Forum Activity for @jeff-gilder

WASCAR Headlines----Shock Car Racing Continues Upward Spiral in Fan Popularity

January 21, 2052, WASCAR Headquarters, Madrid, Spain

By: Gerald Waltrip, media journalist for WASCAR News Network (WNN)

The media frenzy surrounding the worlds most popular sport of Shock Car Racing is nothing short of amazing. Today, the Worldly Association of Shock Car Auto Racing (WASCAR) president and founder Jordan P. Wheeler announced the signing of Universal Video Productions (UVP) as title sponsor for the 2053 season which will begin in September 2052. None of this would have been possible back in the day when my great uncle Humpy ran (now defunct) NASCAR., said Wheeler. Before global warming, we were relegated to running outdoors in those huge empty stadiums when weather often affected the schedule and outcome. Now we can arrange our schedule around a more popular season one that worked back in the days of the NFL. Todays state of the art facilities combined with Instant Telepathic Video Translation (ITVT) offered by UVP, we can give the fans what they want instantly.

WASCARs innovative approach to fan engagement is said to be the tip if the iceberg of things to come in Shock Car Racing. This writer recently got up with Hobart H. Helton one of the innovators behind the success related to bringing the ITVT technology to WASCAR. Giving the fans complete control over the sport has not come without some obstacles, said Helton. Telepathic translation allows us to let the fans choose the course layout the day before the race. Our engineers are able to take the instant telepathic input (ITI) to create a race track that will please the majority of fans. On race day the telepathic translation interface coordinators (TTICsformerly spotters) are able to relay fan input into the driving style of their favorite drivers instantly. Along with the TTICs fuel delivery data input, makes for some great racing,

One of the most shocking developments to come into the world of WASCAR has been the addition of the cage match finale after each race. Any on-track disputes are brought to the cage after winner circle celebrations for WASCARs Part II entertainment. Last week Rowdy Busch III, the grandson of nine-time NASCAR champ Kyle Busch, clearly defeated Shelly (Happy) Harvick, grand-daughter of the legendary Kevin Harvick in a three- round match after Shelly booted Rowdy off the third turn double jump. Rowdys perfection of the spinning back fist / double hook kick combination has proven to be a show stopper in recent cage competition. Back in the day, grandpa Kevin would have easily defeated the then, more feminine Kyle Busch in cage match competition. Many wish they could see those two elder competitors go at it once again as they did back in the day. But, Kyle swore off fighting after legendary car owner, Richard Childress gave him an old-school lesson in the headlock / hook and jab department.

There is a very special event coming up February 2^nd. This years Gopher Day celebration will include the third quarter competition All-Star shoot out. This years shoot out is expected to be the best yet, since the Gopher Day races began in back 2015. We were able to get a few words from WASCAR spokesperson Elvis Poston. Gopher Day epitomizes the fan experience, said Poston. Back when my grandfather worked for NASCAR it was the fans who finally were able to convince the powers to get rid of Digger and ol DW in a landmark move that actually began yet another new era in the sport. And Gerald, please dont take the DW remark personally, but you perhaps more than anyone can understand what that move did for the sport.

I can tell you, this writer does understand. Growing up and living with the reputation of Grandpa Jaws and Great Uncle Mikey has given me the backbone I have today. The year Mikey came out of the closet was perhaps the most embarrassing moment in our familys historyso Im told. I feel fortunate to once again represent the sport that has meant so much to the Waltrip family.

Fifteen time NASCAR champ Denny Hamlin will be our guest on an upcoming special WNN presentation. Hamlin, now 72 will speak openly about the controversy surrounding his first 6 championships and the JGR Racing organization beginning with the discovery of some illegal oil pans way back in 2011. That incident and several that followed may have been the catalyst that ended Toyotas participation in the sport and opened the door for the Korean based KIA.

We at WNN will continue to bring the latest news and interviews then and now with the topics we think youll enjoy. So for nowBoogity, boogity, boogity!

GW.

Feel free to add your version of racing in the year 2053.

and boots

Jeff Gilder said:

Those are some ugly wheels!

Ernest Sutton said:

This sure is a strange looking Plymouth.

Dave Fulton said:

We can have a million discussions and this will still never look "right" !!!

Those are some ugly wheels!

Ernest Sutton said:

This sure is a strange looking Plymouth.

Dave Fulton said:

We can have a million discussions and this will still never look "right" !!!

Keep having this dream that they're gonna put on a NASCAR points race with a huge purse on a big dirt track using hemis, 427s, porcupines, bias ply tires, windshield wipers, dirt screens, etc. and Cotton Owens is fielding a car for David Pearson and the fans are welcome in the pits to meet the drivers after the race.....

Thanks for the great responses. I thought I was the only person that missed the manufacturer rivalrys that took place back in the early days. It's hard for me to stand up and shout, "I'm a Allmendinger Fan" because I have never liked Fords. Friends identified me by the fact that I only pulled for Chevy teams. The cars and trucks I bought were all GM, nothing else in my driveway. My password on my work computer is "Chevy". Now I find myself pulling for Ford, Toyota and Chevy teams. I feel dirty for some reason. What has become of our sport.Are the younger fans to blame or is this just the natural evolutiona sport where money can make you overlook anything? I don't see as bright a future for the sport if brand loyalty is so unimportant.

So right, BT! That part of the fan experience was a major part of my upbringing as well. There were even family squabbles over car makes and racing. All part of the passion that popularized the sport. I do agree that piece of the passion is gone...along with some other pieces we speak of here often. Today's fan IS different. They view the sport with different objectives.They are attracted to different aspects of the sport. If you look at all the ways today's fans are able to engage within the sport, it is pretty impressive. In-car cameras, and audio. Multiple camera positions to view from your pc...24/7 coverage...and of course "ol DW. Yea I had to bring him up didn't I?

It's different for sure and the gap between fan support from older fans and today's NASCAR seems to be widening for the most part. The sport will not come back to us. If we are to continue to "enjoy" it, we'll have to adapt to the new way of fandom. Is fandom a word?

Here is my concern...and you've heard it before. All this driver-swapping, car-swapping, and foreign car inclusion has certainly affected "brand loyalty" as we once knew it. How can a fan today afford to support a driver that changes teams and makes so often. One used to be able to by a jacket to represent ones favorite driver and wear it for many years. Is is feasible to think fans can go from being Shell buyers to Budweiser drinkers....Home Depot to Office Depot...or Chrysler to to Ford...and then throw in Toyota...and still have that "buying" passion to drive the sport. Are they...are you...buying sponsors products the way you used to? Are the new fans supporting the sport with the strength established by the older generation? How do y'all think the brand loyalty that made all this possible will fair in the future. If the fans aren't buying the sponsor's products, where does the money to fuel this thing come from?

I know that's a lot of questions....but I think this is the biggest problem in the future of the sport.

Jeff