Article:You're Only as Good as the Points System Allows

I've been trying to become interested in Indycar racing recently, and a major complaint I have is to the points system. It seems to reward consistency over race wins, which is not the idea of racing, in my opinion. The people that win the most races have more chance of being Champion, in my opinion.

In reality, Scott Dixon ran out of fuel on the last lap of the last race to hand the title to Dario Franchitti. So, I decided to use the results of the 2007 Indycar season, and see what would happen if the old F1 system of 10 for 1st place, 6 for 2nd, and then 4, 3, 2 and 1 point for 3rd to 6th place. It rewards finishing high up the field, and in my view is a very fair system of scoring.

Round 1
There were rain interuptions that caused the race to be stopped. I loath the "stop the race in the rain" rule. Just drive slower, or design better tyres. No matter how slow you'd need to go to stay on track, that's how you should drive. But I digress. Eventually, Dan Wheldon won the race, which he pretty much led all the way. Championship: Wheldon 10, Dixon 6, Hornish Jr. 4, Meira 3, Kanaan 2, Carpenter 1

Round 2
Castroneves led for pretty much all the way, but knocked Wheldon out of the way to do it. Indycar seems to be more physical than Formula One in terms of car banging, and I think that's very dangerous and should be looked into. Anyway, Castroneves won. Championship: Dixon 12, Castroneves 10, Wheldon 10, Kanaan 6, Hornish 4, Andretti 3, Meira 3, Franchitti 2, Scheckter 1, Carpenter 1

Round 3
Wheldon again should have won the race, but an error in the pits enabled Kanaan to go through and take the win, his first of the season. Wheldon led home fellow Brit Franchitti in third place, with Dixon being consistent in fourth. Championship: Kanaan 16, Wheldon 16, Dixon 15, Castroneves 10, Franchitti 6, Hornish Jr. 6, Andretti 3, Meira 3, Sharp 1, Scheckter 1, Carpenter 1

Round 4
Dan Wheldon again led most of the laps, and this time took the win, #2 for the season. Dixon was again consistent in fourth place. Kanaan collided with Patrick and didn't score points. Championship: Wheldon 26, Dixon 18, Kanaan 16, Castroneves 14, Franchitti 12, Hornish Jr. 7, Andretti 3, Meira 3, Scheckter 3, Sharp 1, Carpenter 1

Round 5
The Indy 500. Rain again curtailed the biggest race of the series, but it gave Franchitti his first win of the season. Kanaan was on for big points, but an accident near the end put him out of contention. Andretti and Championship leader Dan Wheldon collided to bring out the safety car that the race would end up finishing behind. Championship: Wheldon 26, Dixon 24, Franchitti 22, Castroneves 18, Kanaan 16, Hornish Jr. 10, Andretti 3, Meira 3, Scheckter 3, Briscoe 2, Sharp 2, Carpenter 1

Round 6
With the top 5 within a race of each other in the standings, Wheldon collided with Patrick to send her out and a fight almost ensued. Wheldon ended up third, behind Franchitti and Kanaan. Dixon was fourth again, he's scored in every race this season. Championship: Wheldon 30, Franchitti 28, Dixon 27, Kanaan 26, Castroneves 18, Hornish Jr. 10, Meira 5, Andretti 3, Scheckter 3, Sharp 3, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 1

Round 7
Castroneves, Wheldon and Dixon were collected when Sarah Fisher made a mess of things, and this allowed Hornish to win, with Kanaan and Patrick in close attendance. Franchitti also made the points. Championship: Kanaan 32, Franchitti 31, Wheldon 30, Dixon 27, Hornish Jr. 20, Castroneves 18, Meira 7, Andretti 3, Scheckter 3, Sharp 3, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 1, Simmons 1

Round 8
Four drivers still in contention. Franchitti coasted to victory, as many of the star drivers were poor. Championship: Franchitti 41, Kanaan 32, Wheldon 30, Dixon 27, Hornish Jr. 20, Castroneves 18, Andretti 9, Sharp 7, Meira 7, Patrick 4, Rice 3, Scheckter 3, Manning 2, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1

Round 9
Franchitti starting to pull away in the championship, as he did in the real IRL system. In Round 9, Franchitti had another win, but this time Dixon and Wheldon were right on his tail. Championship: Franchitti 51, Kanaan 35, Wheldon 34, Dixon 33, Hornish Jr. 20, Castroneves 18, Andretti 9, Sharp 7, Meira 7, Patrick 5, Rice 5, Scheckter 3, Manning 2, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1

Round 10
Castroneves led but crashed, which would leave Scott Dixon to take the win at Watkins Glen. Finally his first win of the season! Franchitti maintained his lead by finishing third, Kanaan was fourth. Championship: Franchitti 55, Dixon 43, Kanaan 38, Wheldon 34, Hornish Jr. 26, Castroneves 18, Andretti 11, Sharp 7, Meira 7, Rice 6, Patrick 5, Scheckter 3, Manning 2, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1

Round 11
Two wins in a row for Dixon, as he and Franchitti dominate the race. Another third place for Danica Patrick. Championship: Franchitti 61, Dixon 53, Kanaan 38, Wheldon 34, Hornish Jr. 29, Castroneves 19, Andretti 13, Patrick 9, Sharp 7, Meira 7, Rice 6, Scheckter 3, Manning 2, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1

Round 12
Another Dixon-Franchitti 1-2, but Kanaan was denied third place by Castroneves. Patrick again made the points. Championship: Franchitti 67, Dixon 63, Kanaan 41, Wheldon 34, Hornish Jr. 29, Castroneves 23, Andretti 13, Patrick 11, Sharp 7, Meira 7, Rice 6, Scheckter 3, Manning 3, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1

Round 13
The battle for the Championship is between Franchitti and Dixon, clearly. Franchitti crashed with Dan Wheldon, and Franchitti ended up upside down on top of Scott Dixon. Both title contenders were out. Sensing the chance to close in, Kanaan took the win. Marco Andretti was narrowly beaten. Championship: Franchitti 67, Dixon 63, Kanaan 51, Wheldon 34, Hornish Jr. 29, Castroneves 23, Andretti 19, Sharp 11, Patrick 11, Rice 8, Meira 7, Matsuura 3, Scheckter 3, Manning 3, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1, Hunter-Reay 1

Round 14
Franchitti was in contention until he collided with Patrick in the pitlane, leaving Kanaan to win the race, and Dixon to take the Championship lead. Suddenly, Kanaan is within one race of overtaking Dixon and Franchitti. Championship: Dixon 69, Franchitti 67, Kanaan 61, Wheldon 34, Hornish Jr. 29, Castroneves 23, Andretti 22, Sharp 12, Patrick 11, Rice 8, Meira 7, Scheckter 5, Foyt IV 4, Matsuura 3, Manning 3, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1, Hunter-Reay 1

Round 15
Franchitti led most of the way, but collided with Andretti, ruining the handling of his car. This left Dixon to win the race, but in reality Kanaan let Franchitti keep third when he could probably have passed him. With Kanaan in the championship hunt in this version, it could have been so much different. That said, Kanaan is now 15 behind with two races left, which would make his chances of taking the title low. Championship: Dixon 79, Franchitti 71, Kanaan 64, Wheldon 34, Hornish Jr. 31, Castroneves 29, Andretti 22, Patrick 12, Sharp 12, Rice 8, Meira 7, Scheckter 5, Foyt IV 4, Matsuura 3, Manning 3, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1, Hunter-Reay 1

Round 16
Two races left, and Dixon is clear favourite for the Championship. There was a big battle for the lead, with Franchitti, Dixon, Rice, Patrick and Kanaan fighting for the win. However, Rice ran out of fuel, and Dixon and Franchitti could not avoid him. Patrick passed by to end up in second place, and Kanaan took the win, to reignite his Championship hopes. At least Franchitti scored a point for sixth place. Championship: Dixon 79, Kanaan 74, Franchitti 72, Wheldon 38, Hornish Jr. 31, Castroneves 29, Andretti 22, Patrick 18, Sharp 12, Rice 8, Meira 7, Manning 6, Matsuura 5, Scheckter 5, Foyt IV 4, Briscoe 2, Carpenter 2, Simmons 1, Hunter-Reay 1

Round 17
If Kanaan passed Franchitti, then he'd now be only 4 points away from Dixon, and Franchitti would be 8 away. This three way battle didn't happen in the real thing, Kanaan was more of an outsider in the battle, and Franchitti had a narrow lead over Dixon. In the final race, Kanaan was out early. This meant that if Franchitti won, Dixon just had to finish fifth to take the title. On the last lap, he ran out of fuel, but with 3rd place a lap behind, it was more than enough to give him the Championship. Franchitti won the race.

Conclusions
The Championship roughly reflects the US system of scoring. Admittedly, the champion is different, and you don't have 20th downwards, but you do get a good indication of who the best drivers were.

I tried this for several seasons going backwards, and in those seasons, the real life champion was the same as the actual champion. So for the sake of simplicity, the old Formula One system would be better. Everybody can easily catch on to this points system.

As for Scott Dixon in 2007? Maybe he should have been champion anyway.