Martinsville Speedway has a reputation for producing intense racing and bringing out the best in drivers, inciting topical conversations across NASCAR. The weekend of the Cook Out 250 was no exception, as Josh Berry captured an emotional victory and put emphasis on something long debated — playoff waivers.
This topic has been all but dormant, as just last year, A.J. Allmendinger turned heads after winning two races and notching eight top-10s in 11 starts. Although only seven weeks into the 2021 season, Berry understandably caused quite a stir among fans campaigning for a postseason spot, being that he drives for 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. However, if we’re considering modifications for playoff eligibility, there’s no way the spectacle surrounding 18-year-old Ty Gibbs should be ignored as well.
Both part-time drivers have masterfully exceeded expectations and established themselves as frontrunners in each opportunity they’ve gotten.
For Berry, he’s started all but one race in the No. 8 for JR Motorsports and scored three top-10s in addition to the win at Martinsville. The case can be made that the late model specialist was on his way to quality finishes in the other three events had he not wrecked, and this is backed up by the 30-year-old earning stage points in all but one race started for a total of 11.
As for Gibbs, we all knew he’d be a force in NASCAR for years to come based on his dominance in the ARCA Menards Series, but no one could have expected what we see in 2021. The grandson of Joe Gibbs went out in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the Daytona International Speedway road course and got by reigning series champion, Austin Cindric, with two laps to go to win in his first start. He’s run two races since then, placing runner-up and fourth.
To say he’s been spectacular would be an understatement. In fact, even with only running three races, Gibbs ranks 15th in the standings and only fifteen points behind series-regular Riley Herbst. He’s also earned a stage win and 20 stage points in this short span.
There would have to be an emphasis on parameters implemented for part-time drivers to qualify for a shot at the championship over full-time drivers with secured sponsorships. But perhaps the sponsorship aspect is the biggest factor preventing guys like Berry and Gibbs from competing in the postseason.
Advertising and marketing account for the bulk of the revenue brought into NASCAR, as is the case with most professional sports. Ironically, the Martinsville winner was “unsponsored,” driving a generic Chevrolet branded Camaro. Fortunately, days after celebrating in Virginia, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis announced he would dress the No. 8 in his company’s colors for Talladega Superspeedway and, should he win, he’d add another four races of sponsorship.
Additionally, Tire Pros added two more races to their slate for Berry, bumping their exposure from six to eight events.
The question then becomes, will these part-time drivers even have a shot at competing in the postseason in their respective rides? Berry has six more races scheduled, with Sam Mayer piloting the No. 8 in each playoff race. Gibbs will run the No. 54 another 11 events, with only three of those coming in the postseason.
Even if both drivers continue their dominance, scheduling and sponsorship won’t close to permitting them a fair shot at the championship. But at the same time, at what point do they start awarding drivers and teams for success and tenacity?
One way NASCAR could reward teams like the No. 8 and 54 is by taking a cue from Indy Lights — a developmental series for IndyCar that grants a scholarship to its champion and guarantees at least three IndyCar Series races the following season. Maybe NASCAR could distribute funding or series-specific sponsorships to ensure drivers like Gibbs and Berry could compete in the postseason. Still, of course, there would have to be an emphasis on strict performance parameters to receive such opportunities.
There are many ways the sanctioning body could consider part-time drivers for postseason eligibility; here’s what would be most logical.
Obviously, at least one win would be necessary to qualify a driver with limited seat time for the playoffs, and you can’t compete for points if you’re doing so in another series. Beyond that, there should be an emphasis on remaining competitive, and stage points and top-10 finishes could measure that. Additionally, races started should play a key role in determining eligibility.
There may have to be a race minimum set for part-time drivers hoping to qualify for the postseason. Maybe 20 out of 33 Xfinity Series events or somewhere in that range? But in the case of Gibbs, where he hasn’t placed lower than fourth through three starts, and he’s consistently outrunning full-time drivers, shouldn’t a performance like that be rewarded?
The final factor to consider could be average running position — a surefire way to measure the quality of competition. For example, Gibbs hasn’t taken the green flag higher than 15th in all three starts, yet his average position didn’t drop below ninth in those attempts.
In taking wins, quality finishes, stage points, starts, and average running position into consideration, this could be an effective method in introducing playoff waivers to part-time drivers. The industry could benefit from a tactic like this, as it presents opportunities for underdog stories that everyone loves. Ultimately, the drivers and teams should be rewarded for their success, especially when making the most of limited opportunities.
