Complain if you must, the Chase is great for sport

The Chase has had its critics through the years.

And there is no question, the system may not be perfect. In fact, it isn't -- and never will be.

But as the positive vibe from Sunday's Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway resonates in NASCAR Nation and the buildup for this Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway commences, it's hard to argue against the playoff system that was incorporated into the Cup Series in 2004.

Oh, there are those who can -- and will. Even seasoned members of the media who should know better still sit around some nights and talk loudly about how the Chase system is on borrowed time and won't possibly last more than another two or three years.

But those folks are starting to sound increasingly like the neighborhood dog who barks incessantly as bedtime approaches. At first they are heard loud and clear, and it's even considered that there is legitimate reason for them to sound the alarm. But after a while, they simply become annoying before fading away altogether into the night, eventually ignored by the masses who drift off into a peaceful sleep.

Hear this, folks: the Chase is here to stay and with good reason. Sunday's race in Atlanta offered further evidence of why the Chase format is far superior to the old non-Chase format that was scrapped in 2004.

History lesson

Without the Chase this season, there is no chance for Atlanta Motor Speedway to reinvent itself as a viable Cup Series venue with a Labor Day weekend event.

Tony Stewart went into the weekend with a sizable advantage in the season's point standings and left with it intact. Despite a rather nondescript 11th-place finish Sunday, he still holds a 237-point lead on Jeff Gordon, his closest pursuer, in the standings.

If not for the Chase, general interest in this season's "battle" for the championship long ago would have lost its appeal to the general masses. (Continued)