We NASCAR fans love our drivers…….maybe we love them too much, and allow them to hang around too long.Some years ago NASCAR instituted their watered down version of franchising.
It’s the top 35 rule. This rule was put in, in better times when there were around 50 cars showing up competing for the 43 starting spots. It’s purpose was to protect the full time owners and sponsors, and was put in because of lobbying by the owners.
All professional racing, and particularly NASCAR, runs on sponsor dollars. In NASCAR’s case it’s sponsor dollars, Sunoco Racing Fuel, and Goodyear Eagle Racing tires. The announcers are sure to remind us of these facts several times during the broadcasts. They do this because they’re paid to do it. It’s the money that makes the wheels and the Goodyear Eagles go around.Particularly these days when an owner makes a proposal to a potential sponsor. He’s making a sales pitch to a company that’s seen, and not swung at
a lot of pitches. When they read the proposal, and they get to the part about Lance Smedley, who’s 20, and outrunning the competition at the East Haven Wisconsin Speedway, they lose interest fast. These guys never heard of the Speedway, barely know where Wisconsin is, and sure the hell never heard of Lance Smedley.
On the other hand, if the pitch is for Bobby Labonte, past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, just maybe they keep reading. And before you fire up the keyboard, I like Bobby, and I respect what he’s done. The fact that at least some of you are probably ready to fire off your rebuttal is the perfect illustration for the point I’m trying to make.
This brings me to another culprit leading to stagnation: the Past Champion’s Provisional. If you’ve been following the sport long enough you remember when this was put in. The King had stayed too long in the sport, and was in danger of embarrassing himself by missing about half of his "Farewell Tour". Before that, the starting field was set at 42. Then if anyone, (Richard) needed the
PCP the field was expanded to 43. After a while, the fields were expanded to 43 regardless if it was used or not. No one really begrudged Richard his last farewell, after all he was The King.
Then Jaws (Ole’ DW) shamelessly exploited the PCP to, (as he was honest enough to say) "sell a few more die casts and t-shirts.” Even NASCAR, who knows a thing or two about selling die casts and shirts seemed to be a little embarrassed about this. They changed the rules to limit its usage, but it’s still with us, and it’s still protecting drivers who have stayed too long.
These drivers are in great demand by owners who do not have a top 35 spot locked in. Sometimes the gig is just for the first 5 races to try to get a jump start on the season.
In my opinion, we have too many drivers just filling seats, and too many owners just filling the fields. I’m not talking about the “start and park” teams- that’s a rant for another time.
These are owners who are content to run 35th, as long as the cars they’re racing for the locked in spots, are running 36th. That’s not what this sport’s supposed to be about.
I’m not going to name names, you can figure it out for yourselves if you care to. I just think the sport would a lot more interesting if deserving youngsters had a better shot to break in.
I understand why a sponsor wants’ a "name" cup driver in it’s Nationwide car rather than a kid trying to make a name, but I don’t have to like it. I understand why owners feel the same way. Rookies make mistakes. Mistakes wreck cars. Cars cost money. Money many NNW only owners don’t have.
I do have to give a shout out to Rusty Wallace. He stepped away, when he could have stayed. He’s (so far) stayed away when he could have come back. Well done! Also, understand that I’m not talking about Mark Martin. As long as he continues to run like he is,
I don’t care if he toddles out to the car in a walker, and they lift him in, strap him in, and wipe the drool off his chin. I know I said I wasn’t going to name names, but I do want to recognize greatness.
I will leave you with Michael Waltrip’s record. Richard will always be THE KING, but Michael is King of the seat fillers. Like Richard, he will leave a record that will never be approached, let alone broken.
Cup starts- 759 over 25 years. It would have been more, but he was only able to make 14 races in 2007. Must have been a little problem getting the Rocket Fuel to light off. Victories: four-
all in plate races with DEI, when DEI was the class of the plate field. He added 39 top five finishes, 128 Top 10’s, average start- 22.3, average finish, 21.9.
That’s about as average as it gets. Especially considering that the field wasn’t always 43 cars, or even 42. Money won? $43,763,192. …… BINGO! We have our answer. NASCAR rewards mediocrity so well.
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Hey Jim
A lot of writers have struck out against the PCP (not the Drug) and now you are joining their ranks. Sorry to hear that.
Ya’ll talk about one (1) spot in the lineup and how that is going to mess up the whole complexion of nascar but it seems to be ok with you that they give away 35 spots, some of which go to people who had never raced more than a couple of cup races. These are the people ya’ll support but not a past champ.
If they did not have the big give away, there would be 8 or 10 guys able to use the PCP every race with a lot newer championships so the “old guys” teams would not be able to depend on getting in just because they have a championship back in the 80’s or 90’s.
Jaws was shameless (still is) when he used so many PCP’s and nascar should have clamped down on him sooner and harder. T. Labonte is heading in the same direction. IMHO
B. Labonte and B. Elliott are working to grow teams for the next generation by old school methods in an atmosphere that is geared towards big teams, lots of money and young kids. They have used VERY few PCP’s because they are still that good. Certainly as good as Mark Martin in the same equipment, maybe a lot better.
I say let the kids in but make them earn it.
ALL teams should come to the track in serious qualifying trim and qualify fast or go home, their choice, their hard work, not something given that most haven’t earned.
I really could agree with you if you had said get rid of the top 35 rule and the PCP, but most writers consider the top 35 rule a lost cause and they want to beat up the small guys who are kept small by nascar rules setup for the big teams.
“I’m not going to name names”.
Why didn’t you just name the article “Bashing Mikey” or
“The drivers and teams I don’t like”.
Mikey Waldrip, a legend in his own mind.
The PCP only effects a handful of drivers. Obviously you have to be a past Cup champion,then you have to be outside the top 35 in points, then you have to be slower than seven other non-35 cars.
It’s really not worth complaining about, even if you disagree with the rule.
Yawn..
I find after reading article’s like this, I wish there were far less blowhard nascar writers than there are now in this internet age.
Mercy… Everyone’s an expert.
I don’t hate the PCP, I hate the top 35. To me, you qualify or go home.
@Everyone. Jim the editor here. When I copied John’s article to the site, I did not properly credit him for writing the article. My mistake.
Now- personally, I HATE the top 35 rule. I get it, but I hate it. The probability of a top racer missing on time would be VERY, VERY rare if ever.
Frankly,John, I’m less passionate than you are on the PCP, but, I do hate the effect it has in terms of struggling teams hiring ex-champs to get them in the show. On the other hand, I see the PCP as a privilege earned for being champ.
The main point of the article is drivers staying too long at the ball. While deserving talented new drivers don’t get their shot. The top 35 rule, & the PCP, mainly as it’s used to effect the top 35, both facilitate this. Without it’s impact on the top 35, the pcp is relatively benign, if it’s not blatantly abused. In golf, when a player wins a major they get an exemption into that event, but usually only for 10 years. I’d have no problem with something similar.
The three things you talk about are not the problem. Spec car and cookie cutter tracks where people don’t understand the sport or care to learn about it are.
There’s an easy way to fix this — do like short tracks have been doing for years — it may even prove to add a bit of drama for the race weekend. Have qualifying races for drivers not in the top 20/30/35 whatever. Make the qualifying race long enough so the car has to have parts that at least are race worthy and a pitstop by crews that have to stay with the team in the actual race. In other words, make “racing” the thing that sets the field, not qualifying (the top 35 have to race each week to be in the top 35.)
I agree the top 35 has GOT TO GO!! Qualify, or go home, if does not matter if your Dale Jr. or Paul Menard, go fast or do not race. Past Champs Provisional, I dont mind so much. It is just one position and to be a past champ, you have earned some amount of respect. Heck, they took away the first pit stall rule already.
I was enjoying the article until the start and park came along. OMG dont get me started on these pan-handlers. What a bunch of num-skulls!!!
Yes I am aware of why the Past Champion provisonal was put in place. I was there live at qualifying in 1989 at Richmond when it first happened and at North Wilkesboro for the 4 races in 1989 that “The King” did not qualify for. And I am aware 1992 was a throw away year because of the Fan Appreciation tour. So lets take 1991 everyone go to the NASCAR record book and lets take the young hot shoe then Davey Allison. Now compare Davey’s 1991 finish record in all races with “The King’s.” Obvisously there were “hot” drivers then like Rusty Wallace and obvious 1984 to 1992 was rough but “The King” was not embrassing himself nor his fans.
Ohhh….if wishes were fishes we could fill the ocean! Yeah..sometimes watching Mikey crawl around the track got to me..just as watching some of the other “so called has beens” does the same. I guess what I appreciate about NASCAR (and trust me I tend to be more unappreciative then appreciative of NASCAR) is that they DON’T take the “low road” as our “youth oriented” society teaches..but choose the “high road”..and in their own small way they “honor” our seniors.. Sure over the years the top 35 rule, PCP, and start and parkers have taken spots “youngsters” maybe should have gotten…but in most cases those “youngsters” will get their chances…and alot of times those chances come through the seniors who finally … on their own or slightly pushed…retire. When you survey the field there are alot of young drivers who got their chance through a retired driver, owner, crew chief, etc….. and isn’t that the circle of life….in or out of NASCAR?
@ Jerry
I couldn’t agree with you more. In fact I proposed this in an earlier article. My thought was to lock in the first 20,(if they must) then run a qualifier for the rest. It was one of my earliest for Bump-Drafts, & should be in the archives.
@ Bob
The tracks, & the COT are big problems. I just try to look at, & coax my readers to look at, & think about some things that are not as evident.
@ Josie
If James Hylton were to Make a show, I’d be his biggest fan.
Well said, Tom (post #1). The top 35 rule needs to go away. NA$CAR has aslo said that drivers in tthe top 35 sell tickets and the others don’t. Now, how does NA$CAR KNOW that Carl Long or Brandon Ash, etc., can’t sell tickets…they’ve never been given the chance under these WWE type rules. And besides, if the top 35 rule went away and qualifying actually meant something more folks might actually pay attention to and attend qualifying and that would mean more sales for hot dogs, beer and those ever important diecast and t-shirt sales.
I agree with Dman. Nascar is missing out on a good opportunity for revenue by making qualifying irrelevant. My own statement shocks me because I didn’t think Nascar did anything unless it made them money. Sure it makes them money but if there was a chance your favorite driver would have to go home that weekend, you might be a little more interested and so would plenty of others. Or if there were qualifying races similar to the 500, you would probably tune in every week. I know I would. I don’t think the world would end if Tony Stewart (my favorite driver) missed a race because he didn’t qualify. Yes even if Jr missed a race, the sport would be just fine. But then again I’m a racing fan and not just a Smoke fan. Heck, Tiger missed a cut or 2 last year, and golf is still alive and well.