Nascar

[silver_bullet]

Someone needs to slap Brian France up alongside that melon he calls a brainbox, maybe he'll downsize the corporate level, go around Mooresville and see how many of the older regular shops have been displaced by the CNC cathedrals that comprise the race shops....cut the costs per ticket, fill the stands, and invite the road courses with open arms... it really makes for great competition... make it more attractive to everyday worker. ever noticed how other forms of racing do more to embrace the everyday fans? Nascar has built too many seats and skyboxes that we can't afford!.. ask Humpy Wheeler how to do it!

[pdub]

Someone needs to slap Brian France up alongside that melon he calls a brainbox, maybe he'll downsize the corporate level, go around Mooresville and see how many of the older regular shops have been displaced by the CNC cathedrals that comprise the race shops....cut the costs per ticket, fill the stands, and invite the road courses with open arms... it really makes for great competition... make it more attractive to everyday worker. ever noticed how other forms of racing do more to embrace the everyday fans? Nascar has built too many seats and skyboxes that we can't afford!.. ask Humpy Wheeler how to do it!

It's a dead horse. No more moonshiners, no more anything that the sport was originally based upon. The drivers are now all paid 20-year-olds, none of us even know their names. And the worst part is, the 20-year-olds are not even watching the 20-year-olds race. You can't even sell Mountain Dew when the 20-year-olds are not watching.

[JRoberts]

I have said it before and I will say it again, I am not going to watch another NASCAR race until the course turns right and left and in the rain. I agree that the cars need to at least look stock and run engines of manufacturer. Presently until I can see a car close enough to read the manufacturer's tag on the car I have no idea what kind of car it is supposed to be. I think equality could come by lowering the cubic inches of turbo-ed and supercharged cars. I also think it needs to allow foreign cars as well. I mean there is already foreign money in at least one of the "American" marques. Toyotas already run why stop there?

[ericfallon]

Why does NASCAR not having blocking rule?

Most the accidents today were caused by drivers who were trying to block other drivers from passing them!

Why not have a rule that simply say's any driver that NASCAR deems is blocking gets sent the the rear of the longest line.

Looking at all the race cars that were wrecked because of some idiot blocking is just stupid and crazy to me.

Jimbo17

Nascar isn't and hasn't been since the 60's purely about racing, it is about the SHOW..
Some understand this.. others ............
What changed in 2001 was The person that understood this more than anyone else and did everything he could to give the fans a show, no matter if he was in 2nd/1st or 25th. passed.
Most complained for the last 15 years that the lead car would at most tracks, check out. and the cars behind would only be fighting for 2nd on back.
Now they have it so they are more or less not going to check out. people don't like it.
If you want a follow the leader, boring race watch F1.
Only thing I don't like is the new cars can't be repaired and brought back out. Not a fan of that or the crash clock.
A race operation cost to much to not be able to fix it and get back to racing.
(This is why you only have 40 teams or like last week 36)
Fans travel too far to have their driver/team taken out and not be able to return. They travel with a back up car. let them pull it out and run it if the first car can not be repaired, It is already at the track and set up to run that track, USE IT.
(This is why the stands are not packed,)
Plan on going to a race for a year, spend the money on tickets and hotel/etc. Only to have your guy out. Might as well watch it from home. That way if your guy is taken out , you can keep watching, or Record it to watch later or shut it off and it have cost you nothing.
The leadership of the racing body, needs to be kicked to the curb. The ones running it now are not race fans, They are running it like a public held company, worrying about the investors more than the buyers, in this case the fans.
I don't know what they are teaching in business schools today, but if you make the buyers (fans) happy, the investors will be also.
When you don't you start pandering to the whims of the investors (sponsors)that don't care about the (in this case) sport. and will drop you like a rock.

[pdub]

I think the degradation started when Earnhardt got killed at Daytona. The year after that his son won? There was one guy I worked with, he was not even a racing fan. He had lots of conspiracy theories anyhow, he didn't care or know a thing about racing of any kind but he was yelling NASCAR is rigged!!!!!!

Dude, seriously? I mean, he MEANT it. He THOUGHT he meant it. If I was in contact with 50 people per day and one person thought like that, that adds to the overall average.

They priced themselves out of the business. Seats cost too much. We can study it as much as we like, but they priced themselves out of business. Plus, it's not that great of a sport to watch. Dirt track racing on a Saturday night where the guys fist fight in the pits after a heat race, that's a better show but nobody is there, not the masses.

[JRoberts]

The idea that NASCAR is rigged is not very rare. When the same driver/team wins race after race and championship after championship you just have to wonder. I believe, to a point, that the NASCAR rulers in their palaces and such do have favorite teams/drivers and make it somewhat easier for them to win than others. Maybe I am wrong, but lots of car guys I have associated with over the years believe that and if that perception, true or false, spreads far enough it hurts. I believe it has dealt close to a death blow to NASCAR. Enforce a fair playing field. Make the cars look like the brand they represent. Take away the one template fits all makes. Use the make of car use parts for that brand only. Let true innovation exist. Then let the excitement return. Will it work? I don't know, but it can't hurt can it.

[ericfallon]

I think the degradation started when Earnhardt got killed at Daytona. The year after that his son won? There was one guy I worked with, he was not even a racing fan. He had lots of conspiracy theories anyhow, he didn't care or know a thing about racing of any kind but he was yelling NASCAR is rigged!!!!!!

Dude, seriously? I mean, he MEANT it. He THOUGHT he meant it. If I was in contact with 50 people per day and one person thought like that, that adds to the overall average.

They priced themselves out of the business. Seats cost too much. We can study it as much as we like, but they priced themselves out of business. Plus, it's not that great of a sport to watch. Dirt track racing on a Saturday night where the guys fist fight in the pits after a heat race, that's a better show but nobody is there, not the masses.

Your buddy you worked with, would have a point if the DEI cars were not top of the class at restrictor plate racing before his death.
Remember who was in 2nd that year and who Mikie was driving for.

As for the cost of seats. That is a farce. Have you gone to a hockey/ basket ball, foot ball, base ball game of a team that wins? and not nose blead seats? good seats are 2-8 times more than a Nascar ticket.
The problem is Most travel to a track/race. This require for many hotel stay. Many of Them requiring a 2 night stay on race week ends. If I'm spending that type money I want to know that my guy/team will be able to race. get wrecked and fix it and get back out there.. That is the biggest problem .
Hard to invest, the fuel to get there, the 150+/- a night hotel cost, the seat(most times under 45 bucks, for Sundays race and 25-35 for sat race if there is one). Knowing Your guy/team might get in a wreck early and not be allowed to fix it and return. Much cheaper to watch it at home.
We looked into going to Daytona 500 this year. Wife, child and me. It is Nascars superbowl. The cost of everything for the whole ten days was less much less, than one questionable seat for the superbowl. We didn't go, could not get the vacation time. But if I was going to go to that track that is the way I'd do it.

I'll only touch on this as it might not be allowed. But another problem is the last few years and the health insurance monthly bill rate jumps. Mine is almost 700.00 more a month, This eats into what the Family can do for entertainment and vacations. I know we won't be going to any this year. Only way I'd be able to do something like the power tour would be, sleeping in the car.
No one ever takes this into account of why Nascar has a bunch of empty seats, or the NHRA pro shows are not doing all that well either.
I'll leave it at that.

[ericfallon]

The idea that NASCAR is rigged is not very rare. When the same driver/team wins race after race and championship after championship you just have to wonder. I believe, to a point, that the NASCAR rulers in their palaces and such do have favorite teams/drivers and make it somewhat easier for them to win than others. Maybe I am wrong, but lots of car guys I have associated with over the years believe that and if that perception, true or false, spreads far enough it hurts. I believe it has dealt close to a death blow to NASCAR. Enforce a fair playing field. Make the cars look like the brand they represent. Take away the one template fits all makes. Use the make of car use parts for that brand only. Let true innovation exist. Then let the excitement return. Will it work? I don't know, but it can't hurt can it.

Yet the same guys don't see any of that when Force was collecting champs like candy, or any of the other teans (glidden/Johnson/burnstien(sp?)
Problem with NASCAR is the aero is to much of a factor. And they are boxed into a corner here.
** Allow anything goes and the bigger teams will always have a better set up
**build a car they all use that doesn't look like even remotely like anything you can buy, but can't be super aero and it pass the mustard of you went to far.

Fans don't want a belly button car. but they want innovation..to be allowed. That is a tuff one to do.

Part of why I like Jr's idea of a retro series.
They are using hand build cars and bodies. So.
Let the lower series run todays showroom looking if you squint mustang and Camaro.
And the cup series they put the years 1948-2006 on balls, and put them in a lottery machine, Whatever years come up in the first 2 spots. Are the cars you use for next year (the first ball) and the year after (2nd ball).
So If the 1st ball was labeled 1973 next season they be running what they did in 73 body wises and so on.. it just have to fit or be made to fit the much wider safer car cage they use today.
And let them have at it.
With the Darlington race being a total throw back having to use the engine they would have in that year.

[htrdharley]

Just wait and see what the next few years of rule changes brings...the nail in the coffin if they head down the path they are currently planning.

The true down turn of the sport started in the early 90's. As far as races being rigged, there have been some advantages given to certain teams a time or two.

[silver_bullet]

Hey Lars, good to hear your viewpoint... what's your view on more road courses?

[cstmwgn]

... What's your view on more road courses?

imsa

[silver_bullet]

I was just asking because, Charlotte Motor Speedway is doing a revamp of the track to include a road course...

[htrdharley]

I think the Roval at Charlotte will be a good race. It is time to mix it up.

[silver_bullet]

Kinda the same as my thoughts....hope it's a shot in the arm for the sport....