Make up Your Own Mind

Is it drugs, brilliance, stupidity, a shot in the dark? You decide

http://www.racer.com/nascar/item/125311-nascar-caution-clock-revised-dash-4-cash-for-trucks-xfinity-series

http://www.racer.com/nascar/item/125308-nascar-chase-format-for-xfinity-truck-series

A mix of the 4. Brian France is killing this sport.

I know one thing and that is that this is not brilliance. Excuse my French but high level NASCAR has become manafactured bullshit, not motorsport. I mean, it has been going in that direction for years, but this is just a new low. At least when NASCAR threw 'debris' cautions in the past you never really knew when it was coming, not to say that they should have been throwing them.

"Fans, partners and the industry have embraced the new Chase format like nothing we've seen in the sport's history," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France.

Sometimes I question Brian France's sanity. I don't believe I am the only one to do that, either.

You're NOT the only one to question that Simon.

I'm going to take a contrarian viewpoint here ... sort of ... and give Tuesday's announcements a shrug of the shoulders and say "who cares?".

I won't go on too long (hopefully), but here is kind of where I'm at with all of it.

• The truck series is only 21 years ago - barely drinking age! It has seen a variety of changes in format, tracks, truck configurations, drivers, teams, and now points and cautions. I personally don't think it has any true long-standing traditions that may be dig my heels in to say "that's just wrong!" Think about how much change the Strictly Stock/GN series went through in its first two decades.
• The Cable Company Division really has had no identity over the past decade - maybe longer. I have zero doubts that distilling the old LMS series into the Bud/Busch GN Series in 82 was the right thing to do. What I DON'T think was the right thing to do was to become Cup Light. But that's what is has become - and the toothpaste is out of the tube. Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, etc. - all have taken turns dominating the minor league races with major league equipment. So at this point, they can put in a chase format, run the tracks backwards, race Tuesday breakfast events, or whatever. NASCAR has no plans to take the series back to places like Myrtle Beach, South Boston, IRP, Nashville Fairgrounds, Martinsville, etc. I still enjoy casually watching the races if nothing else is really going on or if I'm in town for the primary Cup event. Otherwise, do with it however they see fit.

Will either of the changes - the new championship format or 20-minute caution - improve racing? I doubt it.

Will either of them cut costs? Probably not - the caution format might reduce the demand for truly speedy pit crews for truck teams, but the new chase format will increase costs for the teams.

Will it increase attendance or ratings? Not substantially.

Will all the folks who claim they are now done with NASCAR truly going to walk away? Hardly.

I'm not so naive to see what is in play with the 20-minute caution rule. It'll have a negligible effect on truck races. It's simply a plan to try-before-you-buy with the idea of implementing it into Cup - probably for more optimal timing of TV commercials. If so, would I feel differently then? Ehh, maybe because that's the series I most closely follow and has the longest history. I'll cross that bridge when I get there - though I'm sure I'll still be watching then just as I'll continue to casually follow the other two series in the near term.

yup....

Well said Chase!