I don't really know what to call this rant!

[Joe Handley]

National Association of Stockcar Crashing And Racing

I do not understand this fixation with Carburators in the year 2010!! NHRA has the same problem. You would think that electronic engine management in a Nitro car would be a good thing. Why do pro Stocks have Carbs! Silly people.

I concur with Mark and Drew that racing is racing. I very occasionally watch a little Nascar because there are drivers competing. The cars are dull as paste! For great action I like the Australian series with V8 RWD sedans on road courses. Those guys go at it hammer and tongs. Way better than anything else around!

I've begun to prefer the BTCC and Aussie Supercars over NA$CAR and F1, I've actually fallen asleep watching those but haven't had an issue with the other two

[2002p51]

There ya go... the Charger and Impala are built in Canada, the Fusion and Mexico,and ironically, the hated 'danged furriner' is built in the US. (Last I checked, anyway.)

But what does that have to do with where the race cars are built?

The race cars are all built in and around Mooresville, NC. You really have to separate yourself from this concept that NASCAR race cars have anything in common with street cars. Those ain't Fords, Chevys, and Dodges out there. They're Hendricks, and Rousches, and who ever else built 'em. Tony Stewart doesn't drive a Chevy. He doesn't. He buys his cars from Hendrick Motorsports, not Chevrolet.

[2002p51]

Seems kind of hard to argue against it...

. . . . in reference to "The Call".

No it's not.

In order for something like "the call" to work, all of the other 42 teams in the garage would have to be in on it and be willing to cooperate. Think about that logically.

Do you think Cale Yarborough was willing to actually throw the race and LET Richard Petty win his 200th? In that particular race they were racing back to the caution flag, not the checkers.

In the Nationwide race at Daytona last year when Jr. won in the one-time-only 3 car. The margin of victory was .094 seconds! Do you think Joey Logano was really holding back so Jr. could win? Really?

Look, I've heard all the stories from all the conspiracy theorists and none of it holds any water. It sounds good and it's easy and fun to talk about around the water cooler on Monday, but it ain't happening.

Back in the mid-'90s I was a NASCAR photographer. I've been in the belly of the beast, I got to go to certain meetings, I've been inside the dreaded "NASCAR hauler"! I worked closely with NASCAR officials on a weekly basis. Trust me when I tell you, there is no "call". It just doesn't happen.

[Modelmartin]

But what does that have to do with where the race cars are built?

The race cars are all built in and around Mooresville, NC. You really have to separate yourself from this concept that NASCAR race cars have anything in common with street cars. Those ain't Fords, Chevys, and Dodges out there. They're Hendricks, and Rousches, and who ever else built 'em. Tony Stewart doesn't drive a Chevy. He doesn't. He buys his cars from Hendrick Motorsports, not Chevrolet.

I would love to see a Porsche, Ferrari or even a Rolls-Royce NASCAR racer!!! Audi or VW would be cool too! How about a feeder series with Tato Nanos??

[mrmike]

I stopped watching NASCAR the year Dale Earnhardt Sr. died. I had gotten to the point of recording races, then watching the race in fast forward until there was a wreck or caution on the track. I realized I was becoming bored with watching NASCAR and I didn't want to waste my Sunday afternoons sitting in the house watching TV. The race cars got to the point where they don't look anything like a stock car or any car that I could go down to the dealer and buy off the showroom floor. The old saying, "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" no longer applies. Different track this week...change the nose and the stickers!

IMHO, NASCAR dug a great big hole for themselves when they wanted parity amongst the teams and cars using body templates, partial engine teardowns, and massive tech inspections. To me, NASCAR has become the tail that wags the dog.

This is not a rant, it's just my opinion on NASCAR.

I watched the last race of the Austrailian Supercar Series and it was a very good race. Hey, these cars have opening doors! They appear to be made from a stock sedan with snarling V-8's! They go left AND right! I loved it! I am looking forward to the Daytona 24 Hours endurance race in February and the Lemans 24 Hours race in June! I may watch the occasional F-1 race but, that can be a little boring to me sometimes.

Have you ever watch Jeff Dunham's Arguing with Myself? There is a segment with Sweet DaddyD and he talks about sports and NASCAR. Funny stuff about "they're making a left turn!" Look it up on Youtube.

Edited January 7, 2011 by mrmike

[crazyjim]

I just don't think it takes much to keep making left turns, so I don't waste my time with NASCAR.

Smokey Yunick was the greatest cheater in stock car racing. No wait!! Smokey didn't cheat, he came up with ideass that weren't outlawed yet. He'd do little things like a pice of tin plate riveted to the body and rear bumper so the air would flow over instead being blocked by the bumper. He would slant the windshield back for better flow (officials caught on and made templates to check).

[Greg Cullinan]

I don't know much about the sport of NASCAR or even if it is consider a sport.

But I know it is a business that strives by selling tshirts,diecast and any other paraphernalia with their names and numbers on it.

Maybe I can be labeled a conspiracy theorist or maybe I'm jaded but I don't believe for one minute that these corporations are going to play the percentages or gamble with their billions of dollars.

[fumi]

Every sporting league needs the "casual" fans Mark referenced. Case in point ... how many "casual" hockey fans do you know? Probably none, right? There's a direct correlation between the lack of said fans and the NHL's popularity ranking among the major sports.

Funny you would mention that, of course there are casual hockey fans. Dallas, anyone? Where are all the Stars fans now?

In fact, it can be argued that the explosion of casual fans in the 90's, along with expansions into new markets that don't see an inch of snow (Florida has 2 teams, California has 3, and they sold one team from Winnipeg to Phoenix, for crying out loud) and the myriad of changes to the game to suit the new "fans" (the yearly rule change on offside, moving the lines back and forth and doing away with the red line altogether, the tie-breaker changes that ultimately lead to the shoot-out, and let's make the puck glow for a season or two on FOX) did far more harm than good to the league when the fad is gone.

[Harry P.]

...the tie-breaker changes that ultimately lead to the shoot-out, and let's make the puck glow for a season or two on FOX...

I thought the glowing puck was cool! Finally I could actually SEE the puck! Without it, you can't see the thing, so what's the point of watching?

(Said the total hockey non-fan)...

[Danno]

I think there are some other sports that might benefit from a 'glowing puck' ~~ like Olympic Board Posting.

[fumi]

Yes they are made here and they employ a few thousand Americans, but the profits still go back to Japan!

If you go digging you will find that the only reason they build some of their cars here has to do with deals cut with those in power in DC! In other words in was financially benificial to them!

Does it really matter whether an American or a Japanese CEO pockets millions of bonuses at year end?

My dad works for one of the biggest auto parts supplier in North America that supplies body panels and frames to the Big-3 as well as Toyota and Honda. When the Big-3 were shutting down assembly lines and closing factories it dealt the company a heavy blow, but the orders from Toyota and Honda kept them afloat.

As far as my dad is concerned, it's the orders that keep him employed that count. And I'm sure it holds true for most workers in North America.

[Aaronw]

Interesting reading, I'm not a big racing fan and in my limited experience the best racing I've seen was the import stock (Pintos, Escorts, VW Rabbits, Toyota Corollas etc) on a 1/4 mile dirt track. Real driver owed cars with rattle can paint jobs. That was entertaining, as were the insane Sprint cars that followed.

Anyway, I find this stuff about the NASCAR cars odd. I thought the big attraction for racing from the auto manufacturers was developing and showing off new technology, but it sounds like NASCAR regulations have basically limited the cars to cookie cutter tech from the 1970s.

[CAL]

And there's nothing "Toyota" in a NASCAR race car.

Oh come on, I think they use a Toyota sticker on it.

[CAL]

Just as a general observation I'm pretty surprised how many people seemed shocked that businesses (which car manufacturers and NASCAR both are) would do things for purely financial reasons. Of course they do!

I guess I shouldn't be, since there's often a mindset on this board that discussing the flaws in model kits might hurt the kit company's feelings if they read it...they only care insomuch as people are buying their product or not.

I don't mean to sound cold-hearted about it, but businesses...when run properly...are looking at the bottom line pretty much all the time. The more money the bring in, the more people are validating their actions. Sure NASCAR ratings and revenues are down from their peak, but they're also much higher than they were 15 years ago. On balance the sport has grown. I don't know the figures, but I'd have to assume the licensed merchandise is in the same situation...not what it was at the peak, but much more than it was in the mid 90s.

Sports aren't charities there to entertain people for free, nor is any for-profit business there to make people happy. They're around to make money, and it's pretty useless to get upset with them for doing so.

Actually it peaked in 1999 and been slowly but steadily loosing ground to SCCA sports car racing, Grand Am, an ALMS.

I agree, it is business, pure entertainment and nothing else. Moreover, NASCAR couldn't have made more clear if they spelled it out that was all they were interested in, putting on the show and sell as many tickets as possible. In my opinion, NASCAR completely misses the point of racing cars. There isn't anything on a moderen NASCAR that has trickled down to the street in 60 years if ever. They still run 3500# mild steel tanks that are carborated. Even the Japanese gave up on carbs 20 years ago.

I heard they were going to run fuel injection and ethanol 2011? What are they trying to be like V8 Super Cars? Not even close. It's the political green thing to do? Donno.

In any event, it's not worth fighting over. Some people go to the moves, some to a concert, some go the ballet, and some to NASCAR, at the end of the day they are all kind of in the same sphere, and you really can't fault anyone for that.

[Draggon]

NASCAR is not what it was even a decade ago. If "The Chase" is one of the stupidest things Ive ever witnessed, then "seeding" is the stupidest. Tony Stewart would have won hands down last year if the points had not been rearranged. It was one thing to reset the points at the start of the chase, but to rearrange the order based on wins? Come on now....and that green-white-checkers thing....I understand the safety reasons, and I might accept that, but 3 green white checkers? My son never watches racing, but last year had a very minor interest in it. After a few races, he asked " Do they ALL end in green white checkers"?? GRRRRRRR!!! Im done now. I would rather build models!

[Modelmartin]

Come on now....and that green-white-checkers thing....I understand the safety reasons, and I might accept that, but 3 green white checkers? My son never watches racing, but last year had a very minor interest in it. After a few races, he asked " Do they ALL end in green white checkers"?? GRRRRRRR!!! Im done now. I would rather build models!

I would be in favor of No cautions or red flags in the last ten laps! Race through the wreckage! NOW, that would be exciting! I would definitely watch that!

[Chuck Most]

But what does that have to do with where the race cars are built?

Absolutely nada. But I just like to point stuff like that out to the guys who want to 'Keep NASCAR American' and boot Toyota, without even realizing the Toyota (production model) is the only American built car in the field. As for the stock cars themselves? They're all American built, and as I said earlier, if other foreign automakers want in to NASCAR I'm all for it! It'll create jobs here, and it might add a little (but not much) variety to the NASCAR field. NASCAR stokers are ALL American cars... even the Toyotas!

The modern stock cars, be it a Ford,Dodge, Chevy, or Toyota, are all built by guys named Bubba and Jake,- right here in the good old USA. To me at least, the origin of the company the car is supposed to represent is pretty much irrelevant. I just think some people read too much into the 'brand' thing.

[Chuck Most]

I would be in favor of No cautions or red flags in the last ten laps! Race through the wreckage! NOW, that would be exciting! I would definitely watch that!

Not as exciting as a 'halftime' figure 8 demoliton derby!

[Mark Brown]

The big thing that has greatly contributed to the sport losing its appeal to me, and has been mentioned previously, has been the enormous influx of BIG corporate sponsors.

These corporations demand that "their" driver be a constant spokesperson for their company, and are far more interested in the image that that driver portrays when representing their company than they are with the driver winning. IMO, of course.

The other effect of the big companies getting involved has been racing budgets that dwarf the budgets that teams - even the big ones - had at their disposal two decades ago. This led to runaway spending and the runaway testing that then created to the whole "team concept" to get around testing limits. The upshot of this has been team domination (as in Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon before him) by the team with the most money to spend.

The other big change that I've seen, since I started following the sport closely in the late '80s, has been NASCAR's eagerness to morph the sport into something that would have much wider appeal, without regard for the longtime fans that made them successful in the first place. They saw an expansion of their audience base back in the mid '90s and couldn't get enough of that, and started looking for ways to keep the new fans coming, with misguided ideas (again, IMO) like the Chase and the cookie cutter 1.5 mile snoozefest tracks. As the general interest in the sport from new fans naturally peaked and then waned, and NASCAR's attempts to keep bringing in new fans weren't meeting with nearly as much success, at the same time they had alienated a large chunk of their core fanbase. They should have realized that non-hardcore fans would come and go, moving on to the next big thing, and that it was fundamental that they keep their core fans happy. I think that what you're seeing now, with flagging attendance and television ratings, is the natural process of the "sport of the month" fans moving on and the core fans having gotten tired of stuff like the Chase and the domination by one or two or three teams and boring racetracks.

I'm not even sure that a guy like Earnhardt could make it in today's environment - I doubt he'd be much interested in playing up to the corporate image that would be required of him. The closest thing we have now is Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart, though Smoke has really toned it down, and so has Kyle. I expect that both their sponsors have had long heart-to-hearts with both of them, or in Busch's case, with Coach Gibbs.

I don't care what they drive and I don't even lose sleep about what the cars look like - I just wish they would:

1. Pull the plug on the big multicar teams

2. Put a cap on budgets to level the playing field and let independants back in the sport

3. File the Chase under "Bad Ideas"

4. Take the gloves off the drivers and let them be race drivers and not GQ-ready corporate figureheads

5. Bring back more short tracks and even road courses

Again, just one ex-fan's opinions.....

[joemac]

My favorite palindrome: RACE CAR

[Harry P.]

My favorite palindrome: RACE CAR

My favorite palindrome:

ABLE WAS I, ERE I SAW ELBA.

(look it up)...

[highway]

My favorite palindrome:

ABLE WAS I, ERE I SAW ELBA.

(look it up)...

[Harry P.]

A MAN, A PLAN, A CANAL, PANAMA.

Yeah, but what does that mean??? At least mine makes sense! (if you picture Napolean Bonaparte saying it, that is)...

[Monte's Motors]

I was on NASCAR ban last year in 2010.

Will be again in 2011.

Short answer with no whinning. One number, 48

Edited January 8, 2011 by Monte's Motors

[Jon Cole]

So much here has been wrote, and I agree with the viewpoints of those who say that changes are needed. Indeed they are. Too big, too boring, too much “cookie cutter†cars, tracks, and personalities.

One thing I can think of to jazz it up a bit, and a nod towards NASCAR’s roots, is to add a few DIRT TRACK races each year. The teams already do special fabs for individual tracks, plus road tracks.

The wife and I used to go to the race @ NHIS (now NHMS) in Louden each year, but… no longer. Now we may watch the Daytona 500, but that is about it, plus an occasional rainy Sunday… tune in to NapCar… hope to wake up for each crash. Sadly, that is the only real excitement left. The rest seems like such mindless orbital rotation… makes me think of Jeff Dunham’s Nascar comments… â€THEY’RE COMING DOWN THE STRAIT! NOW THEY’RE TURNING LEFT! NOW THEY’RE GOING DOWN THE STRAIT! Ohhh…. I wonder what they’ll do next?!!!â€