I have not liked the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase from the beginning. What the sanctioning body has done now, is make a poor Championship method even worse.
http://motorweeklive.com/a-nascar-sprint-cup-series-opinion-and-it-isnt-a-pretty-one/
Amen Patrick, You nailed it on so many points. I have taken to becoming so much more attracted to other motor sports. They don't even seem to care about all the empty seats and negative comments.....That will change rapidly as soon as a couple major sponsors realize they are "chasing" a declining dream with their mega dollars........
Patrick, that article is so beautifully written and well thought out. You and I have remarkably similar backgrounds even though you are so much younger. As you have, so have I disliked The Chase from the beginning. My latest comments on the latest changes seem to indicate I support The Chase but that is, as I hope I have made abundantly clear, not the case.
I wish that I could have the attitude that we, the fans, could influence NASCAR to reconsider the abomination they have created with this system, but unfortunately I can't. What NASCAR has become doesn't consider the fans anymore, no a single one of the fans. The one who do show up at race tracks now, for the most part, do not have the fervor for the sport that we had in our younger days. We older fans, especially those of my age, are not courted by NASCAR or the advertisers, and we are not wanted. Oh, they don't mind our dollars but if the rest are like me, NASCAR is not getting any of those dollars.
As for stick and ball sports, I dislike them all. I have very deep and personal reasons for my dislike of baseball, football, and basketball. I would be happy to provide those reasons but this is not the venue in which to do that. You stated, and very correctly, that racing is not, and never has been, a playoff sport. It never will be.
I admit that I am not a smart man. I also admit that I want to give anyone the benefit of the doubt until they prove that benefit is not worthy. Obviously, if you have heard or read any of my Legendtorials, you know I don't have a great deal of respect for Brian France. With every passing decision he makes, the further from respect he goes.
My thought process on this latest format to the ever hallowed "Chase" is this: It is such a convoluted mess of unpredictable circumstances that it can't help but fail, if not this year, then surely the next. I do believe we should keep an open mind for this year just to see how miserably it fails and then we can see what the next "tweak" will bring. But, you are correct. Blatantly correct. We don't need a play off, we don't need an elimination, we don't need a winner take all shoot out between four drivers in the last race of the season. We need the sport to remember it needs fan support and, as you state so eloquently, that fan support is leaving like rats from a sinking ship. My problem is that no matter what happens, I will be watching the races for the race each week. It is now at the point that I have no interest in who may be champion or how that champion may be determined. NASCAR has killed that for me.
Also, as you stated, Jimmie Johnson may well win 10 titles. For me, that will mean nothing really. I watched The King win all 7 of his as I also watch Dale win all 7 of his and most of that watching was done either in the infield of the track or in the stands. I have been to exactly 6 Cup races since 2004 and it is highly unlikely I will be at another. I do watch on Sundays but I could care less about what products sponsor the race because that doesn't mean anything to me any more. Time was I bought the products that supported racing. Now it doesn't matter. I buy what I need and there is NO preference given to a specific product just because it may sponsor a race or a driver, even my favorite driver. In fact, there are some products I wouldn't buy under ANY circumstances just because of the ones they choose to support.
Oh well, you wrote it beautifully and I'm just rambling on. One thing I found extremely interesting and personal about your article was that I, too, missed both proms in high school because they conflicted with racing. Patrick, we are kindred spirits all the way.
Thanks for the great article.
Patrick, very familliar! I was about 10 years ahead of you, but mine is the same story....proms, dates, stick-and-ball detractors......Wide World of Sportsclips! I'm that empty seat too, and I've moved on too....the dirt world is so refreshing, and so reminiscent of pre-Chase/TV NASCAR. Richard said it best in his now famous "Danica" interview......NASCAR is now a Show. On-track action is not really the focus, anymore. The show, along with high-end track-side restaurants and shopping venues are now more important.
I think NASCAR has been going downhill ever since they allowed Toyota to enter their races.
I could not said it better myself Patrick. Since the college educated people with no "common sense" took over NASCAR, the "Chase" SUCKS, the "Hall of Fame" SUCKS. and what will their next stupid move be,
more foreign makes racing?
Wonder how much more of our tax money Congress will give them?
Nice article Patrick ,great read...Articles as this is the reason i read this site regularly..I had the opportunity and was blessed to be around some wise men in racing growing up...At times some of the words they would say would crack me up,,my thinking was they're just talking old fashion and need to get caught up on what is going now....Well over the years i have seen,,these old fashion guy's might be right and i was wrong....Racing is unlike any other sport as Patrick has pointed out ..The first race i ever seen i was hooked,,,i hear this all the time from others...I'm don't think i can be transformed into today's Nascar fan..Some might call that hard headed but from what i see in today's Nascar not much there for me....
I don't have the answers but like some have stated i know what i like...Jack you nailed it with your post ''no common sense''...In the years i have been around the racing one man gave me star struck J.R.Johnson self taught no degree in anything other than the love of racing...To be honest i see nascar as boring along with most of the drivers...Thanks again guy's,,the older wiser crowd still lives here.
i agree with every thing you fellas have posted here racing and football doesnt have a connection in my book they are 2 completly different sports
Thank you all for reading and sharing your thoughts. I always appreciate the opinions of fellow RacersReunion members- knowledgeable racing people. Not sportsguys in general, but racers. My kind of people. Thanks for taking the time to read my column!
