Editor’s Note: I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Over the next couple of days, I’m giving the soap box to a couple of Bump Drafts contributors to opine their concerns regarding the current state of NASCAR.
First up is Jeremy Sellers. He may be young, but he’s old school in his thinking. We like variety here at Bump Drafts, and I think Sellers speaks well to the frustrations that the traditionalists feel. You may disagree, and you may disagree passionately. That’s fine- all I ask when we debate we do so respectfully and that this not become an online “road rage” incident. There’s a way to be passionate without being rude.
Without further delay, here’s Jeremy/ Take it way big guy….
“NASCAR roasting, over an open fire, the fans, leaving it in droves…”
Yes, my friends, the sarcasm is back, and worse than ever. It’s Thanksgiving weekend, and in regard to NASCAR, the ONLY item I am thankful for is the end of the 2009 season. Put a bullet in it, it is done, and so is the pain we all endured as fans who week in, and week out, fought the good fight thinking “this week HAS to be better than last”. Only, however, to be shot down like a spiraling clay pigeon colored florescent orange, or getting dental work done without anesthesia. Out of 36 events, the afterburners weren’t turned on until the last THREE! Are you kidding me? We deserve better than that, and if I could contract the Grinch to steal NASCAR as he did Christmas, I’d hire him in a heartbeat! Wait, he ended up giving it back, didn’t he? Ah! I digress! Anyway…
My stats could be slightly off, but I was doing my “different winners of ‘09″ tally a couple days ago. Are you all aware that out of 36 races, there was only somewhere in the ballpark of 14 different victors? Seriously?! How can anyone sit there with their arms folded in front of them and state, “This is good for the sport”? Sure, now with the padding of the season being over, even Mike Helton admitted in an Associated Press article a few days ago that they had sterilized NASCAR to the point where drivers couldn’t be themselves, and went on to say, “…and that’s not good for the sport.” Hinting, sort of, that NASCAR “relaxed” for the last three races and just “let ‘em run”. Racers should be allowed to RUN every week, not just a select number of evens towards the end of the season.
Fans have been BEGGING for a return of some sort of emotion, grit, testosterone, juevos, whatever you want to call it for a couple of seasons. This isn’t anything new! As a matter of fact, after this article, I’m going to email Santa and ask that he give a set of balls back the drivers to do what they wish…talk and drive! Okay, perhaps that is slightly dramatic, but I believe I’m getting my point across to you all.
My tickets for the 2010 Daytona 500 should be arriving any day now. I remember a time when I’d be absolutely pumped up when that envelope appeared in my mailbox. The last couple of years? Cool, guess I’m going again after all. Don’t get me wrong folks. There is ALWAYS that feeling of optimism and enthusiasm for he first race of the season. Not just because there’s that, “This is my driver’s year” hope pouring through your veins, but also the prayer that “PLEASE let this season be better than last.” This will be the last time I get to take my step son for who knows how long due to the fact he will be going into the Army after graduation in June. So, this trip will be special no matter what happens on the track, or how many autographs I obtain.
I’m going to be booed and have rotten fruit thrown at me for saying this, but Jimmie Johnson won his fourth consecutive championship in a row. WHOOPIE! (insert sarcasm here). Proving he’s a great driver? You bet! Stripping any doubt that there is some sort of supernatural magic between he and Chad Knaus? Definitely! However, I can say with a straight face that I would be bored to tears if Dale Earnhardt Jr.. did the same thing. I applaud the Johnson fans during this dynasty, and I admit, that is exactly what it is. Yet we need a different champion in 2010 or the blow will be devastating to the sport. Even Jimmy Spencer went out on a limb to say the same thing. Jimmy is awesome, but another championship would be bad for the sport.
So, does anyone know where NASCAR Claus is appearing and what the proper ettiquette is? Do you sit on his lap? Lean on a stack of tires and make your Christmas list over a couple of beers? I have no idea! I do know that Daytona 500 tickets will be in my stocking, and hopefully a “new and improved” 2010 season will be under my NASCAR tree. (seriously, I really have a NASCAR tree!)
I am thankful to have my friends, and my readers. Whether we agree or not at this time of year is irrelevant. It’s the fact that we all share a common interest in racing, great beer, and good spirits. I’m grateful that I have a wonderful wife who will tell you she is a “race widow” on Saturdays and Sundays, with a few truck races thrown in between! I’m also thankful that I have been given the gift of the written word to make the readers happy, angry, or a little of both at times with my tongue-in-cheek, somewhat radical, in your face, style of prose.. It is to you all I wish a very safe and happy holiday season, and we will catch you with “on the spot” updates from Daytona International Speedway in February!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Ditto on every thing! I’m also waiting for my Daytona 500 tickets. But this is the last year I am renewing. If I decide to go in 2011 i’ll scalp the tickets. Trust me there are plenty out there.
I’ve been involved with Nascar for longer then I care to admit (I worked for DiGard Racing when Donnie Allison was their driver and left when Jaws walked through the doors and I was a fan long before that), so I’ve seen a lot of changes.
The problem with the sport isn’t Jimmie Johnson being the dominant driver of his time, it’s Nascar itself. They’ve sucked the life out of racing by making a bland car (all in–allegedly–the interest of safety. I would disagree, but hey, that’s me), blander drivers (it serves the corporate image soooo much better), and even blander races–why watch when in three plus hours the race still won’t be over and the same handful of drivers (though this isn’t really new) are following each other around until one of them decides it’s his turn to “win”.
Nascar needs to do a couple of things to draw fans back:
1. If you don’t see it in the dealer’s showroom then it don’t belong on the track. No more cookie cutter cars. Puhleeze. Take a few cues from the Truck Series and make sure that people know what make they’re looking at with or without decals.
2. Enough with the competition cautions, the phantom cautions, the cautions to tighten the field to make the race “interesting.” Beating, banging, and personality that’s what the Truck Series has and it = racing. Think about it. Puhleeze.
3. Shorten the races by track raced on, e.g: Superspeedways = 500 + laps/miles. Intermediate tracks = 300 or 400 miles or laps max. Short tracks = no more than 200 laps max. Oh sure, some of the classic or “special” tracks should keep to traditions…
4. Which leads to this (speaking of tradition): feed your base. You’re a Southern sport that’s gone on steroids into markets that could care less (take a look at football, baseball, and basketball), look at other sports who’ve realized that some markets just don’t care about their product, but there are multiple teams in certain geographical areas that flourish. Why? Because interest is high for the sport in those markets. Think about it. Learn. Act.
5. And now “The Chase:” a good idea not carried out very well. Here’s why it isn’t: the spread between finishers in the Chase is the same as the regular season points. Dump that idea, it’s bad. Tighten up the points (say something along the lines of a 15 – 12- 10 – 8 – 6 – 5 – 4- 3 – 2 – 1 awarded to the Chasers if they finish in the top ten of the race-you win you get 15 points, you finish fifth you get 5 points, if you finish out of the top ten, you get zippo points, better luck next time). Have a regular season Champ and a Chase Champ.
AND
Do away with that idiotic “guaranteed” place in the field thing. It’s stupid. If you can’t race your way in, why are you there? And if you “have” to automatic qualifiers, let it be the Chase drivers for the following year.
I’m sure there’s other stuff (and there is, Nascar has all but ruined the sport), but that’s it for now.
You are holding out a year longer than I made it. I didn’t renew my season tickets to Bristol for next year. Too many years of “After you, Alfonse” racing there. When you have a hard time staying wake at the Bristol night race, you know something is rotten in Nascar.
I agree with J.J. It’s not Johnson. Nascar’s decisions have added up to hurt the sport – COT, cookie cutters, cautions, inconsistent rulings, top 35 are in, etc. The TV coverage by ESPN was TERRIBLE! And, I will not watch a race where I am insulted by the OVERSELL COMMERCIALISM of a gopher being rammed down my throat!
Thank you all for our favorable replies thus far. I’m lad you were able to see through my sarcasm and to the point. Though I do believe I never called Johnson out, so to speak. Referring to he and Chad Knaus’ pairing as a dynasty! I’m in good company with my opinion with the state of NASCAR. It’s just a shame to see the governing body take what was once so great, and shame it.