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Welcome to Tyler-Green.com!As Tyler's parents, we are so proud of his accomplishments this year in the Summer Shootout at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Regardless of LMS' official results, Tyler is the "Champion" in the 2007 Legends Pro Division. His eight top fives feature finishes and nine top tens feature finishes in the ten race series has to be record-breaking in the Pro division. With an average finish of 3.9, Tyler beat the "official champion" by an average of almost 3 positions per race. We feel that by facilitating the "sizzler" format, Tyler and his crew were not rewarded for their hard work and performance on the track and that the championship was "taken" from them. The sizzler was more like a splutter. What was the purpose of the sizzler format in a short ten week series? If the concept was to add excitement for the fans in the grandstands, how many fans even knew about it? It did nothing to boost driver/team moral or camaraderie in the pits. Our guess is the only teams who liked the idea were sitting seventh through tenth in points after week seven and undoubtly those sitting in eleventh though twentieth place disliked it almost as much as us and most likely accounts for the decrease in car count in most divisions after week seven. When LMS and 600 Racing have conversations about the continuation of the "sizzler", they should address the inconsistency of the calls during the race and the lack of post race technical inspections. The number of dollars brought in each week should more than cover employee training on the technology used today. Lack of knowledge by officials is no excuse for allowing blatant rule-breaking. So in essence, you have fans who don't know about the sizzler or don't care, no apparent added financial gain for LMS and a good possiblity of loss, 2 or 3 teams that are happy and everyone else hates it. Then to top it all off, you have the non-sizzler drivers who decide that they want to help determine (by positioning themselves on the track- aka: blocking and wrecking) who wins the championship. Although it would have been a nice addition to his resume, winning a Summer Shootout Championship in the Legends division will not determine Tyler's future in racing. He has the talent and ability to go as far as he wants to go and we will be behind him all of the way!" Mark and Cathy Green August 8, 2007 - Tyler finished second in the heat race Thuesday night and also finished the season 2nd in the points, 69 behind the leader. Final Point Standings (PDF) Final Point Spreadsheet (PDF) In the Stix: Two Words Describes the “Sizzler”: It Sucks By Jason Buckley(Executive Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this column are the views and opinions of the author of the article. His views are not necessarily those of LegendsNation.com, its sponsors or other contributors.)  A few years back NASCAR decided to make a change in the NEXTEL Cup Series point system which determined their biggest champion of all. They had used the old system for well before I started watching or even caring about racing. Instead of a 36-race point championship, they instituted the “Chase”; a 10-race championship chase at the end of the season after locking in the top drivers in points after 26 of the 36 events. The change was made to help make the sport more exciting, especially during the last races of the season when NASCAR lost a television market share to the start of the NFL football season.
“The Chase” has garnered a mixed bag of results over the last few years in TV ratings and in the views of the drivers, teams and fans. While some feel it has made the final races of the season exciting, others feel it has cheapened the whole meaning of a season long champion.
Some tracks and series have followed this trend, thinking that if the biggest organization in American racing does it, they should too. One in particular is Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s Summer Shootout Series.
For years, the Shootout has consisted of a 10 race championship chase for the Legends, Bandoleros and Thunder Roadsters. Each race used the same point schematic, except for three races where double points were awarded. These double-points races had their own separate points chase called the “Red, White and Blue”, but also counted towards the 10-race championship, which allowed drivers to use these races to catch up on points they might have lost throughout the season.
This year LMS officials decided to change the system to add their own version of the “The Chase;” they call it “The Sizzler”
Here’s how it all plays out. There is still a “Red, White and Blue” championship, but no more double point nights. During the first seven races of the 10-race Shootout, drivers tried to stay in the coveted top-10 in points. At the conclusion of that seventh race, the top-10 had their points all elevated to the 3000 point mark, which essentially made all the top-10 drivers even. The only change was giving five bonus points to a driver for each win they had this season; another concept borrowed from this year’s Cup point system. These ten drivers then battle for the final three races of the season to decide the 2007 Summer Shootout champion in each division.
While I am a fan of “The Chase” in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, there are only two words to describe my opinion of the new “Sizzler” Summer Shootout championship system: “It Sucks.”
 First off, NASCAR has a 26-race setup with a 10-race championship chase following it. That gives drivers many races on the front end to get their cars right, have some bad luck here and there and make sure their program is stable and consistent. Then those top drivers have 10 races to shake things out to decide who will be the champion.
With this Sizzler Shootout format, there are only seven races for drivers to get things sorted out; that’s not too bad. But three races to determine the “Champion” of the Shootout? What a farce. That isn’t even close to the amount of races needed to determine a champion for the season.
There are a lot of other factors as well. You have the amount of drivers in each division, their conduct (penalties are awarded by officials more rampantly than it Cup) and also the actual outcome of the race. In NASCAR, just about the same 43 drivers, give or take a few on the back end, are racing each other the whole season and in their “Chase.” NASCAR has a decent grip on things, and very rarely do you see non-“Chase” drivers blatantly wrecking out “Chase” drivers. But in the Summer Shootout, it is a whole different ball game. Drivers run all over other drivers and officials seem to randomly penalize some drivers, but not others in certain situations. Generally, it is a chaotic scene to just make three races at the backend of the season and they are the ones that count toward determining the champion. One bad race and a driver is out of the Sizzler championship chase unless the others have trouble too.
Roger Slack runs the show at LMS for the Summer Shootout.
Also, I haven’t really heard of many drivers that like it. Many didn’t even know much about it this season. While officials stated what was going on, it wasn’t highlighted too well. In NASCAR, it was “the buzz.” It was a big deal. But this Sizzler was more of a fizzle and dud in the media surrounding the Shootout. This is supposed to be the biggest series for the Legends cars. You would have thought this type of “Sizzler” format would have been big in the news (internet sites, trade papers and such).
Also, while some drivers benefited with the points being evened up, it hurt others.
After round seven, multiple Shootout champion Brian Weimer had a 49-point lead over Clay Hair in the Masters division, but on the point reset he was tied with him. During round eight, Weimer was involved in a wreck that dropped him to seventh in the standings, 97 points behind leader Hair. Without the Sizzler figured in, he would only be 48 points back and in third. This frustrated Weimer so much that he told LegendsNation.com last week he might not show up for the final two races.
 Tyler Green (#20) was one of many drivers that was affected hard with the new "Sizzler".
Pro driver Tyler Green is another that was affected by this new system in a big way. After round seven he had a 163 point lead on second place due to having three wins and all top-five finishes in the first seven events. With the point reset and the bonus points, he still held the lead going into round eight, but by only 10-points. An incident with a non-Sizzler chase driver during the heat race forced him to start the feature from the back. While he overcame the huge hole he was put in to finish 11th and beat his nearest competition in the points before the reset, he dropped to fifth in the standings, 45 points behind the new leader. Without the Sizzler points reset, he would still be in the lead by 162 points.
Who did it benefit? Drivers like Scott Knox in the Legends Pro division who entered round eight 332 points back before the reset, but only 10 points out after. Benji Hicks was 321 points back in the Bandolero Young Guns division and Bayley Currey was 320 points back from the leaders in the Bandolero Bandits, but both were only 20 back from the leader after the reset. While this was good for them and others that got a boost in the points, in my opinion, it certainly isn’t the right thing to do.
Another thing that bothers me is the name. Who decided the “Sizzler” was cool to use? When I hear the word “Sizzler”, I think back to the year 2000 when I lived in California and was introduced to the “Sizzler” eating establishment. I also remember how I felt after eating there and my subsequent visit to the Porcelain Bank & Trust thereafter. Come to think of it, maybe “Sizzler” is the right name for this whole thing.
Regardless what it is called or what people think about it, the reality is that the Shootout is Roger Slack and Humpy Wheeler’s show. Drivers can cry and whine about it and so can I, but that doesn’t mean it will change. The Summer Shootout is more about entertainment for the fans and putting money in the speedway’s pocket than true racing anyway. It always has been.
The only way things are going to change is if less drivers show up to race and the attendance drops significantly. Both have appeared to happen recently, especially the car counts as round eight (the start of the Sizzler) was the lowest car count to date with only 179 Legends and Bando drivers showing up, compared to 211 on the first week and 222 during the July 3rd round.
So while the numbers of cars drop and drivers get more frustrated at the circus show that happens Tuesday nights at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the “Sizzler” continues on and champions will be named. While it will be an accomplishment to win the championship this season to the drivers that pull it off, I think the whole meaning of ‘champion’ has been cheapened by this new stunt. Yes, I think the “Sizzler” sucks, but it is what it is.
Antacid anyone?
This story originally appeared at: http://www.legendsnation.net/2007_vault/in_the_stix/7_30_07_Summer_Sizzler_Sucks.html August 7, 2007 - Tyler finished 2nd in the Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club Legends Car Pro Feature. Jordan Anderson saved his best performances for the end of the season, winning the final two races and taking home the championship trophy. The Columbia, S.C., racer entered the night as the points leader in the series' premier Legends Car division, but had several drivers nipping at his heels. Anderson started fifth in the 20-lap feature and needed only eight laps to power his way to the front and pass Steven Abbey for the lead. Tyler Green then gave chase, but Anderson left nothing to chance in the championship chase as he held off Green for a one-car length victory.(LMS PR) July 31, 2007 - Tyler finished 7th in the Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club Legends Car Pro Feature July 24, 2007 - Photos from Summer Shootout July 24, 2007 - Photos from the Green Foundation Golf Tournament July 24, 2007 - Points leader Tyler Green avoided two early wrecks, but spun out in Turn 4 midway through the race. Despite moving to the rear of the field for the restart, the second-generation racer sliced through the 28-car field to earn a respectable 11th-place finish. July 21, 2007 - Check out a great story about Tyler at NASCAR.com - Future of NASCAR could be in offspring of current stars Check out http://www.legendsnation.com and click on "Legends Stories" for several articles about Tyler. July 17, 2007 - Veteran Clay Hair and second-generation racer Tyler Green were among those who made return visits to victory lane Tuesday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway as rain fell on six of the nine main events during round seven of the 10-race Summer Shootout Series. Green, the son of NASCAR Busch Series driver Mark Green, slipped under perennial contender Michael Van Wingerden on lap eight to grab the lead. Green then drove a smooth line for the rest of the race in a pouring rain en route to his third feature victory.
July 10, 2007 - Points leader Tyler Green continued his string of top-five performances with a third-place finish in the top Legends Car division.
Nine NASCAR Kids Follow Fathers' Tire Tracks In Lowe's Motor Speedway's Summer Shootout Series (Lowe's Motor Speedway PR) July 4, 2007 - Tyler raced on July 3rd and 4th. He won his heat on the 3rd and finished 4th in the feature. He finished second in his heat on the 4th and finished 4th in the feature. Unofficially, he is leading the legends pro points by 128. June 26, 2007 - Defending Legends Car Pro division champion Casey Roderick slipped under Tyler Green on the final lap and went on to claim his first victory of the season in the series' premier division. Green, son of veteran NASCAR driver Mark Green, took the lead on lap seven with Roderick moving into second on the 12th trip around the quarter-mile oval. The Lawrenceville, Ga., driver continued to hound Green until the white flag when the 14-year-old racer made an inside move exiting Turn 2. Green settled for the runner-up money.
June 19, 2007 - Green and white are prominent colors in auto racing, so it was only fitting that Tyler Green and Dennis White were among the winners Tuesday night as 235 race cars filled the pit area for round two of the 10-race Summer Shootout Series at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In the Verdict Ridge Golf and Country Club Legends Car Pro division, hometown favorite Green was guilty of smooth moves that would make his more famous racing father and uncles proud. The son of former NASCAR Busch Series racer Mark Green and nephew of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Jeff Green and NASCAR Busch Series veteran David Green used a daring pass underneath Duncan Molesworth to grab the lead on lap five. Following an extended caution period to clean up oil on the track, the 18-year-old Green staved off a fierce charge from Molesworth during a green-white-checkered finish.
June 12, 2007- Tyler finished 2nd in the heat and 5th in the Pro Feature at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Tuesday night. Click here for complete information TYLER GREEN SCORES SECOND STRAIGHT WINTERHEAT SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Concord, NC (February 7, 2007) - For the second consecutive year, Tyler Green has captured a WinterHeat Series Legends title at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Green, in only his second Legends division championship, won four of eight races en route to 2006/2007 WinterHeat Series Championship in the Legends Pro division. In 2005/2006, he won the WinterHeat Series Championship in the Legends Young Lions division. "Winning my first Pro division championship is something very special to me," said Green, who drives the No. 20 Jeff Green Fan Club entry. "The goal is always to win, but to actually accomplish it is something else. Many professional drivers have won Legends championships before moving on and I hope I am able to achieve the same level of success." The 18-year-old from Concord, NC hopes to move up the ranks in 2007 racing season. "I’d like to race professionally," said Green. "The next step for me is to race full-size cars but like everyone else I need sponsors to do that. I know I have a lot to offer a sponsor but if it doesn’t happen right away, that’s ok too. I’m having lots of fun racing in the Legends Pro division." Green, who began kart racing at 8, has now scored three championships in his short racing career. In 2004, he won the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Bandelero Championship. He comes from a family with a rich racing heritage. His grandfather, David Sr, was successful drag racer. His father, Mark, has competed in the NASCAR Busch Series since 1995. David , his uncle, won the 1994 NASCAR Busch Championship and Jeff, his other uncle, won the 2000 NASCAR Busch Series Championship and currently drives the No. 66 Best Buy Chevrolet in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. "I couldn’t have done this without the support of my family." said Green. "My mom, my dad, my uncles, they are all a big part of my success. I can’t thank them enough. Tyler is pleased to have the Jeff Green Fan Club back on his car this year. Sponsorship from the Jeff Green Fan Club enables Tyler to go to the track each week and be in contention for the win. Thanks Uncle Jeff and Aunt Michelle! |
