What is Wrong With NASCAR From the Eyes of an Old Fart/Fan

RWMYERS
@rwmyers
7 years ago
14 posts

What Is Wrong With NASCAR From the Eyes of an Old Fart/Fan

Part One

By: Randy Myers

 

I want to start this piece by congratulating Ryan Preece because in a round-about way, he is the reason for my comments. More on Preece later.

Being an old fart with too much time on my hands, I spend way too much time looking at stories on Facebook, Jayski and countless other racing related sites about the demise of NASCAR and short track racing.  Pundits, and I use that term loosely, have voiced their opinions in article after article, blog after blog and opinion after opinion.  According to them NASCAR is on its last legs and may not last the decade. 

I don't believe that for one minute so here is my opinion about what is wrong with our sport in two words.  Jeff Gordon!

Of course I don't really blame Jeff Gordon for the problem.  I just didn't want to say Brian France or NASCAR because that is what most of those posting comments say lies at the root of the problem.  While Mr. France and his team do shoulder much of the responsibility, and they are certainly a big part of the problem, there is more than enough blame to go around.

Much of what I read concerns how NASCAR has lost its base by changing the rules and inventing gimmicks to create excitement.  I do think the old point system that we old-timers grew up with is a better way to reward a team for their season-long efforts and while I am not a big fan of the Chase, that is not something that is a deal-breaker for me. So long as the competitors know what they are dealing with, it's ok by me.  Same goes for "Lucky Dogs", wave-arounds and even stages.  Those things were created by the product (racing) and NASCAR seems to react only to the problems created by the "product". 

The root cause of the problems with the racing has been created by the teams themselves.  The hiring of the first engineer was the beginning of the end of old style racing.  When the engineers started to find ways around the rule book, NASCAR became "reactive" instead of ˜proactive".  They had to have a team of lawyers to write the damn rule book and they are still rewriting rules today that were approved in January (can you say overtime line?)  That's where we miss the iron fist of "Big Bill" and to a lesser degree, Bill, Jr. 

Whether the blame lies with the current administration or not, it seems that their theory that everyone must have the same thing and be equally competitive, isn't working out too well.  I mean, the money teams still rule the roost so let's leave a little room for creativity in the rule book and fix the "product". Get the damn cars off the ground and let's race. Owners and drivers can get their participation trophies elsewhere.

Stop listening to the team owners and the engineers. The owners would probably be able to cut their payroll by millions.  And while we are on that subject, when I got my first NASCAR Rule Book, the list of NASCAR Officers took a few lines and now it takes a couple of pages.  Now there are vice-presidents for positions that "Big Bill" couldn't dream up.  Hacking a few of them off might save Brian a couple of hot dogs in the process and I can assure you, the "product" won't be any worse.  It won"t happen overnight but we didn't get to this point overnight either. Like Keselowski said, fix the car.  The rest will take care of itself.

More on that in part 2. 

Tim Leeming
@tim-leeming
7 years ago
3,119 posts

You rock Randy.  Trying to figure out if I qualify as a "pundit".




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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.


updated by @tim-leeming: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM
Bobby Williamson
@bobby-williamson
7 years ago
907 posts

Randy, I was a Jeff Gordon fan.  But,  I agree, Jeff Gordon (the phenomena) did change the course of NASCAR.  Like most game-changers, lots of factors were already aligned.....all that was necessary was a catalyst.  He was young, he was articulate, he could speak in front of a camera, he had a heart-warming-rags-to-riches-story, he became the anti-Earnhardt, the ultimate rival. And, he won, and won and won.  The phenomena created careers: Ray Evernham, the advent of the "young" driver ........and even more game-changers........Dodge wanted back in........and Toyota........Everything changed....... the racing world has not stopped looking for the "next" Jeff Gordon.  It was a moment, but there were definite reasons for the rise. It was multi-layered, and there was more factors than just a young, talented driver.  Rather than understanding the story, they simply tried to perpetuate it.  How's that working out?


updated by @bobby-williamson: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM
RWMYERS
@rwmyers
7 years ago
14 posts

Tim, you qualify as a pundit and so much more. LOL!  Bobby, you are correct in all you mention.  It is not working out well at all.  More of my thoughts coming in part 2.  

Also, I was listening to the Golf Channel last night.  They were interviewing the President of Quail Hollow CC in Charlotte about the changes in the game.  Seems golf is having some of the same problems as NASCAR with ratings and changes.  He, in a very positive way, said there were three ways people viewed those changes.  There are those who fear change, those who watch change and those who embrace change.  Thought a lot about that last night.  Could it be that the time has come to embrace the changes to the sport we all love?  If for no other reason, to help save what we have left?? 

Stay tuned for Part 2!


updated by @rwmyers: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM
danny whitener
@danny-whitener
7 years ago
47 posts

Great read, Randy, Ready for Part 2

Tim Leeming
@tim-leeming
7 years ago
3,119 posts

When is Part 2 coming?  You get us all revved up and then you throw a debris caution!!!!




--
What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.


updated by @tim-leeming: 01/18/20 05:20:38AM