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Will Rules Changes Bring Back Retro Racing?

An Opinion




January 25, 2010

By Matthew Pizzolato
Matthew Pizzolato



The fans have spoken and NASCAR has listened. Actually, the fans have been complaining for a long time and it's about time NASCAR did something about it.

This past week, NASCAR announced a plethora of rule changes aimed at making the series more driver friendly. Hopefully, these changes will make the racing more exciting for fans to watch and help improve lagging ticket sales at the track as well as increase declining television ratings.

In recent years, NASCAR has alienated a large portion of its "traditional" fan base, those fans that have followed the sport since its inception, by swapping race dates at tracks and eliminating some long standing traditions, and tightening rules for drivers on the race track. Even the new Chase point format has garnered criticism from some fans.

It was announced recently that the rear wing on the COT will be replaced by a spoiler, a welcome change to both drivers and fans alike. Recent crashes at Talladega involving cars becoming airborne are probably what sparked the change, although NASCAR denies this. Reverting back to a spoiler is a change that needed to be made for safety reasons, not just to make the cars more aesthetically pleasing.

Using a spoiler has aerodynamic advantages that will make passing easier because by its configuration, a spoiler allows for a side draft that will make passing easier at superspeedways. The November Talladega race became a follow the leader parade when NASCAR implemented its bump drafting rule because when running the rear wing and not having a side draft, drivers had resorted to bumping a car out of the way in order to make a pass. The bump drafting rule has recently been rescinded.

A long standing mantra in stock car racing is, "If you ain't rubbing, you ain't racing." It is this philosophy that NASCAR has embraced with some of its recent rule changes that will put racing back into the hands of the drivers.

In addition to allowing bump drafting, NASCAR has increased the size of the restrictor plates for races at Daytona, which will increase horsepower and allow for more throttle response, which will in turn make for better racing because drivers should be able to make more passes.

"Over the past 10 years we've dramatically increased safety and that mission continues. However, it's time for us to allow the drivers to drive. We don't want the rules and regulations to get in the way of great racing and fantastic finishes," Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO was quoted as saying in an article on nascar.com. "NASCAR is a contact sport -- our history is based on banging fenders."

All of these changes were probably made to entice traditional fans back to the race tracks, and it took a couple of seasons with declining ratings to force NASCAR's hand.

"We will put it back in the hands of the drivers and we will say, 'Boys, have at it, and have a good time,'" NASCAR's vice president for competition, Robin Pemberton said in a David Caraviello article for nascar.com.

However, one of the things that have been overlooked in the euphoria cause by the rule changes is that NASCAR may be trying shift responsibility for the racing product from itself to the drivers if next season isn't a success. Whether that is NASCAR's intent or not remains to be seen, but that has been the slant that some of the recent media coverage has given the new rule changes.

No one is to blame for the ratings fiasco but NASCAR itself; they are the ones ultimately responsible for over policing the sport, driving away its traditional fan base, and designing the COT, which has failed miserably. The drivers have to obey the rules on the track or face repercussions.

Yet, if the 2010 season ushers in better ratings and increased ticket sales, who will be responsible for the success, the drivers or NASCAR?



If you would like to learn more about Matthew, please check out his web site at matthew-pizzolato.com.



You can contact Matthew Pizzolato at .. Insider Racing News

You Can Read Other Articles By Matthew Pizzolato

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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