Head2Head: Does 'Dega belong in the Chase?

Talladega may be the wild card of the Chase, but it still deserves a place in NASCAR's playoff format.

To win at Talladega, you need skill, the perfect strategy ... and yes, even a little bit of luck. To some degree, that's true about every track on the circuit. Racing at the high-speed, high-banked superspeedway is most definitely a different breed, but the Chase should represent all different kinds of racing ... even on restrictor plate tracks. Until they alter the schedule to crown the champion at Daytona, Talladega will have to suffice.

Talladega is notorious for NASCAR's most dramatic racing (Sunday's debacle aside). It's one of just two tracks where you (usually) find packs of cars running two- and three-wide, bumper-to-bumper for nearly the entire race. Sure, it's dangerous and yes, it's "different," but the Chase features the sport's best drivers who should face varying challenges.

There is a special skill set required at Talladega. You have to navigate through trouble, hit the right hole at the right time and use the air and the drivers around you to work your way to the front. To suggest that Talladega is just a game of chance would be a slap in the face to great drivers like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt and his namesake, amongst others.

Talladega is a race of both skill and survival. It adds an extra element of drama ... a perfect fit for the final 10 races.

To channel Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Alabama track deserves a sweet home in the Chase.

Sunday was the perfect example as to why Talladega does not belong in the Chase. NASCAR can spin the race all it wants, but we fans know the truth -- Talladega has turned into a joke.

The strategy for surviving -- and I mean surviving -- Talladega is simple: ride around in the back all race and with 20 to go start making your charge to the front, hoping you don't get caught up in a crash. Basically, the race comes down to luck.

Is this how we want to crown our champion? Granted, one race does not make the Chase, but seriously, when drivers refer to the race as "a lottery," something is wrong.

The Chase should highlight the best drivers at the best tracks NASCAR can offer. Now I'm not looking to revamp the schedule, but Talladega is not Chase-worthy anymore.

Tracks that require drivers and their teams to be at their best should be in the Chase and Talladega offers none of that. To win at 'Dega, you just have to be fortunate. Stay out of trouble and happen to catch the right draft and you can rocket up to the front in less than a lap. That's not racing.

Talladega is an exciting event, there is no question about it. And I'm not suggesting it loses a race. But it doesn't belong in the Chase -- it's just too random

Change race No. 7 to Watkins Glen or Darlington and let the drivers decide the title -- not the right draft line.