France Says No Changes Expected For 2015 Chase

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France gave high marks to the recently completed Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, saying the sport’s new championship format added drama and excitement to the season. He also said he expects no changes to the Chase format in 2015.

Speaking on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Tuesday, France said the level of on-track competition escalated dramatically in “any of the last 10 races (and) certainly the last few. It was unmistakable the effort (and) the level of competition with the elite teams."

He said a dramatic conclusion to the 2014 campaign bodes well for the coming season, as well, adding, "Momentum… at the end of the year, dramatic playoffs (and) a really interesting ending is always something you build on.”

France related comments he received from 2014 champion Kevin Harvick during Champion’s Week, saying, "When I saw Kevin in Las Vegas on Tuesday, he pulled me aside, and (the Chase) was neat. He said, 'Look, I wasn't a big fan of the Chase format when you first announced it. But I've got to tell you, when we got into it, it gave me and my team (opportunities) to reach down and dig up talent and effort that we never thought possible. That was pretty neat to be able to have those moments.’

"That's everything,” said France. “That's what our fans love most. These are the best drivers in the world and the best teams in the world. Give them moments where they can shine, and they will."

With Ryan Newman falling just short of the 2014 title, France said he would have welcomed a winless champion, since all 16 Chase driver and teams "took their game to a new level.

"It wouldn't have bothered us at all if Ryan Newman would have closed the deal,” said France. “And he almost did by the way. He would have earned the championship in our view, without question.”

He added that wins alone are not a true indicator of who enjoyed the best season.

"How do you balance winning and consistency? They don't necessarily always go together. And how do you have… a championship run that represents that? We've done the best job we think we can do to balance that.

“Any time you try to go back and say, 'Well, it's whoever won the most races… it's whoever had the best finishing order' or any of that stuff, you never get the real, accurate view. The real accurate view is `Did you bring it when it mattered? Were you the best on that given day?’ That's how every other sport is measured."

As a result, France said NASCAR is unlikely to make any changes to the Chase format for 2015.

“There will be nothing anybody would notice for '15,” he said. “But if we can make an already great thing better, we will always look into that.”