Been a while since I've perused the pages here. A lot has happened, yet it seems like it hasn't in some ways. I guess that's why someone came up with the phrase, 'The more things change, the more they stay the same.' Which brings me to explain my title for this post. Here's the finish. "That sound you hear is . . . the Bill's, Sr., and Jr. spinning in their grave". Their benevolent dictatorship has turned into something that would leave P.T. Barnum scratching his head over, and trying to figure out the "entertainment producing strategy" that is coming out Daytona and/or Charlotte these days.
Manufactured competition still begets, say it with me, LACK of competition. "We are going to simplify the points and emphasize the importance of winning . . . ". Huh? Their "solutions" are so convoluted that I wouldn't be surprised that courts and lawyers may have to get involved someday to determine who is, and who isn't a champion.
When someone figured out that the 2013 champion using the 2014 rules, wouldn't have won a race, and the driver who won the most, couldn't have finished better than fifth, the "importance of winning" phrase became a punchline to a sick and sad joke. I will admit that there is no way to determine IF that "system" was in effect in 2013, how the drivers and teams would have raced their season differently. But the fact remains, it could have happened, and did so, so recently that they had to know people were going laugh at this attempt of theirs. Yes, other sports have play-offs, the NHRA has their "Countdown to One" championship. But I don't remember seeing the Detroit Lions(not that I'm holding my breath, LOL) on the field with Seattle and Denver last Sunday. For professional and amatuer games, the championshipis usually decided "one on one". I side with Ernest Hemingway when he said that; "There are only two real sports, hunting and auto racing. The rest are just games."Therein lies the difference. Those are games. If you can create "brackets", like NHRA racing, NCAA basketball, and the like, then you can have real play-offs. Which returns us to the true and honest difference on why you can never have a real "play-off" type format in auto racing, anywhere, anytime, at any level. Well, unless you are going to have just two, or four as in this scenario, on the track going for the prize.
My battle cry should become "Remember 1992!" After all, what did we have then? Four drivers with a chance to win the championship, at the last race of the season. Not quite a "the order they finish, determines the champion" type of finish, but close. And as if to prove my point, two of the contenders got crashed out and/or suffered damage during the race, and left "only" two to battle it out. But oh, what a battle it was. Down to one driver winning the race, and leading one more lap than the other, in a purely organic finish. Not a manufactured one. Were championship battles always that close? Heck no. But the results were real. Not a "designer's finest" put on display, on a runway like at New York'sFashion Week. Or a "made for TV, November Sweeps Week cliffhanger".
The "new fans" they are trying to cater to wouldn't understand all this, YET. How about though when they decide they like this stock-car racing thing, and start talking to the fans who have been around a while. You know, in order to get a better understanding, and appreciation for the sport. Does anyone think people are that stupid that they won't figure out how they could possibly start drawing comparisons to "pro rasslin'," where not even the characters (drivers) are as real, as they used to be. The "new demographic" will find out. Because once they are there, they're going to start talking to us "oldtimers". The one's that know that at one time you could "put a whoopin' on 'em" because you figured out that by running a smaller carb, or by taking the mechanical linkage off the secondaries and let vacuum "open them up"at Martinsville, you could mash the throttle and not spin the rear tires, and all the other good little things that come with it.
Maybe, next time I'll put my two cents on why I believe that real "big-time racing" ended with the Gen-4 car (Yes, that far back.), and why prior to that, winning by five laps was better then, than winning by a half of a lap, today.
And DON'T get me started on 2014 "qualifying".
Comments of the "bow down to my wise opinion" type, and well . . . any other type too, are welcome. And thanks Patsy for putting a P.T.Barnum reference in my head . . .
Well, welcome back Dennis. You were missed. I like the points you have raised here, a couple of which I never even considered when I am trying to keep a positive attitude about NASCAR returning to the days of its true glory. You nailed it.Having worked in the legal profession for 37 years, the point you raise about the courts becoming involved to determine the championship is a very valid point. I can already see the "causes of action" spelled out in the Complaint. Only problem there is NASCAR has never lost a legal challenge that I can find.There is no doubt that Brian France is clueless about the sport and it seems his officers with whom he surrounds himself just bow and say "Yes Sir". It's sad.Thanks for coming back and thanks for the nice addition to opinions.
Hi Tim. I kind of thought ol' Uncle Jim might have reminded him about the way things would have been handled by Gramps and Daddy. The old boy network is gone, and along with it the forethought and loyalties to others who may be affected by some decisions made. I used to worry about ARCA because Ron Drager was a staunch supporter of the loyalties and friendship carved out by his Grandfather, and ARCA founder John Marcum, and Big Bill. "How will this affect our friends up north (ARCA)?", held true through the Bill Jr. years, but it doesn't seem to much matter now. It's branding, and the feeling of superiority that goes with it, maybe. "NASCAR is the sport!", according to those trying to make the public think that. Nooooo, stock car racing is the sport. NASCAR is it's largest organization involved in the sport, but it is not the sport. NFL is not a sport. MLB, NHL, NBA, are not sports, only participants in their version of a sport. Well, gotta go now. Doctor appt. calling. I'm glad I remember the personal blog part of this site. My wife is tired of hearing me rant.
You keep ranting Dennis. Right here on this site! I love it.Funny story about Jim France. When I was at the Hall of Fame Banquet last week, he came to speak to Buddy Parrott who was sitting next to me at the table. I stood up and introduced myself to him as "Tim Leeming" and he responded with "I'm Jim". Absolutely NO mention of the last name but I knew who he was. When he walked off, I asked Buddy about that and he had no answer but the overall consensus was that maybe he doesn't like to be recognized as a member of the France Family. No disrespect to Jim intended as he was certainly very cordial and outgoing.I truly am glad you're back Dennis. Keep the blogs rocking for us! Hope the Doctor's appointment went fine.
I can understand that. The founder and retired CEO of RE/MAX and a former CEO of McDonald's, who were deeply involved with racing were like that. Imagine, aa former CEO of McDonald's wandering around the ARCA pits (back in the 80's), in a torn, wore old old black t-shirt. Just goes to show, especially in racing, you never know if you may have talked yourself out of a major sponsorship, during what you thought was a casual conversation with a group of "pit-rats", and talking like a jerk about something.