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StumblePublished Monday, Dec. 21, 2009 | 4:35 p.m.
Updated Monday, Dec. 21, 2009 | 4:42 p.m.
The most common theme running through a lot of the comments posted on my blog and others is the criticism that NASCAR continues to stray from its roots. When fans complain about the COT, Madison Avenue-managed drivers or the relentless commercialization of the sport, they really seem to be saying that they don’t relate as much to the sport as they used too.
NASCAR has created a difficult balancing act for itself as it maps out how to make the sport more popular. NASCAR wants to attract new fans, but the path toward that goal conflicts with the core fans’ desire to see the sport maintain its old-school appeal. Changing in order to grow without crushing what brought fans to the sport in the first place is like playing with a Rubik’s Cube.
Closer racing, fewer cookie-cutter style tracks and a few rivalries might help retain fans. The introduction of Danica Patrick, if she has some success, will bring more eyes to the sport.
In today’s edition of The New York Timesthere is an interesting story by Dave Caldwell on how NASCAR has strayed from its roots since the death of Dale Earnhardt. I wonder what Dale would say about today’s NASCAR?
The real problem with NASCAR today is that it has become too civilize: I miss the fist fights in the pits and the contact between the cars. Whats next the the pit crews start dressing up in three piece suits and the drivers starting wearing smoking jackets' And why not just install turn signals on the cars as well' Thats why i don't watch it anymore it's just became to boring.
Dale might say that most of the drivers are a bunch of candy asses. Most of the drivers (including Jr) are way too polite on the track.
Finally, Mike Smith is starting to see the light. I worked in rural Georgia in the early 90's, and nothing was better than going to a greased up dirt track on a Saturday night, and watching drivers go at it like junkyard dogs. Spin outs, crashes, side by side anger. You name it. But nobody got hurt (well, most of the time) and overall it was a great night. Now it's glitz and glamor, Hollywood racing. Side by side boredom, like going to the ballet.. Man, I like dirt racing.
1/4 and 1/2 mile dirt tracks, with a figure-8 thrown in once in while, oh yeah. And for flat out fun a chain-race can't be beat.
I was a track photographer for Corona, and helped out at Ascot when it was running. I even did a stint at Pearsonville (and how many of you know where that is?). I can tell you that nothing beats dirt-track racing in my book.
I have to agree that NASCAR has strayed far from its roots. I was a long-time (Since 1986) fan of Dale Sr. Back then,he was not a 'popular driver'. I stopped watching the races for the most part after Sr died. I watch some on accasion,and it is just one big ad. Sponsor for this and sponsors for that . The drivers today all sound alike,with their pre-rehused sponsor-loaded sound bites. I miss the days when they would put a mike in Sr's face,you never knew what he would say,and he never held back. I remember fights in the pits,a few punches on the track,too .
Who knows? Maybe Danica will be the one who gets into a fist fight.
Hey Mike Smith: With who won of the drivers wifes. LOL
Sounds like a good subject for a cartoon.
Someone asking $300,000.00 a race that has never even raced a stock car and gets a deal is the problem with the sport. My pont is that the looks and personality of a driver along with their marketablity are more of a factor in some one getting a ride these days instead of their ability .Could you imagine if when Dale Sr. came in if he would have asked for more money than the other drivers were making at the time.He would have never gotten the chance to show how great he was,He also wouldn't have fit the image that they go after tody.Imagine the loss to the sport that would have been.
The roots of NASCAR are founded in an era when it was a small time, regional passion; which also meant little or no money, none of the races were televised (start to finish)and my father made more money as a mechanical engineer and manager in a medium sized factory than Richard Petty did the same year in winning his last NASCAR Championship. You can't have it both ways, full TV coverage, millions in sponsorships reuired to field a competitive car and think that the people from national corporations who write the checks are going to tolerate some redneck bozo who gets in fights and wrecks cars as their marketing image: itsnotgonnahappen.com. When racers ran their own cars funded by their take-home winnings, they could do and say as they pleased. When you start running on someone else's money you do it their way: he who pays the band gets to name the songs they'll play.
The "Days of Thunder" NASCAR went the way of slide rules and writing letters, it is a new era, a different one, and the old times are not going to return anymore than are only three channels (ABC, NBC, and CBS) and rabbit ears on top of the TV.
Old time racing still exists at your local short track, with people driving their own cars funded largely by their passion for the sport. They also are driving cars that couldn't last 500 miles if the entire distance were downhill and there was 40 mph tailwind the whole way. Fast reliable cars are expensive, very expensive.
And because of that there was once a time when only gentlemen raced, because they were the only ones who could afford it: F1 circa 1920's.
It's a new age, you're reading this on a computer, not the local newspaper.
I totally agree,prof. In my opinion,NASCAR was , for me , at it's best in the late 80's / early 90's . This of course is also the same time Sr was hos most dominant. I also feel the the TV deal did not help things . To me,there was no better broadcast tem than old Benny Parsons and Dr Jerry Punch on ESPN. Now they have woman 'reporters' (to get women to watch-just like football does) . I knew when they closed N Wilksboro the sport was doomed . The small old-school tracks just couldn't pull the $ anymore . Now they have ,what I call 'cookie cutter tracks ' . Tracks like Chicago,Fontana and Texas . Boring.. They arent buling anymore Talladega or Bristol types of tracks anymore . I also think that NASCAR does not care about the average fan,anymore. They only concern themsleves , at least at the track,with the large corporate types. This is evident with the large fancy tents , the mega motorhomes and skyboxes. I get mailers every Spring from Watkins Glen,and the prices they charge are outrageous-and I make descent money,too. To me,spending $90 to get squeezed into the grand stands , and sitting on a 2x8" piece of wood is not fun. Then,throw in $15 parking,$7 burgers and $10 draft beers. I don't think so. ...
I feel that NASCAR has totally lost sight of their past,which was 'stock' cars,litterally! Which originated from good ol boys like Junior Johnson using souped up cars to run Moonshine...
These are just my thoughts and opinions. Thanks for reading. Comments welcome.
Nascar began losing it's way when Brian France took over and his only goal was to line his pockets. His granddaddy must be spinning in his grave, seeing what this guy is doing to his beloved sport.
The COT, while making the drivers safer, is no better than an IROC car. No brand identification is bad for the automakers. The old addage, "race on Sunday, buy on Monday" no longer exists. Fans can't tell a Chevy from a Toyota from a Ford, and that contributes to fan boredom.
The Chase is absolutely awful. Though they deny it, drivers don't want to race hard so they ruin their chances to make the Chase. Points racing is boring with drivers just tooling around to collect points. The ONLY driver who seems to care about winning is Kyle Busch---that kid cares about racing and winning and not collecting points. Plus, the Chase plays directly into the hands of Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knaus. And, you must believe that Johnson's winning a fourth Championship was NOT good for the sport. One team dominating any sport is not good for that sport. Fans want competition, and a chance for their favorite driver to win on any given weekend. But with the huge money and dominance of Hendrick, small teams don't have a chance.
Nascar needs to dump the Chase, get rid of the corporate welfare system, also known as the Top 35 rule, they need to cultivate personalities and real on-track rivalries, and they need to redevelop the COT and make it easier for drivers to pass/draft/compete. But no, the COT is just a vehicle that Nascar developed in order to make it easier for their officials to check with their templates, and great racing be damned.
darcin5261 could not have said it more clearly. NASCAR is now now a boutique Sunday afternoon event, kinda' like Sunday bowling on ESPN. While it will continue to exist primarily due to the Big 3 places (Talledega, Daytona, and Indy), it refuses to provide real excitement. I never could stand those IROC "round n' round" races; that's why they used to race on Thursdays, now they basically race on Sunday. Very sad what has happened to NASCAR....
As a Richard Petty fan since 1971, I think I can safely be called one of the "core fans" that is so many times mentioned. One of the big problems now is the debate regarding the chase. While I really am not totally for, or totally against the chase, I do get tired of hearing all of the people who count "old points" and somehow believe this driver or that driver should (or shouldn't) be the champion. None of those same people ever take into account the constant change over the years. Example, the champion's pit selection obviously helped Dale Sr. win 3 of his championships, Mark Martin's famous spacer plate helped him one year too. Those same people wil cry out loud if Montoya or someone bumps their driver, however, when it was their driver doing the bumping, That was O.K. One rule that doesn't make sense is the rule against blocking (Sr. was one of the best blockers of all time). When you're leading, what's wrong with blocking to protect the lead? That's called racing. Danica patrick will definately bring more fans in, even if her racing is mediocre as it has been in IRL. In Nascar, drivers with few wins (Casey Mears, Jamie McMurry, etc.) are not elevated to star status the way Patrick will be. While Jr. hasn't done very good lately, he does have 18 wins to his credit, and will probably get more in 2010.
All that said, I welcome Danica and wish her well. I just don't want to see some sudden phantom caution thrown to protect her track position.
And YES, chase haters, Jimmie Johnson is a legitimate 4 time champion! May go on to another next year. Why are so many people against Johnson winning Championships? He has won more races in this decade than ANY other driver, not just chase races. And he did it without the Champions pit choice and without wrecking others to get those wins.
How about a rule that drivers running a full cup schedule cannot "stink-up" the Nationwide Series. Maybe limit any top 35 driver to 10 Nationwide races a season, and If they're top 5, No nationwide.
Worst thing to happen to Nascar......Toyota.
Dang Mike, look at all this proof of your first sentence. Everyboringsomebody knows how to fix everything.........sure!
Opinions are good, and legal, but come on people, try and deal with what is, not what was. What was is gone........forever!!
Patrick is a joke. Maybe her and Jr. will marry and become Mr. & Mrs. 'Make a Billion.' Woods does need a replacement.