now-dubbed "go or go home" teams at a disadvantage when they were forced to qualify earlier or later in the sessions and confront changing conditions that effected speeds.
NASCAR will reportedly change that in 2008, allowing all the teams outside the Top 35 to qualify in one group.
But the rule itself looks like it's here to stay and has caused many long-time fans to become outraged.
"NASCAR is all about dollars and cents and not about the actual competition," one fan wrote. "This rule brings NASCAR closer to Formula One-type policies with the mega rich teams being protected, virtually eliminating any small or low-budget operations from competing."
What do you think about the Top 35 rule?