This has been a great discussion. As always PK and Dave add a lot of color to the posts.
Remember the first thing you learn in statistics class is that you can make a stat read how ever you want it to. As muchin theNASCAR way of thinking, it's not what you say but what you don't say that can be interpreted.
I know what you mean there Dave. When you are in pr, your reputation is based on your facts. If you lose your credibilty, then your promotions are just fodder and no one takes them seriously. Gene Granger was the best in facts, having lived a lot of them. Greg Fielden also put a lot of effort and time into being correct. And then Bob Latford had a ton of info. Too bad that now most of that is lost.
I don't have a problem with the Coke 400 being the Coke 400, but the previous years are still the Pepsi 400 and Firecracker 400. This creates an interesting situation for those brands and those trying to kiss their (family site).
I know when we did the Goodwrench press kits back in 91 and 92, wehad to research some of the names and dates to be sure we were correct. I wonder how many of the pr reps of today would, or could do that. Back to the age-old philosophy of it's not a problem if we don't acknowledge it.
A little earlier today I commented on one of PK's discussions about Indy. I still call the short track in Clermont, Indianapolis Raceway park (IRP). Randy Myers commented that it is now called Lucas Oil Raceway, which I knew. Hear's the discussion. Back when I went there, it was IRP. A couple of years ago, the name was changed to ORP or O'Reilly Raceway Park when the auto part supplier bought naming rights. Now, the Lucas family, which has done a lot for motorsports, has aquired the naming rights.
This leads me to the point we have argued before. When you buy naming rights for either an event or facility, why do you have the automatic right to change history and re-name everything in honor of that particular company.
In my opinion, when Jonny Mantz won the first Southern 500, he did not win the Showtime Southern 500. When Joe Lee Johnson won the first World 600, he did not win the Coca-Cola 600. When Iwent to Indy, it was Indianapolis Raceway Park, and not Lucas Oil Raceway. What part of political correctness says we have to change history in honor ofany sponsor. To be sure they are kept happy because of footing the bill, for ease of identification, or as in NASCAR or any sport, monkey-see, monkey-do.
I also think it is mainly done because the instant gratification generation would have too much trouble trying to identify with the past in anything, much less racing history.
What do you think?
