Last week in this column, I proffered my theory about the core problem with the current incarnation of NASCAR racing: The lack of any real racing excitement, replaced by contrivances like the Chase and the Car of Tomorrow, and the pervasiveness of strict rules and political correctness that suck all the enthusiasm and innovation from the sport's participants.
Judging by the flood of impassioned email responses I received, I guess you could say I struck a nerve.
I want to thank all of you for your honesty, insights, and willingness to share your thoughts and feelings with me.
Presented below are some of the interesting replies I received. NASCAR, I hope you're listening!
What used to make it exciting was never knowing what was going to happen. When you went to a race you really didn't know what was going to happen. NASCAR has all but taken that away. I don't know when NASCAR lost the trust of the drivers to make the right decisions and take care of each other on the track and the sport, but that was a big part of the special element NASCAR had. Anyone with a scanner in the '80s and '90s can tell you that the drivers were in control. NASCAR listened in and refereed when they had to, but the drivers basically controlled it. A lot of what I hear over the scanner (when I do go to a race) is complaining and confusion about where a driver is supposed to be and where he was when the caution came out. - Don (one of his many good points).
My entire family has been race fans for more years than I care to remember. However, now I only watch off and on simply because I have a son who works on one of the NASCAR teams. I long for the real racing and the real drivers of the better years. I long for the days when no driver would slow down to let someone else lead a lap or heaven forbid, get back on the lead lap. When racing was racing, the object was to get as many of the competitors a lap down. I liked racing when you went out there to win, not put on a show, as NASCAR so proudly calls racing. Can you imagine Cale Yarborough letting Bobby Allison move ahead of him to get a lap back or to lead a lap? Not in his lifetime. That was racing. I like change as long as you can prove it betters something. In the case of NASCAR, it seems they have cut off their nose just to spite their face. - D.S.
I have to agree with you and all the other disenfranchised fans, that NASCAR has replaced innovation and real excitement with the COT and manufactured "drama". The COT flat-out sucks and I would rather see crews using their time and creativity on innovation rather than seeing them suspended for cheating. Don't get me wrong, I am against cheating and those who break the rules. I just think NASCAR is sending the (wrong) message that innovation is bad, and they should do away with the COT and let the teams do what they got into this business for. They might as well dig slots in the tracks and race the cars by remote-control, for all the "excitement" it generates. There are so many other things wrong that it would take me several pages to list them all, but I'm sure you've already heard it all before. When the heck is NASCAR gonna wake up and get it??? I used to get upset on the rare occasions that I did miss a race, but now, even when I'm home all day Sunday I usually find something more interesting on another channel. - Amy
I absolutely hate the Top 35 rules. Start the fastest 43 cars. Get rid of the champions provisional. You either qualify or you miss the race. Every team scores their best 31 races with the four poorest performances dropped from the points race. Hold one more special season closing event similar to the All-Star event. - Bill (one of his many good points)
I think what is happening to NASCAR is what has happened to Formula One; it's following directly in its footsteps. Follow the history of Formula One and how it changed once sponsorship came in and grew with the sport and you'll see NASCAR doing the same in all respects. I remember 25 years ago when half the field could win a race on any Sunday. - Steve
NASCAR was built on Car Brand Competition … With Chevy dominating and winning approximately 74% of the races this year and last year, winning most all the major races and titles for the past 10 years, plus leading approximately 65% of laps at the Daytona 500 the past 10 years, you might say "Chevy, job well done," but let another brand start to win that many and see how quick NASCAR reacts! Chevy has great cars and drivers, but NASCAR better get back to basics and look at all the fan base and try to entertain them if they want to grow the sport! Fans pulling for their favorite brand of car helps the sport! - Charles
Stop the multiple team stuff. For years there were 43 cars in the field, all entered by different owners. Go back to what got you here!!!! Stop the bull and treat every team equal! Inspect the cars before the race. Then if it wins, the race is over! Make the rules mean something. Be sure they are all fair, then enforce them equally!!!! Publish the penalties up front. Then stick to them. No pet drivers or teams, no matter how long they have been racing. - John
I for one now turn the channel because I can not tolerate the ESPN team that is in place … Rusty just is NOT passionate enough nor does he have what it takes to keep people interested. Friends have agreed with me so it is not just my opinion. And I love ESPN for my football....but not my NASCAR. - Unsigned (representative of many emails complaining about ESPN and the TV coverage in general)
One item not addressed in your article of today is the amount of "commercial" time during a typical broadcast. I've always thought it would be real interesting to time how much airtime is devoted to ads. NASCAR should realize that with the new systems, its just too easy to record the race and fast-forward through the ads so that you can watch a three hour broadcast in probably less than half that time. Another item that is taking its toll is fining a driver for showing any emotion, cussing, or otherwise reacting like a driver normally would. These penalties by NASCAR are proving to be "detrimental to the sport of stock car racing." - Jeff
I started seriously watching racing around 1980. What I notice now is, it's like the sponsors and NASCAR have gotten together to create rules that keep most of the cars/billboards from racing hard until the last 20 or 30 laps. I think the simple fix is to shorten the races and give points to everyone after 100 laps (or whatever). Reward every driver for trying to better their position, not just the 5 point deal for leading a lap, that just doesn't cut it. But here again, I am convinced that NASCAR and the sponsors do not want the cars torn up from actual racing. - Gary
The changing production method of, and by, NASCAR seems like a never ending commercial. The late and numerous "cautions". The carefully placed bottle of something on the winners roof. The fact that all the drivers, during the post race interview, have gone to the Michael Waltrip school of promotion. Endless names of sponsors, spewed forward, to each question asked. It's all phony. NASCAR has lost it's credibility as a competitive sport. - Unsigned
Where is the blood pounding, floor pacing, gut wrenching racing we all loved to watch??? The kind of racing that had my hubby and I both ready and willing to spend our time and money and vacation packed up in the RV at the track with thousands of other screaming fans!!! Ahhh, for the good old days!!! - Unsigned
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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