opinions, NASCAR fans

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ramenth

ramenth

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Was reading in Sports Illustrated a few weeks ago that the NASCAR higher ups got all the teams owners, crew chiefs, and drivers together to talk about the waning popularity of NASCAR. Fan attendance at the races are down (in this economy...imagine that) and TV ratings are off. But instead of asking the fans themselves, the idiots went within, not for ideas on making the product better, but on figuring out who was to blame without ever looking into the mirror. Seems they came up with the bright idea that Fox is to blame and Digger in specific. Yes, lasses and laddies, NASCAR is blaming a cartoon character.

Hey, morons at NASCAR, here's my two cents:

1.) Too many good old boys are your fan base. Letting in Toyota alienated a good deal of your fans. Stock car's racing roots are running the back roads in 'shine cars, then getting together and seeing who had the fastest car. Letting in a Japanese auto manufacturer just pissed off a lot of people.

2.) Good move with the CoT, which, by the way, is here today, so which genius decided to keep calling it the Car of Tomorrow? Really, the only difference in any of these cars is the decal and the engine. What happened to the idea that racing was about building a car to go fast and if you lost then you went back to the shop and built a faster car? The whole idea of every car must be equal was the basis for IROC and I it just went belly up.

3.) Restictor plate racing. This argument is lame: "fans like close racing." Really? Then why is the circuit full of cookie cutter 1.5m tracks where the cars get spaced so far apart? Some of us like the old style of Talladega and Daytona racing: a pack of ten or so would break away, run like hell and the sling shot actually worked!

4.) No one to fill Dale Sr.'s shoes. Dale Jr. isn't capable of it. Kyle Busch is too hated. Kasey Kahne is too inconsistant. Look at the names that have carried the banner for ages: Petty (if Adam had lived...) Peason, Yarborough, Allison (if Davey had lived...), Waltrip. Gordon and Johnson are too bland. There are no rivalry's anymore, either.

Personally, I haven't given a crap about NASCAR since they started treating the fans like cattle to suck us from our money (five paint jobs a year for teams means more collectibles to buy!)
But for NASCAR to blame it all on a friggin' cartoon character instead of asking the fans is a joke. And it seems NASCAR is content with that. After all, if they asked the fans, they might hear the truth.
 
ramenth said:
Was reading in Sports Illustrated a few weeks ago that the NASCAR higher ups got all the teams owners, crew chiefs, and drivers together to talk about the waning popularity of NASCAR. Fan attendance at the races are down (in this economy...imagine that) and TV ratings are off. But instead of asking the fans themselves, the idiots went within, not for ideas on making the product better, but on figuring out who was to blame without ever looking into the mirror. Seems they came up with the bright idea that Fox is to blame and Digger in specific. Yes, lasses and laddies, NASCAR is blaming a cartoon character.

Hey, morons at NASCAR, here's my two cents:

1.) Too many good old boys are your fan base. Letting in Toyota alienated a good deal of your fans. Stock car's racing roots are running the back roads in 'shine cars, then getting together and seeing who had the fastest car. Letting in a Japanese auto manufacturer just pissed off a lot of people.

2.) Good move with the CoT, which, by the way, is here today, so which genius decided to keep calling it the Car of Tomorrow? Really, the only difference in any of these cars is the decal and the engine. What happened to the idea that racing was about building a car to go fast and if you lost then you went back to the shop and built a faster car? The whole idea of every car must be equal was the basis for IROC and I it just went belly up.

3.) Restictor plate racing. This argument is lame: "fans like close racing." Really? Then why is the circuit full of cookie cutter 1.5m tracks where the cars get spaced so far apart? Some of us like the old style of Talladega and Daytona racing: a pack of ten or so would break away, run like hell and the sling shot actually worked!

4.) No one to fill Dale Sr.'s shoes. Dale Jr. isn't capable of it. Kyle Busch is too hated. Kasey Kahne is too inconsistant. Look at the names that have carried the banner for ages: Petty (if Adam had lived...) Peason, Yarborough, Allison (if Davey had lived...), Waltrip. Gordon and Johnson are too bland. There are no rivalry's anymore, either.

Personally, I haven't given a crap about NASCAR since they started treating the fans like cattle to suck us from our money (five paint jobs a year for teams means more collectibles to buy!)
But for NASCAR to blame it all on a friggin' cartoon character instead of asking the fans is a joke. And it seems NASCAR is content with that. After all, if they asked the fans, they might hear the truth.
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What are you a mind reader?? I stopped watching when they all got the same car!! As my friend has said it's as entertaining as watching a handful of skittles being flushed down the toilet!
 
I couldn't agree more. NASCAR has turned into a three ring circus. What I hate is the pre race shows that last longer than the race itself. All the prerace crap makes the race start a 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I remember waking up on Sunday at 10:00 am and the race was already half over. That was when NASCAR was about racing and not all the politics there is now.

The top 35 are guranteed a spot in the race is the dumbest rule I've ever heard. That is a perfect example of how NASCAR has forgotten what "racing" is about. They want to protect the big sponsors. As usual it is all about the $$$.

That is why I enjoy NHRA. It has it's problems too but it is still about racing. No stupid rules to protect the big money teams.
 
There have been shenanigans going on in nascrap since it's inception.

There is an agenda from the top brass, always has been and always will be.

Blaming that digger thing, is absolutely STUPID, both the blaming and the cartoon. Remember Nascrap goes hollywood???? LMAO

They sold out the old school followers for the trendy crew... well, that trendy crew is leaving the building.

I'd actually like to see Carl Edwards/Tony Stewart, or any of the guys, Vickers would have been perfect a few weeks ago, knock the living crap out of Kyle Busch for his stupid actions. That would get some interest, but, that type of stuff died with the corporate cookie cutter bs.
 
I quit watching nascar in the 80"s. The cars are all the same, drivers are spoiled brats, and WAY to commercialized.
In some aspects the big boys of nhra are getting that way, esp. the commercialized part. I guess if someone was sliding me millions I might have to kiss some *** to,,
 
crackedback said:
There have been shenanigans going on in nascrap since it's inception.

There is an agenda from the top brass, always has been and always will be.

Blaming that digger thing, is absolutely STUPID, both the blaming and the cartoon. Remember Nascrap goes hollywood???? LMAO

They sold out the old school followers for the trendy crew... well, that trendy crew is leaving the building.

I'd actually like to see Carl Edwards/Tony Stewart, or any of the guys, Vickers would have been perfect a few weeks ago, knock the living crap out of Kyle Busch for his stupid actions. That would get some interest, but, that type of stuff died with the corporate cookie cutter bs.
Click to expand...

Amen!!! Someone give Jimmy Spenser a ride and let him give the likes of Kyle A little "new driver etiquette/orientation" on pit road. Let em race Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers and I'll start watching again!!!
 
I got back into NASCAR when Dodge came back. Seeing it live is a lot of fun, watching it on TV has lost its appeal. I agree with everything ramenth said and I consider myself a fan of NASCAR. MIS has lowered ticket prices for next year, quite a bit acutally so that is good to see for fans near Michigan. Realistically, they need to get rid of restrictor plate racing and the cookie cutter cars and some of the fans will return. The lack of a good rivalry hurts as well.
 
Adding to the above.............. take off the wings, we'll see who can drive!!!
Let them fight after the race....that will separate the men from the boys!!! Remember Jimmy Spencer/Kurt Busch??? more road courses... let them speak there minds.. If they want the cars equal, have one car builder.
My opinion Robby Gordon is one of the better drivers, I know the can of worms is open!!!!!!!!, but look at his full racing record!!! Same with Tony..
As for Kyle Busch, he's the guy to hate right now!?!?!?!?!? But he CAN drive a car... Put the point system back the way it was. The guy who wins the most and has the best finished thru out the season(consistency) SHOULD win the championship!!!!!! I'm including NHRA on this one too!!!!!!!!
I enjoy watching both, but it is much easier to go drag racing with a car/truck, daily driver, than it is to go NASCAR racing.. That is where the big advantage goes to NHRA..
Okay getting off my soupbox.........you know what they say.."Opinions are like a$$holes, everybody has one"... NO pot stirring just an opinion..

Bob
 
I bought season tickets at Fontana as soon as they were available and attended all the NASCAR races up to about 3 years ago when they simply priced themselves out of my wallet. You had to buy tickets for the full weekend in order to guarantee the same seats from year to year. I ended up giving away my truck race and (now) Nationwide race tickets because all I really wanted to go to were the Cup races.
It got to the point where I just could not justify the expense coupled with the fact that the race dates were either really cold and rainy or really hot -- either way my wife ended up sitting under the stands where it was covered so I was spending twice as much just for my seat.
Here's what I want to see from NASCAR: Race the Challenger, Mustang, and Camaro (according to the new issue of Popular Hot Rodding, this is a done deal except for GM and the Camaro) with no body mods - must use stock body dimensions except for front splitter and rear wing. This will get us at least back to 'stock' body appearance. If the factory dimensions aren't aerodynamic enough, then let the factory put together a more aerodynamic body for the public market. Guess what? We win to as the better aero package will get better mileage.
 
nascar was a lot more enjoyable to watch in the 80s and early 90s, like you said if they didnt put the names on the cars you couldnt tell them apart
 
Nascar lost me as a fan when every damned part on the car had to be "approved" by the Czars running the show. And if they weren't, handing down huge fines and suspensions to the crew chiefs whose job by it's nature, is to find "the edge". All the cars look stupid with the rear wing that looks like it belongs on a tuner car. As far as Talledega and Daytona goes, either weigh the cars down or make them run smaller engines to keep them from 200mph (if thats the goal) but trash the restrictor plates.
 
i agree with every single post here. actualy i read a small small passage in hot rod magazine about bringing the camaro challenger and mustang into nascar. that would get me watching again if the damned cars werent made with cookie cutters as mentioned. i wish someone would bring "stock car" racing if nascar wont. also i remember my father mentioning that they wanted to compete with the "ball and stick" sports and thats why they messed eveything up. if only nascar would realise what the fans want.
 
I pretty much gave up on SAMECAR when they did away with the rule that, in order for a car to be approved to enter, the mfr had to produce a certain number of that car in that configuration for sale in the showroom. The whole reason there are still Superbirds and Daytona Chargers driving around. The actually had to start off with a STOCK car to go stock car racing.
 
SCredneck said:
I pretty much gave up on SAMECAR when they did away with the rule that, in order for a car to be approved to enter, the mfr had to produce a certain number of that car in that configuration for sale in the showroom. The whole reason there are still Superbirds and Daytona Chargers driving around. The actually had to start off with a STOCK car to go stock car racing.
Click to expand...
yeah whens the last time an impala came with a V8. Or when has toyota ever used a V8 in a car? at least dodge has a V8 unlike the fusion.
 
1.) Too many good old boys are your fan base. Letting in Toyota alienated a good deal of your fans. Stock car's racing roots are running the back roads in 'shine cars, then getting together and seeing who had the fastest car. Letting in a Japanese auto manufacturer just pissed off a lot of people.

Agree. Hell, they are even wanting other foreign manufacturers to join in. Just imagine, the "Yugo 500"!!!


4.) No one to fill Dale Sr.'s shoes.

Disagree. Dale was a great driver. Not trying to piss anyone off as I know he has one of the most loyal fan bases ever but I don't think his seven championships would happen today. Ditto for King Richard. The level of competition is too great today. Don't take me wrong, love both of them.

I couldn't agree more. NASCAR has turned into a three ring circus. What I hate is the pre race shows that last longer than the race itself. All the prerace crap makes the race start a 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

Agree, Hate the "talkin' heads"

The top 35 are guranteed a spot in the race is the dumbest rule I've ever heard. That is a perfect example of how NASCAR has forgotten what "racing" is about.

Couldn't agree more! The top 43 race and the others go home. Hate the term "go or go homers". Have e-mailed Nascar about this and guess what, no reply!! Tells me what they think of the fans opinions!!

Knock the living crap out of Kyle Busch for his stupid actions.

Yes sir! He sure got it a few weeks back when he tried to run over Tony and Tony put him in the fence. I don't think he would be smart getting in Tony's face. The skinny little bastard would get the **** knocked out of him. Good driver but needs to settle down.


Realistically, they need to get rid of restrictor plate racing and the cookie cutter cars.

Agree. Talledega and Daytona are outdated. They needed the banking to run super fast back when they were designed. Bill Elliot qualified at 212mph in 1987 at Talledega. 22 years ago!!! They had to do something when running on these tracks or you would have had to pick a new favorite driver every year or so. Either flatten them out and **** can the restrictor plates or quit racing on them. I know this is going to piss someone off so I'll say sorry in advance. LOL Just my opinion.

Nascar lost me as a fan when every damned part on the car had to be "approved" by the Czars running the show.

Agree with what your saying although I am still a fan. Let the crew chiefs decide what shocks, springs, gears to run. I remember when some of the teams ran an overdrive trans for the long straightaway at Pocono. Thought that was kinda' neat.

I pretty much gave up on SAMECAR when they did away with the rule that, in order for a car to be approved to enter, the mfr had to produce a certain number of that car in that configuration for sale in the showroom.

Yes, I don't remember seeing any late model 2 door Impala's, Taurus's or Fusion's on the street.

yeah whens the last time an impala came with a V8. Or when has toyota ever used a V8 in a car?

Impala has a V8 option. Toyota didn't even make a push rod engine until they started racing and designed a racing version from the ground up!!

Just my 2 cents guys. Hope I don't offend anyone
 
My 2 cents.
I actually cought part of the prerace show waiting for the Ray's game. D.W. made a good point. Why did they build all those cookie cutter 1.5 miles tracks when the best racing in on the 1/2 mile track, one being Bristol? They pack the house for both races. The reason is GREED. All track's are owned by 3 of 4 groups who are all in bed with LASTCAR. They tought bigger track =more seats = more $$$$$$$$$$$$$. I went to Paytona for the 49th and 50th running of the 500. my wife paid $90 each to visit the fan zone. What a joke. The only fan we saw David Reagan (my wife was like "who is that kid"). Biggest rippoff ever. The best race of the weekend was the truck on Friday night.
I am a fan of the restrictor plate racing on big tracks, without it you would be watching 43 cars play single file follow trhe leader, just like all the 1.5 mile tracks. How much fun was it to watch the King or the Silver Fox win by 2 laps? The big one is the main thriller.
I only watch 4 races a year Paytona and Talladega, oh yeah I did watch the end of Sonoma this year and that was a great race, (probably because Kayne won).
One more point. Saturday night races are the worst. In my area back in the 90's when they started having them, the local track wouldn't run becuase of attendence issues. That track is closed now(Sunshine Speedway). Plus I dont stay up till 11:00.
I'm done. Good Morning Everyone. :cheers:
 
I recently found an article about the Nationwide series trying the new pony cars for some races. Challenger vs Mustang vs Camaro would def. boost some ratings..heck I would even watch then.

nascar_challenger_by_jonsibal.jpg


NASCAR_Mustang.jpg
 
and what about those friggin' "competition yellows" or "cautions for debris" at the most unlikely time for something that wouldn't impact the drivers - but the cautions seem to come when the "chosen ones" aren't leading....the entire thing along with the cookie cutter cars seems too manipulated. What bs!

I'm a huge Smoke fan, but I believe that it was 'decided' that he would win this season from day one....regardless....
 
Jons340Dart said:
and what about those friggin' "competition yellows" or "cautions for debris" at the most unlikely time for something that wouldn't impact the drivers - but the cautions seem to come when the "chosen ones" aren't leading....the entire thing along with the cookie cutter cars seems too manipulated. What bs!

I'm a huge Smoke fan, but I believe that it was 'decided' that he would win this season from day one....regardless....
Click to expand...

Actually, didn't Stewart get fined for this very statement on his radio show? I believe he called NASCAR out on the idea that the caution for debris at convenient times made the races feel like WWE and maybe that's the reason fan attendance and TV ratings are down....
 
Dittos. I dropped out when NASCAR really began to manipulate the game in the early 1970s. Banning big blocks through weight penalties, etc. I snuck back in when MoPar returned, but have steadily lost interest since NASCAR became IROC with the CoT.

I rerely even tune in a race any more.

Good point about the banked turns. Yes, original moonshiners were the start of "NASCAR-style" racing. To be true to the tradition, the course should be a mixed road course, maybe with one high speed section.

Again, with a nod to tradition, maybe the cars should be raced as delivered from the factory, but with allowed modifications, such as what moonshiners would have done to the powerplants, transmissions, etc. and for safety.
 
I have been saying this for 10 years If it is not built and sold to the public it don't get raced. Yes I was exited to see MoPar come back after telling NASCAR Quote=to kiss there butts we are gone !! years ago.
They did not make a rear well drive Lumina, they don't make a rear wheel drive toyota, They don't make a rear wheel drive Furd.:bootysha:
When MoPar came back to NASCAR they had a better front nose and the chevy's could not draft with them. What did nascar let the chevies do, They let them change the front noise on there car after Mopar showed up to kick but again. CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY...
If they want the fan base back they better get back to the basics of why we watch... I would like to see the head line read
If you don't sell it to the public you keep it off the track.
Then we would see some racing :cheers: Toyota will be running a front wheel drive car next year and the camera and mustang would have allot of problems against MoPar... We dominated and nascar jumped on MoPar with rules so we pulled out.. Know we are back with the only rear wheel drive car on the track.

If you don't build them you don't race them...
 
My other beef would be the 1-2 white / checker when there is a caution at the end of the race... Commentators buzzz with - "oh it's going to be a drag race to the finish" - if I wanted to see a drag race - i'd go to the drag races.... when you watch roundy rounds - you want to see racing through all laps not just the last 2 - it's really too bad this has gone to hell - it was a blast to watch years ago...

I echo Memike that the old homologation rules that required that the car be available off the show room floor before you could race it should be resurrected....
 
I used to watch loyaly. That was all I did on Sundays. Nothing else mattered. Then when Rusty retired I just quit. I have only watched 1 race comepletley in the last several years. And that was Bristol the other night. I'd sure like to attend that one in person.
 
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