NASCAR Daily News Headlines * March 20, 2008

Fox Happy With Ratings Raise

“I don’t think anything should be done at all,” Hill said in a phone interview Thursday. “To me, the way things are happening right now, it goes back to what my dad used to say, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’

Not counting the California rain-delayed race, Fox has seen a 7 percent increase in ratings (4 percent including California). The average for this year is 7.1 percent (7.3 percent not including California) while its ratings were 6.8 percent for the first five races a year ago. Hill, whose network has the first 13 points races, traces the rise in ratings back to NASCAR Chairman Brian France’s comments in January that NASCAR would try to limit change and try to reach out to its core fan.

“I’ve been involved in sports for a long time, and the number of changes that NASCAR went through in a period of three years was probably the most profound changes I’ve seen in any sport that I’ve seen in a short space of time,” Hill said. " ... People are suspicious of change and tend not to embrace it.

“Because of all the changes that have gone on – big star drivers retiring was a large part of it, the Chase, a whole bunch of stuff – and I think what happened was Brian France’s comments at the start of the season that everything old was new again was totally embraced by NASCAR Nation. And it was almost like a collective sigh of relief to get back to the fundamentals.”

The biggest concern from fans was the impact of NASCAR’s new race car, Hill said. The car of tomorrow was competed in 16 races last year but is in its first full season this year.

“That was probably the most fundamental – it’s almost like having your favorite football team going out with new cleats and everyone saying, ‘We’re not sure [what will happen],’ ” Hill said. “I think the car of tomorrow has definitely proved itself.”

For the first time in Fox history, six consecutive events have enjoyed a year-to-year increase (Budweiser Shootout, Daytona qualifying, four points races not including California). A key factor was eliminating the off week between the second and third races of the year, Hill said.

“A business is going to run on momentum, and if you stop the momentum – if you’re selling apples, it’s going to have a negative impact on your business,” Hill said. “If you fill up a head of steam in your consumer base and suddenly you put an artificial block in that, it’s like, ‘Wow, where’s it going?’ Getting rid of that bye week – which I was violently opposed to from the start – has gone a long way to help.”

Hill said there also have been a slew of “little things” that have helped. Those little things include increased parity, Dale Earnhardt Jr. switching teams and Joe Gibbs Racing’s manufacturer change as well as Joe Gibbs’ retirement from coaching the Washington Redskins.(scenedaily.com)

Raines To Try Martinsville

Carl Long and Burney Lamar have driven for the team but neither has made a race this season. Raines will have to make the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 on speed as the team is 48th in owners points.(scenedaily.com)

Stremme In For Austin At Nashville

But with Stremme having posted two top-10 finishes in the last three races, team owner Rusty Wallace announced he has opted to keep the former Cup driver in the car.

“We have all been really pleased with the performance of the No. 64 team [with Stremme] so far this year,” Wallace said in a statement. “David’s top-five at Las Vegas was one of the best finishes by a non-Cup driver this year and we’re heading into Nashville with two top-tens in the last three races.