by: PattyKay Lilley
Good day gentle readers. Today I’d like to add my voice and perhaps yours as well, to a subject introduced on these pages yesterday by my friend Tim Leeming, known around RacersReunion as The Legend. First though, allow me to clear up one small misconception. In his Legendtorial, Tim mentioned a conversation between him and me in which he said I stated that NASCAR was “Too big to fail.” That wasn’t quite accurate. I did utter the words, but only as a mocking comparison to some of the financial institutions “bailed out” a few short years ago by our Federal Government.
Too big to fail? Oh no… and I have written proof that I indeed began to predict the possibility of failure as long ago as 2004, that year that keeps inconveniently coming up in conversations dealing with two things… NASCAR and “What the hell happened?” Tim’s article centered on The Chase, so I will start there, but hopefully fill in some more blanks for both you, the fans, and whoever’s task it is to read my writings down in Daytona Beach today.
This morning I let my fingers do the walking through my files and came to the conclusion that it was in my Lady in Black column offering a recap of the race at Fontana, May 2, 2004 that I first used the words, “The Chase for No Sponsorship.” (As opposed to “The Chase for the Championship) From the beginning of that year, I had voiced concern over the multitude of changes not merely proposed but enacted by a brand new regime in the NASCAR hierarchy. Before you ask, no, I am not fundamentally opposed to change, but the purpose of change should be to improve, not destroy. The first concept is a good thing; the second is a disaster.
Let’s calmly examine this “Chase” thing. It took a 36-race season and essentially shortened it to 26 races. At that point, everything changed. For folks that claimed to want a simpler point system, NASCAR came up with one of the most convoluted, cockamamie systems of deciding a Champion ever conceived. It is however, a fluid system, changing by the year to suit the whims and fancies of those same folks that designed it.
The purpose? Originally, it was supposed to make NASCAR more closely resemble the NFL so that we might offer more competition for America’s most popular sport. Rather farcical in my opinion, as the two sports are about as comparable as onions and kangaroos. Honestly, whether I were the onion or the kangaroo, I would find no joy or sense in resembling the other, nor have I ever found sense in NASCAR wanting to be like the NFL. The two have shared Sunday afternoons and now evenings for many, many years, and each had done nicely until this silly Chase thing came to be.
The NFL consists of teams not only in two different Conferences, National and American, but in geographical divisions, North, South, East and West, within each Conference. In order to decide a single Champion for a given year, they have to hold playoffs. It’s the only way to fairly decide who wears the crown. But a playoff in NASCAR is nothing more than ridiculous. We have no divisions in stock car racing. We have a “field” which consists of 43 (arbitrary number) cars in any given race. For the sake of argument, let’s pretend for a bit that all 43 teams actually race. If one wanted to institute a playoff, who would race against whom?
The cars could be split in half… roughly… 22 and 21, and run two races in each venue and the top 10 or 12 could then “play off” against the other top 10 or 12. Done that way, one could make at least a bit of sense of the format, but that’s not the way it’s done. Once 26 races have been run, all bets are off and the field is narrowed to ten drivers and two “wild-card” drivers, all based on a combination of points and wins that Albert Einstein would have a difficult time in understanding. That gives us the twelve that will be allowed to compete in the final ten races, known as “The Chase.”
Well, as lovely (Please insert font for sarcasm there) as that sounds, the twelve do not get to race each other; they get to race against the same 42 drivers they’ve been racing against since Daytona, only 31 of them no longer count. They are there for decoration only, as we pretend they are part of the race. Fans, we are not the only ones that realize those 31 teams have no purpose other than to obstruct the “Chasers.”
The “Trained professionals” in the broadcast booth are well aware of the fact and persistently ignore all efforts by those coldly designated as “non-chasers” to be a part of the race. As a good example, at the end of the Chicago race last Sunday, ESPN never even sought an interview with Kyle Busch, who finished fourth. Any week prior to the Chase, the press claims the inherent “right” to interview the top-5 finishers and have summarily stoned that same driver for occasionally refusing or seeking to avoid an interview for whatever reason. However, Kyle narrowly missed being in the Chase, and is now persona non grata with the motorsports media that serves NASCAR.
Stay with me now; we’re getting to the meat of The Chase for No Sponsorship. Essentially, for the final ten races, we are viewing a new season, with only twelve drivers eligible for a seat at the head table in Las Vegas in December. Knowing that if your driver is not one of them your car will be ignored, how do you feel as a sponsor of one of the other 31? Announcers are not going to comment on your progress unless your driver is leading and cannot be ignored. Likewise, the camera is not going to follow your driver or isolate your car if it can be avoided. You don’t count!
How long do you think it took sponsors to figure that out for themselves? Not long at all. It was in that inconveniently too often mentioned year of 2004 that we began to hear the words “field fillers” more and more often. That term has now given way to the term “Start and park” as the number of cars engaging in that practice has steadily increased over the years to the point that there are not enough full-time teams running to fill that 43-car field of which NASCAR has become so fond. Now, because I know I’m going to hear it, yes, the downturn and total lack of recovery of our national economy has contributed to the problem, but consider that the housing bust occurred in 2008, yet NASCAR’s numbers, in attendance, TV ratings and even souvenirs, began to drop in 2004. (There’s that year again!)
Today, we see things we wouldn’t have even imagined eight years ago. We see a past Champion and this year’s Daytona 500 winner, Matt Kenseth, leave the team he has driven for all of his career, Roush Racing, to move to a team that can find sponsorship for him, Joe Gibbs Racing. We see Office Depot pull their primary sponsorship in 2013 from the car of our reigning Champion, Tony Stewart. Yes fans, and you too NASCAR, that goes far toward defining the situation as dire.
Missing or almost gone from the hoods of stock cars are names such as UPS, Crown Royal, Sirius Satellite Radio, DeWalt Tools, Harrah’s Casinos, CITGO, Grainger, Exide Batteries and of course, AT&T, Verizon and Alltel (for reasons of sponsor conflict with the current Series Sponsor) and others will be added at the end of this season. The sponsor exodus from NASCAR has almost reached stampede proportion, even as the cost of such sponsorship continues to escalate. No one need hold a degree in economics to understand that formula will not work.
Teams that used to operate comfortably with a single sponsor are now forced to change their colors on an almost weekly basis to coincide with the sponsor du jur in that particular race. That has come to render a great number of cars unrecognizable even to the most avid and attentive fans as the races become an ever-changing panorama of unfamiliar colors and designs. Fans no longer know that it’s Petty in the Petty-blue and red Plymouth, sponsored by STP. The car might be any color of the rainbow and the sponsor had better use extra-large print on the hood or remain unknown. Fans, and you too NASCAR… what effect do you suppose that has had on the brand loyalty that has served NASCAR so well for so many years? Correct… brand loyalty has gone right down the tubes.
Certainly, there are many contributing factors to the undeniable decline in NASCAR popularity, with both fans and sponsors, and as noted, the economy does play a part… but the economy didn’t start it and it’s not fair to ask it to shoulder all the blame. What clearly was the snowflake that set off the avalanche is this thing we know as The Chase. It has become, as predicted eight years ago, The Chase for No Sponsorship. Fans, our sport has been sullied in the name of clever marketing and may not recover.
NASCAR, you did this to yourself, yet still today you shake your corporate head in denial and attempt to place the blame anywhere but where it belongs, squarely on your shoulders. Like a willful child, you stamp your feet and insist that it wasn’t you; it was someone else, something else… anything but accept the responsibility for your actions. Hey! Blame it on me! I have broad shoulders for an old lady. The fact remains, no matter whom you try to blame, you’re in trouble and we all know it.
Keep your books locked away. No one needs to see them; instead we see those empty seats that are ever on the increase. We see the hoods of far too many cars undecorated by even the smallest amount of sponsorship. We see entry lists for races in all three top series dangerously close to not even equaling the arbitrary “minimum” set by you. Look around you! It’s no longer eight years ago when you dismissed me and others like me with the words, “It is what it is.” That year of 2004 is now history, and in eight short years, almost everything built by two generations of the France family has been squandered and/or trampled into the ground. A once-great sport lies in ruins, and that is a shame. Too big to fail? Obviously not!
You know what NASCAR? I was going to end this dissertation with a rousing “I told you so”, but I find I no longer have the heart or stomach for that. What I have is tears… tears for something that I loved, and you killed.
Be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks so good on you!
~PattyKay
Email: nas3car@etcmail.com
Twitter: @MamaPKL
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I keep waiting for a “Chase” race where several “Non-Chase” drivers are racing for the win and are blasted by “Chase” drivers for blocking the track, taking points away from Chase contenders or …. (insert your own sarcastic phrase here.)
I’ll never be swayed from my opinion that fans flock (well, they used to flock) to the track to see drivers race for the win, not ride to secure a championship.
It’s great to have a Championship, but let’s not ruin our beloved sport by taking the focus away from the entire field and rewarding winners and those who compete for the win.
Dave, what a concept! Racing to win! I remember when folks used to do that, and I loved it. I foolishly believed it was all about winning… which of course it was, for many years. I think when that gave way to coasting and “looking at the big picture”, we lost what we knew as racing. Personally, I don’t give a damn about some “show.” That’s why they still make movies.
Racing is not dead; it’s alive and well at a small track near you… and me… and him… and her. It might not carry the NASCAR sanction, but honestly, is that even a recommendation any longer? Not to me. I see better racing on the streets of the tiny town in which I live than I do on a Sunday afternoon. Those kids still want to WIN!
Totally agree.
For probably about 20 years I rarely missed televised races during the season. Yes did miss some due to life being in the way of life but in the past several years, seems 2004 is a good point, I miss more than I watch and I really am not over worried about it.
I can catch up with the race via the Internet, lap by lap features, videos, etc. or just catch the results.
The chase or more generally the emphasis on a season long champion neutered the night race at Bristol and the night race at Richmond. These used to be exciting due to the racing now they are “exciting” due to manufactured drama and perceived excitement.
Thanks for the comment Brian. It’s that “manufactured” part I have the most problems with. Just back away, leave everything alone and let ‘em race. Who in his right mind want’s to watch a rigged anything? I’d like to see the guy that does the best over an entire season crowned the Champion, not some leadfoot that got hot the last 10 races, which is not even 1/3 of a season.
Brian France is a twit; somehow I don’t think I spelled it corectly.
No argument here Phil, but if you think about it, I said it louder by not saying it. Guess that’s why I get the big bucks.
Yup, our minds do work together and that might give you cause for concern if ya knew me!!!
The one thing that NASCAR might want to look at is that if the four or five principal owners ever decided to park their teams and those they supply over pretty much any issue, then and only then would Brian and the rest of the brain trust realize that oops, we don’t have a NASCAR other than by name. You and I know that neither of the Bill’s would have let themselves get in a fix like this. To allow Roush,Hendrick,Childress,Gibbs,to take away the real power of NASCAR by sheer numbers would never ever have happened. People walk on egg shells around NASCAR and it’s inept leadership and yet it would seem that the four I just mentioned have little need to do that.
The final bit of lunacy is that with all those teams looking to fill hoods and quarter panels to stay in our sport there is NASCAR sucking up every possible bit of sponsorship. Ya know, it just might be that Brian does see the writing on the wall and is simply padding his retirement fund. Bank it while we can! It’s just hard to get in my head how one man can be so inept and so unaware. Ok, soapbox closed!
Walt, if you knew how this mind works, YOU would be the one concerned, not me. Congratulations on spotting the check-mate situation that could and well might come to fruition at any time. Dodge is gone… and then there were three. Just as a for instance, where is NASCAR if they do something to tick off Chevrolet? THERE is an OMG for ya!
Once upon a time, each manufacturer had 2, 3, 4 or even five different models all running in NASCAR. Now, each has only one, and only 3 manufacturers remain. Too much of that is not coincidence but a direct result of turning “stock” cars into IROC cars. The need for different models evaporated with that move. Kinda makes you want to watch for the next move in that chess game, doesn’t it? I’ll be here… and sooner or later, I will get that “I Told Ya So” in there.
Patty, the actual move to fewer model names happened in the 80 and 90′s not during the 2000′s
Olds and Buick were gone in the late 90′s, Pontiac by the early 2000′s(2002?) So that is not the issue.
I agree with a previous post however that if Roush, Gibbs, Hendrick, Childress and Bruton SMith were to pull up stakes due to NASCAR leadership, granted it may be biting the hand that feeds you but they could easily make a run of a competing series real quick. Who would NASCAR have to promote it’s races. Stewart Hass would move with hendrick, Petty and Penske would move with Roush whose left?
Not sure what the point is there Brian. They are still gone. Only three remain. One more would be a death knell… especially if that one were Chevy. As a point of interest, when did GM boot Pontiac? I’m too lazy to look it up. Trying to get supper cooked but this thing keeps calling me back. ~LOL~
nailed you have .. thw chase is a disastor
also the head honchos’ are out to lunch basking in thier false glory.
two other factor spell the end also big teams are a problem . main one nascar either steale sponsers
away from racers and keeps them for there own or you’ve got the hendrick team makeing up 1/3 of the field or acualy almost half if you subtract the 13 start and parkers.question is how many hendrick
cars as race cars , test cars, under cover sponsered cars and rental cars are there
my count 23 !@!!
this needs to be fixed for any hope of real racing.
another big problem are the cars them selves,
it took less than one year to destroy the consept of equal race cars aka the cot !
take a look at what has happened sideways running , rear axel steeing ground dragging race cars that are more screwed up than the old cars… who’s at fault for this ??well we could name the names that whinned the most !! or blame nascar for listening. i almost fall over when i see the hocky stick come out a measure that splitter height …. every one know the noose drags the track why the silly checking of its height ..
this whole story is very close to the whats wrong with my chevy story after the pizza guy bought out the chevy franchise.???
Sadly a lot of us will be saying that along with you. Brian France has become the cancer of NASCAR. The man has shown himself to be an inept, bumbling, caricature of a leader.
Patty Kay,I love you.You speak words from my heart.From a little boy playing in the dirt every Febuary(Daytona beach races)and September (Southern 500) with my Tootsie Toy race cars as my favorite drivers.I never thought I would ever see a weekend when I didn’t give a damn for NASCAR race.As usual “well done” ,thanks.
Buddy, that is so sweet. I’m happy that I can speak for you, and for all the fans. That is what I try hard to do. I never got to play at Daytona or Darlington when I was that young. All I could do, living way up north, was read about the guys that I got to see once in 1955. Finally got to see them again, though most were different guys, around 1985, but I never once quit. What this “regime” has taken from so many of us should be criminal. And for what??? It’s not as though he were getting rich on it. He’s already rich, and for sure and certain, the mess he’s created isn’t making money, no matter what he says. Thanks my friend, for reading and for taking the time to comment. I appreciate that so much!
I coulda written this thing myself!! Y’all have nailed it (I especially loved your ‘onions to kangaroos’ line LOL). Not only do I never capitalize chase, I can count on one hand the number of times I have said it without using the word “stupid” in front of it. Brainless Brian is about single-handedly ruining this sport.
I’d like to add a couple of points if I may. It was bad enuf to ignore Kyle after the race but the talking heads ignored Joey Logano DURING the race! When doing their rundown by position, they skipped right over Joey who was running 3rd at the time.
I have also been amused by the decision to change race start times so as “not to coincide with NFL games.” Are they serious? Considering there are at least 3 games on any given Sunday, the only way to not conflict with the NFL would be to start races at 10am or 11pm. And while we’re at it, could someone explain why we need to do that anyway? Instituting the stupid chase made NASCAR more popular than football, right? (there is definitely a need for a sarcasm font)
Ever since this stupid chase was described as a playoffs for NASCAR, I have been trying to figure out just why racing needed one. I also tried to figure out just how the stupid chase even fit the description of a playoff. And, of course, I have come up empty. Even hockey, a sport closest in comparative terms to NASCAR because almost every team makes the playoffs, doesn’t have all the teams on the ice at the same time (tho that would be a spectacle for sure).
Then we have the races that make up the stupid chase. I won’t mention that the schedule favors a particular driver who would have TWO championships under the real format. (ok, y’all caught me, I just did) What annoys me most is that not all track types are represented. Adding insult to injury, “crapshoot” tracks are included.
To make matters worse, instead of just owning up to an experiment that didn’t work, the superior brain trust of NASCAR just makes changes on a near-seasonal basis which in effect changes nothing.
Good morning Judy, and please forgive an old lady for being in bed when you left your comment. East coast and age do have their drawbacks. ~LOL
I have to tell you, there are probably over a hundred points that could have been addressed in this article, but I do have to cater to my reading audience, and most are not up to War and Peace on a Friday morning, so I subscribe to that old KISS theory that advised me to “Keep It Simple Stupid.”
It was not my aim to single out one individual and call him names, though with this subject, that proves to be a monumental task. The entire racing world lays the Chase at the feet of Brian France, which may or may not be true. If you read Tim’s article, which preceded this one, he mentioned the likelihood that it was designed by “some marketing expert fresh out of college”, I believe is the way he phrased it.
What I find almost ludicrous is the constant comparisons of NASCAR to the NFL. We don’t play ball! We play with speed and lives. There simply IS no comparison. I have long enjoyed both sports, but in the past eight years I have come to enjoy football in direct proportion to my loss of interest in what I view as a cheap and phony attempt to “Wow” the viewers and draw fannies back to the grandstand chairs.
NASCAR has no need for a playoff. NHRA can get away with something similar to a playoff because they are a head to head sport. Maybe NASCAR could start running 2-lap all-out head-to-head sprints at Talladega? Gee, I don’t think so. Too many questions, too many answers and not enough coffee. Must go tend to that now.
I have been saying what you have said for years…I am a frequent poster on Nascar.com and my posts get deleted (I know NASCAR has nothing to do with the site, but then again they do)..mods delete all the time speaking against the gimmick known as “The Chase” and then there are the newbies to the sport in the last ten years that think its great, stupid people. Sponsership IS declining based on “The Chase”. As Kyle Busch said for the next ten races he is running around in circles, he is correct. This is the only sport where “the playoffs” have non playoff particpants, one idiot actually said..”well lucky for them they are on the track”, clearly this idiot misses the point..I am going to send your article to my friends and family who have said the exact same thing, bless you for your eyes open! One final comment, its puts a huge expection on drivers who are not the same 12 every season and somehow they get the “they suck” routine, where alot of them have better stats then the ones in “The Chase”. Let them race this way till Homestead, 10 races are alot. I have no respect for Jeff Gordon who got into “The Chase” because of a rain shortened win, his fans were cheering like he dominated the whole race, every other driver its a “rain win”, Jeff should have had the opportunity to see if his “improvement” was/is sustainable over the next 9 races…Greed is the nail in this sports coffin and points right back to King Brian.
Good morning “K”, and welcome to RacersReunion. Thank you so much for your kind words. I promise, they are appreciated. First, I have to tell you that if you have been deleted from what passes as a Forum at nascar.com, you are in excellent company. I have many friends, some right here at RR, that have been deleted from that particular Forum, simply for disagreeing with either NASCAR in general or with the moderator of the day and his/her opinions.
We do it differently here. Along with Jeff Gilder, who has a million other things to do, I control the comments here. I have the option to refuse any comment I find obscene or offensive, but that is an option I have never to this day exercised. I find that by keeping our (the writers here) topics and opinions clean and well stated, the readers tend to answer in kind.
Be assured that I do keep up with the comments and I am very proud of what we have accomplished here in the short time in which this site has featured writers on our Home Page.
Now then, back to the Chase. As stated, I have found many things about that format that warranted complaints that deserved to be heard. They were not heard, and when a reporter confronted Mr. France with a question about fans that did not like the Chase, his answer was something like “You’ve heard someone actually say that?” John Daly at dalyplanet.com coined a phrase a few years back for that removal from reality. He called it “Brian’s Island.” Self explanatory.
One point you made does upset me a bit. How can one possibly blame Jeff Gordon for making the Chase. Most of us would dearly love to see all 43 out there on the track and running competitively right up to and including Homestead, but the last person in the world I could fault right now is Jeff Gordon. Jeff is our #3 Cup Championship winner, if one goes by the same system of awarding points all the way through. He is a legitimate 4-time Champion, and in truth, two of those that his protege Johnson is credited with winning should have been Jeff’s as well.
Please, rethink placing any blame on Jeff or anyone else that made the stupid Chase. Right now, it’s all there is, and they men out there trying to be the best even in a bad situation, deserve our respect even if they are not our personal favorites. My attitude is and has always been that if it were not for ALL of the drivers, I might be forced to work in the garden or yard on a Sunday afternoon, so I thank them ALL for their willingness to risk their lives for my entertainment.
I almost wistfully want TNN Styled Starts like Back in the 90s with 11 or 12 Local Time or 7 Local Time,Patty. I am a child of the 90s and I can’t have a stomach for Loonier Tunes and Kyle Petty should be an owner, not a clown.
Good morning Tony and thanks for commenting. In all honesty, I miss TNN! Period! But… that network no longer exists and quite frankly, once this present contract runs out at the end of 2014, the trick may not be to see who will pay the most to NASCAR, but who even wants to carry NASCAR.
Kyle Petty is a dear, sweet man, no matter what hat he chooses to wear, and if that be a clown hat, then more power to him. I’ll be in his corner and defend both him and his choices.
Do you have any feelings on the Chase? I’d love to hear them Tony.
Good morning to all! I agree with some of the points in the article and comments posted…but my main gripe with NASCAR is their uncanny fickleness…. One would think NASCAR was run by a group of Pregnant. Menustrating, Menopausal, Scorned Women who can’t make up their minds or agree what day it is…(sorry but it’s a man’s world and those are the four reasons men think women are less then sane). I have one example as to what’s wrong with NASCAR…AJ Amendinger. He’s reinstated…I’m happy for him…but…it happened almost two months to the day NASCAR kicked him to the curb for being a speed freak. Hmm
….on what planet do junkies go to rehab, get clean, and are invited with open arms to get back behind a 3400 pound car at 200 mph with 42 other guys around him. My point is if NASCAR’s drug rehab program is that great they should get out of the racing business and open drug rehab clinics worldwide! With drive thru service! Maybe even dollar menus! Something is not right here…and my gut tells me it’s not that AJ was miraculously cured…I don’t think there was a problem to begin with! But, NASCAR, as it usually does, played out the farce to save face…and it’s left this fan wondering WTFJH?? Sadly that is what I see tearing apart our sport…NASCAR is always right, always righteous …no matter what it does to the integrity of the sport! I can’t keep up with their rules…and I’m tired of trying!
Good morning Erin, and thanks for taking the time to comment. I’ve missed you here on our little Forum. Love your intro there and am more than tempted to answer, “You mean it’s NOT run that way?” But Hon, you forgot to mention that the Greek word “hystera” meaning uterus, is the root word of hysteria or hysterical, referring of course to the outdated and obsolete belief that at certain times of the month all females go out and howl at the moon. Actually, we go out hunting males with malicious intent. ~LOL
Now then, just how did we leap from a discussion of The Chase to A.J. Allmendinger? I didn’t talk about A.J. when all that stuff was whirling around my head and I won’t be starting today. Put me squarely in the camp of folks that like that young man and believe little or none of the things I’ve heard. I wish him nothing but the best, and if that proves to be in IndyCar and not in NASCAR, then so be it. That would be his gain and NASCAR’s loss.
I will say this though… NASCAR has a drug policy? Not likely. What they have is a weapon, which they have learned through practice to wield very efficiently. Oh, and I still don’t like the Chase and the way it’s killing the sport I love.
I in no way have a problem with AJ…my point being I don’t think The Chase is the trouble with NASCAR…I think it’s just a piece of a puzzle that has been put in a big sack for NASCAR to pull out when they need something to fill a hole. Unfortunately they have a bagful of mismatched pieces! I am just tired of them “winging it” adding rules, neglecting rules, no Chase, Chase, Lucky Dog, Wave Around. 5 points, 3 points, no points, start and park, Champions Provisional, rule book but no rules, out of bounds, in bounds, Drug Policies, Drug lists, NASCAR’s Ball, stick, and field!! Do I like The Chase?? Does it matter..it’s here and if I want to watch NASCAR that’s my only choice! I’ll be honest I used to think football calls and rules were confusing! I’ve watched NASCAR for over 25 years and can barely keep up…what chance does a newbie in NASCAR have making sense of a sport that changes rules between practice and the actual race?
Erin, in its 64 years of existence, if NASCAR has a rule-book, I want to meet one person that has seen it. It does exist; I’ve been told by NASCAR officials that they do get copies of it. It’s only the folks that spend the money to watch the races that aren’t allowed to know the rules. And then of course, there is always EIRI… Except In Rare Instances. Translated, that means whatever we need to do to cover our butt!
We’re not supposed to understand it; just take it on blind faith. Yes, I too have a problem with that, but I don’t let it consume me. I have too much fun ticking them off to just accept the status quo when I know there are better ideas out here.
And then… there is always the NFL… the very reason why all this junk was added to begin with. They are still here and still playing every Sunday… and Monday… and now Thursday. They too have some empty seats occasionally, but not to the extent that NASCAR does. Theirs can truly be laid to the economy and loss of jobs. Theirs started with the housing bust, not in 2004.
From the traffic on this site this morning, I’d say that the fans care about NASCAR and want it to be more realistic and less contrived. Brian says he won’t use gimmicks, but only after he’s used every one he knows. The whole house of cards is now built on gimmicks and yes, that distresses me… and obviously a lot of other folks as well. Should we all then just throw up our hands and say, “Oh well, it is what it is?” Nope, not me. Not in this lifetime.
Well I used to fret about NASCAR ..where it’s heading..but I think I’m over the worrying part…I kinda watch it as a “reality show” minus the Housewives. Big Brother House, and booze! But…if NASCAR insists on continuing to make NASCAR an “entertainment” instead of a “sport” they need to keep up with the current trends…instead of qualifying..the drivers need to compete for a starting position in a singing contest, instead of drivers suits they should get their choice of vampire or zombie costumes! And …last but not least in true “Wipeout” form the drivers need to run their cars on an obstacle course complete with the “big balls”, moving platforms, and slides covered in foam! NASCAR has the clown part of this scenario covered…they just need to expand on the three ring circus part and man…wouldn’t they be the talk of the town! Kinda makes The Chase not seem so bad afterall!
~LOL@Erin! With that, you have me officially ROTF! I agree about the clowns, but singing? I don’t know about this generation, but I have recorded proof of how the prior generation sang, and it wasn’t all that good!
A few could carry a tune and a couple could actually sing, one of those being Kyle Petty, the guy someone else called a clown here earlier. Hon, you have not LIVED until you’ve heard Big Buddy Baker singing “Butterbeans.” (Written by Little Jimmy Dickens)
http://youtu.be/T_M1HY_9a5o
Ya know, maybe that’s what’s missing today. The sense of humor we used to see in the drivers. Today’s gang is all about tweeting or Facebooking, but I’d bet that none of them could sing Butterbeans… or even find the words to it.
Oh I gotta laugh…the older I get the more I realize a sense of humor is the only way I’m going to make it on earth till the good Lord (or his counter point down under) comes to get me! Well if you don’t think the singing for a starting a position works..cooking shows are “in”… Maybe have the drivers prepare a three course meal with random ingredients? Or fashion design programs are big…each driver could put together his/her own vampire or zombie ensemble..model them..and have the fans vote 1-43! Geezzz I just realized I watch waaaayyy too much TV! Guess I’ll head outside and do alittle yardwork! …. Or maybe they could do alittle wedding dress shopping…whoever says “Yes to the best dress” gets the pole! Ahhhhhh I gotta get a life!!!
Okay, because you’ve been such a good girl, I’m gonna give you one more hearty laugh. These are from YouTube because somebody gets all out of sorts if we post music on site without paying royalties so someone or other. Can’t imagine how much these guys made doing this stuff, but somebody didn’t get their money’s worth. LOL
This is Rusty Wallace, “singing” It’s what’s up front that counts. Enjoy !!!
http://youtu.be/AW-sD1Amqiw
First of all, I hate the chase, but it is not the only reason or main reason for the sponsors leaving the sport. That lies at the feet of the owners. Let’s face the real truth, the owners are spending themselves out of business. Each year they go to the sponsor and ask for more money, and at some point the cost doesn’t meet the reward for the sponsor. So the make a business decision and leave the sport. NASCAR cup racing is one of the most expensive racing on the planet (probably second only to F1). Look at the fuel cars in the NHRA. They go through an engine each round, yet they run a season for a fraction of a cup car budget. Indy car teams are the same way. That has lead us to the start and parks, because it costs to much to compete.
Let me sound off on the CHASE. If we have to have it, then give the 12 chasers their own point system. Give 12 points to the highest finishing chaser down to 1 for the lowest. That way the chasers are racing against themselves. Also, nothing against Jimmy Johnson, but I am tired of hearing how his “five time” makes him the greatest. His five championships cannot be compared to Earnhardt’s or Petty’s 7. It is a different era with different rules. We don’t compare NFL and AFL championships with Superbowl wins. It was the Chase that gave us “five time”, who would be “two time” without it. We would also being asking if Jeff Gordon could win his seventh. Yes, Gordon would have six if not for the chase. While we are at it, dump the top 35 rule too. But that is another rant for another time.
Finally, someone hits the nail on the head. Now, if you can get Brian France out of the bar long enough to sober him up, maybe you could explain this to him. But I am afraid it would be like trying to explain the free enterprise market system to Obama. NASCAR has become a train wreck but the product is so good that at least stock car racing will survive anyway.
Pokey (Had a dog named that once… really… a bassett/beagle mix, black and tan. One tough old boy!) thanks for taking the time to comment. Though your analogies may be well taken, I don’t think I am up to either of those daunting tasks, much less spending actual face time with either gentleman.
Stock car racing WILL survive, of that much I am certain. Will it survive under the sanctioning body that is NASCAR? That is no longer like asking if the sun will set in the west. It might, if some minds and directions are changed soon enough, but there is no longer any guarantee. NASCAR has spent itself into a corner, yet continues to try to skim the cream from the top into its own coffers while the teams they sanction are going belly-up right under their noses.
They’ve been working on that for 8 years now and show no signs of stopping. We can just sit around waiting for the crash, or go out to our local tracks and enjoy a sport where guys still race to win on a weekend night, and where the only thing being chased is the car in front of you.
Without a doubt the Chase is an idea which has failed miserably. As has been the introduction of the COT. However the problem with the COT wasn’t with the basic idea, a safer car was needed. But it went wrong with the mandating of a common body style. That probably killed off interest for anyone who preferred a particular brand.
But two other items need to be mentioned as well. The “Top 35″ rule and the escalation of costs.
The “Top 35″ rule was , in my opinion, a way to in effect give the teams franchising without putting Nascar in danger of legal action for restraint of trade. You notice how no new owners have come into the sport since its introduction do you not? Convenient for the existing megateam owners isn’t it?
The huge escalation in costs however is a result of the teams themselves.Sponsor bailout is directly related to the return that a company gets on its money. Also are there more attractive options. And given the cost increases the return isn’t there, but because of the internet other options are.
Of course the teams want the sponsors to see the need to spend more, its in their best interest. After all 10% of 20 million, is much more than 10% of 10 million. And they don’t really care how many sponsors it takes to get it.
Lastly, wonder why nobody ever really talked about the owners meeting that Rick Hendrick arranged a year or so ago? The owners have the cars, Nascar has the tracks, but……
Welcome aboard Russ! I am so enjoying meeting a lot of new folks with this one. I tried to indicate in the article that there were indeed other causes, but that I see the Chase as the one around which the others orbit, if you will. Were safety features needed? Oh yes indeed! Was it necessary to dress them in some new thing that resembled a shoe box on wheels… with a wing, no less? Not just no, but… well, you know where that goes. Journalists and fans tried to point that out, and as with the rest of those “good ideas”, we were told that, “It is what it is.” If we knew each other better, you would know how much I DON’T like those words.
The Top-35 was always a joke, in my humble estimation. Today, it is at the point where we are guaranteeing a spot in a race to teams having no intention of racing when they take the green flag. That is the definition of stupidity… again, in my opinion. Mega-teams? In the interest of my tiring arthritic fingers, please read the conversation above between “mrclause” and me. Yes, I’ve noticed and so have others.
I believe I addressed the escalating costs in the article, and they have certainly been a part of this morning’s discussions. Still, I don’t see them as being so much the fault of the owners as I do being the fault of the ever-increasing cost of racing itself, which comes directly from a sanctioning body that continues to fight its own teams for any available sponsorship dollars. My favorite definition of that practice is, “Some species eat their young.” And they do!
It is my “understanding” that those drivers’ meetings still take place off and on. Please take note that you realize who it is that calls and runs those meetings. That would be the gentleman with the most teams and “connections” in the sport, “Mr. H.” himself. Put that in your memory bank and watch.
Several years ago I was told, by the son of an individual who supplied all the teams with an absolutely essential product. One w/o which the car will not run, that the ultimate goal was 10 teams each with 4 cars. Doubt that is still true, because of the “Top 35″ rule.
I respectfully disagree about the cost issue. First, which drives cost, sponsors or the teams? The fan can’t tell the difference between 150 mph and 190 visually. And if the racing is close it really doesn’t matter. As long as the rules are the same for everybody is there a reason to spend the extra millions? But as I said it is in the teams and Nascar ‘s as well, best interest to keep more money flowing.
But “it is what it is” and someday somebody will make a lot of money writing a book about where it went wrong.
Alas, I shall not be that somebody. I have no interest in writing a book… ever… and certainly not one about something I know longer even recognize. I shall live out my remaining days here in the land that Brian forgot (Wrote a column with that title once), the Southeastern U.S., watching the races that please me and skipping those that don’t, most all of which are in the Chase. Just the way it is.
Good morning Charles, and thanks for taking the time to comment. I agree with you! The Chase is NOT the sole cause of the loss of sponsorship, but it is, as I stated, the snowflake that spawned the avalanche.
So much changed all at once in that fateful year of 2004, that it’s now impossible to separate them all for the purpose of pointing fingers, but that Chase stands tall as a symbol of all that has gone wrong.
Are the owners greedy? All FIVE of them? There are really only four that count, but I give credit to a small group of owners that have not yet given way to starting and parking, eg. RPM and EGR… and even those receive engines and other assistance from one of the Big-4.
Not sure I’d call it greed. For years, the sport was on the upswing and everyone mistakenly thought that would last forever… kinda like the stock market before the dot.com bust or the later housing bust. Nothing is forever, and we have all had sharp reminders of that over the past few years.
This is going to get way off topic for a minute, but at some point, does not NASCAR have to throw on the brakes and bring expenditures to a screeching halt? Everything they do, and that includes all those little “cost-saving” measures they keep tossing out, only costs the owners more. The cost to go racing has eliminated all but the richest players, and even they have sought outside help for financing. (See: Roush/Fenway)
It’s no wonder we have cars starting and parking. Some do attempt to race on the rare occasion that they have either found a small amount of sponsorship or saved enough of their back-marker payouts to afford an engine for a single race. With costs so prohibitive, even sponsors that are still with the program (and there are not many)will only support the best of teams. Start-up teams have no chance, and it hurts my heart to see that happening. Can one old lady in Georgia fix all that? Oh, heck no! But she can and does remind NASCAR that it is THEIR job to fix it, and stop telling me it ain’t broken!
Since you did, I’ll quickly touch on the Championship thing. You are correct in every aspect but one. I think if you check, that Jimmy would be a 3-time, not a 2-time Champ, with the other two belonging as you stated, to Jeff Gordon. I have mentioned that more than once in other columns… and wouldn’t it be lovely to be speculating on Jeff’s chances at a seventh rather than whatever it is we have to speculate about for the next nine races?
We are still under the cost of F1 racing though, which is a good thing. They have all that “old” money though, which allows them to look down their snooty noses at stock car racing. ~LOL
Again, thanks for your comments, and do stop back anytime.
Jimmy Johnson would have only 2, 2006 and 2009.
Try to explain to someone who knows nothing about nascar about the chase. They don’t understand at all. You mean that for the last ten races there are only 12 cars. No each race still has 43 (for now). So only the top 12 have a chance to win. no all 43 have a chance to win. Yes why would a sponser pay to be ignored? Yes the cars are way to close to being the same. Yes there are to many rule changes. Yes Brian France is in a bubble. With drivers leary of saying anything because of the fines. The fans need their own hauler to bring Brian into and sit him down and tell him that with out them there is no nascar. I think I just found that hauler! thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Good morning Tim, and thank you for making my day! I’ve never been called a “hauler” before, but today it became a compliment. Just one question… would you be my Prom date? ~PK
I was shy and waited to long to ask a girl to the prom. So I LOL at your comment. Love your honest writing and humor. Thanks
Thank You for the great write up.
I enjoy the NFL but I honestly used to watch NASCAR more. As the NFL neared the playoffs I got more interested.
This was due to two things, College Football and (being in the northeast) getting all fun I could do outside before the weather gets rough.
In any rate, I’m not a fan of the chase and being old school Cale Yarborough is STILL the only 3 time in a row winner.
To me the Chase is an indicator that the season is too long and unless you are die-hard NASCAR you may not be interested until the chase. And if your team does not make the chase well may just wait “till next year”
Years ago the focus was race at that time. You watched because you wanted YOUR driver to win. On that particular day your driver was the Champion.
In fact drivers like Cale and David Pearson did not run a full schedule but I tuned in to watch them.
But now (to me) its about making the playoffs. I remember an article DW wrote saying “the first 26 races mean nothing”. I guess the Daytona 500 means nothing then. The point is, key events in the season prior to the chase mean very little now.
Unfortunately I don’t see NASCAR making a change back to what it was. They (like any typical top heavy organization) have a CEO who has handpicked his board of “yes” people. No one is going to tell the emperor he is wearing no clothes. Changes will be made but they won’t go back to what it was, ever.
And from a sponsors point of view it gives the sponsors of the series (in my opinion) more stake in the show. If team sponsors are leaving it makes MY series sponsorship dollars worth that much more.
Hi Jules, and thanks for joining us this morning for discussion of The Chase. Interesting that you favor the final ten races and discount the first 26. If I were a sponsor, that would scare me more than the other way around. Also, I have difficulty understanding your point that with less sponsors, your sponsor dollars would be worth more. Bottom line is, any sponsor has to get a return in profit that exceeds his expenditure in advertising, and it has to exceed it by a large amount to make it cost-effective.
Sponsors are not dumb, nor are they stupid. They can read and they can see. What they read is a steady decline in TV viewership for NASCAR’s product, and what they see are those ever-increasing empty seats in too many NASCAR grandstands. Seen in that light, if you pull your sponsorship from a car, that doesn’t increase the value of mine one iota. It makes me stupid for sticking around if I’m not getting the proper bang for my buck.
I fully respect your opinion and your right to state it. That’s why we’re here, to discuss things. On that part, I just don’t agree with it. One day, we’ll know who was right or wrong, but until then, we’ll live and continue to enjoy what we can of both sports.
Patty Kay,
Maybe my wording is wrong but let me say that I am not fond of the chase. I do NOT like it.
I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.
It was Darrell Waltrip that stated the first 26 races don’t mean as much. I was quoting him.
As far as sponsorship…. If I have X amount of dollars and have my choice of either investing in a racing team or in the NASCAR series I feel my money (with a chase format) is worth more value sponsoring the NASCAR series rather than a racing team.
My team misses the chase I lost exposure but my exposure (as series sponsor) increases during the chase regardless.
And as team sponsorships start to decline then teams have to go after the money I am putting out as a series sponsor to stay competitive. I have 43+ drivers endorsing my product for the price of 1.
This is what the Chase does. It puts series sponsorship over team sponsorship.
But like you say, the sponsors are sharp. They realize they cannot all sponsor the series and some like to be associated with a team/driver. However, when they see their value (as a team sponsor) drop when the chase starts then they re-evaluate.
For a team, the cost of running in the chase will increase leaps and bounds every year.
The chase IS a reason attendance and the viewing audience is going down. However, there are several other factors as well.
In short I DO agree with you all the way. I just didn’t say it clearly. I apologize.
Thank you very much for your reply and letting make my comments
Thank you Jules, for the kind words. It is never important that we all agree here. It is the discussion that is important. I have had my mind changed many times by a fan that has written to say something other than what I had written. On the other hand, I have changed a lot of minds my own self by offering a better explanation of whatever the topic might be.
You and everyone else is more than welcome to comment on this board anytime you see fit. We love having the fans not only come to read, but stay for coffee, as it were. Thanks again for doing both.
maybe this will be the year that Jr. would have won the championship under the old points system but because of the chase,Jimmie wins again.and the wailing and gnashing of teeth from Jr nation will be too loud and sustained to ignore
You know John, I have had thoughts along that line, and looking at the comparison of points between the two, it is a very real scenario that actually could happen… and it wouldn’t have to be Jimmie. Any of the other eleven would not be well-received if the point system that served his Dad would have crowned Junior, but NASCAR does not. Junior Nation is alive and well, massive in scope and exceedingly vocal. Given that provocation, they might well topple the empire all by themselves. Thanks so much for stopping by and adding your comments to all the rest this morning.
Wow! What can I say that has not been said already? Everything has been stated well from not only you, Patty Kay but by the responders!
As far as the broadcasters go, you are right on. They only talk about the chosen twelve most of the time. I guess if Kyle wins one, they will have to interview him, and others too if they win although they are not chasers.
If I had a business and wanted to invest millions, it would not be with Nascar drivers at this time. I would not get bang for my buck even if I had 4 teams because all of them may not make it into their playoff system. Even some of the commercials are turn offs and so many “fans” are brand loyal only to certain teams, drivers or makes of vehicles. ie: I used to cheer for Clint Boyer when he drove for Chevy & RCR but now I don’t care how he does although I still like the man. So many others feel the same way about their drivers, etc and I respect their rights but sponsors are getting more selective these days and Nascar cannot fare as well if it continues on it’s present course.
Thank you again and maybe Jayski will keep this link up a couple of days due to the great response.
Good afternoon Vivian, and thanks for stopping by to comment. You have to start rising earlier out there on the left coast. We’ve been at this for many hours now, as you can see. The broadcasters are instructed as to how to handle it. We learned that in the very beginning, when they stopped identifying cars by a sponsor name unless the team anted up some big bucks for a plug.
One that I vividly remember as an example of that was Ken Schrader, driving the #49 car for BethAnn Morgenthau.The sponsor at the time was Schwann’s, but the boobs on the tube persistently referred to it as “the yellow car.” That left a bad taste in my mouth that hasn’t left yet. It seemed that all of that NASCAR family stuff was blown to bits by practices such as that. They got over a bit of that, but not all of it, and the Chase is a perfect example. Mind control does not work on me. It just enrages me.
And don’t forget the cameras. They are doing their part as well in attempting to make it seem and feel like only 12 cars are on the track. Watch for it this Sunday, if you watch the New Hampshire deal. You were good at rating the TV coverage. Put on your rater’s hat and watch how manipulative they are with both cameras and words. It’s really hard to watch, knowing what we know.
thank you patty, no one ever brings up the forbidden
sponsor issue. to me that’s as bad as sending jobs over seas and then saying we will create jobs.
and who wants to spend tens of millions on sponsorship only to be booted by an official whatever
of nascar
You are most welcome Bob, but honestly, I’ve been bringing it up since the very beginning. Unfortunately, a server crash buried every darn thing I’d written for several years, but I have copies. ~LOL
I try very hard to be respectful of NASCAR and everyone else, though some don’t see it quite that way. But I’ve never been accused of sugarcoating anything I see as truth. Truth deserves to be told, and if you want to hear it, well, I’m your gal. Seeing the amount of response this one garnered, I do hope that the good folks down at Daytona Beach are paying attention.
Yes, Mr. France, I do know someone that actually feels that way and they are speaking out today in great numbers. Please!!!!!! Read their words and hear their voices. Their number is legion!
Well come on now. There are several million NASCAR fans out there, surely ONE of them will step up and defend the Chase. There must be someone among the multitudes that thinks it’s a good idea.
No? OK then, never mind.
I’d be very intrigued with the results if Jayski were to put a poll on his site. But of course he can’t. He’s got a good gig and wouldn’t want to get blacklisted by NASCAR as some have been. Not to mention that he works for ESPN and well, that’s a whole ‘nuther subject.
Hello Andy, and thanks for stopping by to comment. Kind of overwhelming today, isn’t it? I’ve been sort of wondering where all the loyal NASCAR Chase-loving fans are as well. I did receive one email from someone that thinks the Chase is good for NASCAR, but the argument was not convincing. How could anything be good if it drives away the paying customers… and, the viewing public. He then pointed out to me that there were empty seats at the Giants/Panthers game last night. Gee! Ya think?
I can speak for Jay, almost letter perfect. “I don’t do polls.”
His notes, if you get one, tend to be short if not sweet. His site is links only, and he’s even gotten in trouble a time or two just doing that. nascar.com does polls, but… I think we could both shoot holes in that argument.
Now, I am well aware that those that stop to comment are only a small percentage of those that read and move on to another page somewhere, but darn, I’ve gotten a lot of messages today, in two different places and only that one person did not agree. Wonder what all that means…
HI, cannot get the respond to work but I wanted to let you know that I appreciate you getting back to me, Jeff with a rain soaked win is a great big Tiffany box for him. I don’t think viewing his season as a whole he is Chase Elite with all the exposure and hype that goes along with this lame brained idea. Jeff should have the opporunity to see if he has the metal over the course of the whole season, by being in the Chase deserved or not, his name is immortal as being elite when his season says otherwise..let them race till Homestead, warts and all, that is the true test. This is no dig on Jeff, I would say this about any driver.
I can’t let this topic go. Suppose we DID have two divisions, which would make the playoffs more logical?
Bring back Winston West division (it went away right?). You don’t have to restrict the leagues to one side of the country, but we’ll assume that each runs the majority of their races on one side of the Mississippi. You can cut the fields to thirty but only pay points to 25th place.
Promoters are happy because everyone who wants a NASCAR date will be able to get one or two (We’ll need Rockingham and North Wilkesboro again!).
You can cut the regular season to twenty races and give folks some time off, but have the other division running so there’s still racing on TV. You may even be able to run races 52 weeks a year.
You can put races on TV Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Or Friday night, or compete head-to-head with football’s multiple games by running back-to-back. How about a 12 hour oval Sprint Cup enduro at Daytona with teams made up of two drivers from each division? (500 miles used to be an enduro). NASCAR will have more freedom to stage a race in other countries. You can add fun and variety to the schedule instead of the slog that we have now.
We can eliminate Nationwide but keep the truck series, which will make things less confusing for new fans and eliminate the controversy over ringers in the minor series.
Local drivers are happy because they’ll have more opportunity to run when the circus comes to town, and local fans will be more inclined to go to the race to watch them (the way it used to be).
After both series have run their twenty races, you run the ten race playoffs. Five or ten top guys from each series. Everyone starts at zero, no bonus points from the regular season. No other drivers on the track. If you allow some crossing of the lines so that all tracks are available to both divisions, you could stage the championship before NFL season begins.
The number of responses to this thread seems unusually high to me. That, coupled with the large number of complaints on other boards leads me to believe that the majority of fans truly are unhappy. The chase doesn’t have to go away, but it needs to change. I’ve heard many stories that there are some real party animals at the head offices in Daytona. They must be doing it wrong, because I get creative and daring when I turn the dial to 11.
With sixty teams, you’re going to have a bigger sponsor problem than you have now. But I think the reasons why we lack sponsors now is a different issue and needs to be tackled separately.
LOL! Kept you up all night, didn’t I Andy? If YOU think the number of responses was high, you should have been the one sitting here answering they all. At this point, I’m gonna say that Brian dang well BETTER be reading this, because it leaves no doubt in the mind that fans in general… not one or two… are NOT happy with the status quo.
Winston West is still around, sort of, masquerading under another name, which I can’t at the moment recall. But, and it’s a big one, they are not and never were the caliber of Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup competition. Just having bodies with driver’s licenses isn’t enough.
Consider that they have put the cost of racing so far up in the stratosphere that we no longer have enough full-time teams to fill a race card as it is… and you want to form other divisions? Don’t think we’re gonna see that in our lifetime. It would mean downgrading Cup racing to the lowest common denominator, and that’s not what we’re all about.
What is desperately needed is actual and tangible cost cutting. Alas, again I have to say that I am not an economist and not at all sure of the best way to accomplish that, but here at RacersReunion I have a chance to listen to and converse with some of the best mechanics in the business, and I’m very sure that many good or great suggestions could be found right here within our own group. There ARE ways to save money; NASCAR just isn’t looking for them, lest it cost them a nickel or dime somewhere.
One thing you said, I would be dead set against… Keep those races off the weekend nights! Those nights belong to the local tracks, the guys that still race to win and provide some great racing at a cost that families can still afford to pay. Last thing those tracks need is more competition from Big Daddy NASCAR.
I toyed with this idea several years ago, amalgamating the then Busch series into the Cup series and making two divisions, which would pretty much accomplish most of what you’re suggesting, but no one but me seemed to think it even a possibility… which probably means it’s a great idea. Who knows?
You’re looking for creativity from Daytona? Andy, we’re talking here about a series that only this year abandoned a 1968 version of a carburetor! C’mon man! Creativity? Last thing they created was the Chase… and look what and where that got us!
Until they can come up with maybe 160 teams total that can all afford to race in the same class we are accustomed to today, a playoff is just going to look stupid. NASCAR racing has stood on its own two feet from 1949 through 2003. Why now, is it necessary to look, act and perform as though we are the NFL while at the same time, ducking that entity at every opportunity? Put the dang Daytona 500 back where it belongs. NFL did NOT lengthen there season as was feared in Daytona. Besides, since the Stupor Bowl began, the NFL has scheduled it to duck US! Now we are backing off to accommodate them? WHY?
Andy, I’m tired and I still have work to do… and I wanna go shopping! If you lose another night’s sleep, come on back and we’ll talk some more.
Hi PK and all the contributors. Wow, what a bag of worms we have ourselves here, isn’t it??
I’m going to go on record and say yes, I am a fan of the Chase. I feel it is a unique way to have a playoff battle (between 12 drivers) while the playoff contenders still having to contend with the rest of the field. I think to this extent, it does work.
BUT (and its a very big but), I don’t feel that my arguments in favor of the Chase would even be worthwhile at this point because of the numerous other issues brought up in these comments, most of which need to be addressed sooner rather than later.
A quick (off the top of my head) list of these issues would include:
- Single file races
- Points racing
- A COT (safe though it may be) that can’t pass
- Cookie cutter tracks
- Broadcast buffoonery
- The Chase making the other 31 drivers all but irrelevant (at least as far as the broadcast buffoons are concerned)
- Scheduling issues (especially with the lower series)
- Trying to battle the NFL for Sunday viewers
- The Nascar rule book
- Rockhard tires
- Start & Parks (Pit it & Quit it)
- The Top 35 rule
- “The Official [insert product (that I'm going to boycott) here] of Nascar”
- Collusionism between SMI, ISC & Nascar
- The Sprint Cup points fund for the Chasers
Between this article and comments, and Tim’s recent Legendtorial and comments, I hope someone in the Ivory padded cells in Daytona is reading this and letting BZF know all’s not well. I doubt it, but I hope so.
Great reading to everyone on this thread, and a special to PattyKay for all of her comments and work!
a special “THANKS”…
was what I meant to say.
Michael, you are so very welcome. I must admit, I am a bit overwhelmed myself at the turnout for this topic, but I am thrilled with the way this format worked. I have long wanted to do an interactive column, and in particular, one that represented the fans of NASCAR. RacersReunion has given me the ability to do it all.
I love that my readers show themselves to be several cuts above those that habituate some other boards on the Internet. When attempting to make valid points, there is no need for name-calling or vile words. It must be clear that I feel that way and won’t tolerate that sort of action here, because no one tries it. It’s wonderful that everyone can discuss, agree or disagree, and not turn it into the Internet version of a barroom brawl.
It is I that owes thanks to all of my gentle readers that participate in this and all other discussions here. You are all wonderful! I sincerely hope that everyone enjoys their visits here and please, tell your friends. The time and effort I put into this one alone should tell you that I am sincere and that I care. I know they read this in Daytona Beach. My fondest hope is that by acting rationally, as we all have done, our words might actually be heeded.
Hope for the best everyone. They have to see that it’s not working the way it is. Hopefully, they won’t wait until we are all gone to turn things around. Not to worry; we will have more discussions another day. Meanwhile, thank you ALL so much for coming and for commenting gentle readers.
~PattyKay