December 22, 2010
By Chuck Abrams
Man, did I hear from some fans this past week.
So many fans are sick and tired of the Chase it is hard to believe this long after it was instituted, fans are still complaining. On the upside, that means some of the old time fans are still watching.
But as one fan put it, "...having bad/good luck in 10 out of 36 races is not (how to crown) a champion for me."
And I also hear from fans about too much Jimmie Johnson. I even heard a few that complained (still) about the Clint Bowyer point deduction. Yes, at least some NASCAR fans still believe in conspiracy theories.
Whatever the reasons, there are still some very vocal fans that do not like the state of NASCAR even in a year that saw some darned good racing and a points battle that was historically tight over the course of the Chase.
So what's the deal? Are NASCAR fans tired of the Chase or just plain ol' tired out?
NASCAR has been responding to the fans with new rules. The spoiler is back. The front splitter is going away and Dodge is getting a new nose to help with aerodynamics and brand identity. There are more consistent start times. Everyone (outside of the Johnson clan) is tired of Johnson winning and most can't wait to see who will step up to the plate and knock him off the podium.
So why the negativity and fans leaving the sport in droves? And should we care?
Unless you have money invested in the sport or you are NASCAR and sweating your next TV deal, do fans really care that the stands are 3/4 full and TV ratings are bleeding double digit losses?
Perhaps it means that the "new" fans that came to NASCAR over the past several years are bored with it all and what will remain are the core fans that were here before the Chase and the COT. Of course, that is the core fans who don't give up on the sport because it ain't their grandpappy's NASCAR.
Should fans be happy that faux fans are leaving the sport to us? We didn't think that they got it anyway, did we?
But the NFL isn't their grandpappy's football either. Nor is MLB, the NHL or the NBA. All sports go through change. And like it or not, and there are a lot of not's, NASCAR isn't going to abandon the Chase.
But as many have pointed out, NASCAR is not a stick and ball sport and really never needed a playoff system as far as the fans were concerned. I would have to agree with that. But as Brian France took over the sport, he wanted to hold court over what was becoming the fastest growing sport in the nation. NASCAR expanded, money flowed in and NASCAR sold its soul to corporate interests.
Even before the economy sputtered, NASCAR was starting to see its fan base erode. The 'Car of Tomorrow' has been a great answer for safety, but an inconsistent answer for better racing and American auto manufacturing identity.
There are still a lot of things wrong with NASCAR. Not enough points for winning is one. If fans saw a significant bump for wins, it might certainly help interest in the sport. The Chase is still a huge problem for many fans since they see the regular season points leader have his lead wiped out and get nothing for his hard work.
Very few believe what sports writers across the country believe -- that the drivers would race differently over 36 races than they do over 26 heading into the Chase. Fans don't like to hear that. They don't want to watch teams just try to stay in the top 12 and not go for wins week in and week out as they spend their hard earned dollars to go to races or pay for that cable package. And believe it or not, the fact that the cars don't look like what you can buy on a car lot is a big deal to hard core NASCAR fans. I hear it over and over and I believe it.
But even with all of that, the racing has the potential to be really good in 2011.
I know what I am asking Santa for is for NASCAR fans to rediscover their sport and stay around. Yes the Chase bites. Drivers should get more for each win I want my Chevy that wins to look like my Chevy in the driveway.
But isn't it still the best racing around?
Let me know your thoughts.
Keep the shiny side up this holiday season. And Merry Christmas.
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
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