This has been my number one problem with NASCAR since it was implemented? I see more and more die hard fans that use to be stuck to the TV each weekend waiting on the race to begin. Now I see fans that just watch the races when they do not have anything else to do or just watch a little, just enough to see who wins.
I know NASCAR has several issues and many fans are unhappy. But I have heard very little from fans that like the new points format. Each and every season it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth and just seems so unfair to many drivers. This season was a little different due to two dominate teams. A Hendrick driver was going to win the championship, but I have to ask, did the right driver win?
I grew up watching the late model and other series drivers racing each week in hopes to win that little track championship and enough money to buy the crew guys some beer. But they win it though hard work, races and points that are accumulative throughout the season. There is no points reset, no second chances to start over. This is were I think the problem is with the current points system.
So what if a driver dominates the season and has a huge points lead at the end…. They earned it and it should not be taken away. I wonder how many championships Petty or Earnhardt would have won with this format? Look at Gordon, he would be at championship number six if we were still using the old system. So how do we compare all of the past championships and the current ones? There is no way to compare, plain and simple.
I’d like to hear from race fans that like the current points system. Tell me why.
Please send comments to pamela@speedwaymedia.com
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The Chase the #1 problem with NASCAR? In a word, no. While I was not a fan of the move when it was implemented, taking away from the season's best driver the recognition he deserved, there is nothing more boring, less compelling to watch for anyone but the most die-hard fan than a foregone conclusion. Using Pamela's rationale, the New England Patriots should have been awarded the SuperBowl based on their 18-1 record rather than allow the New York Giants the opportunity to claim the prize through their exciting last minute victory. Whatever NASCAR's problems are, the Chase isn't much of a factor.
In fact, predictability and a lack of excitement is exactly what is hurting the sport. Whenever a driver shows some emotion, NASCAR jumps in to maintain a politicially correctness that sucks the life from the sport. Whenever a race takes place anywhere but Daytona, Talladega, Charlotte, Bristol and possibly Indianapolis, odds are the racing will not exactly be termed as spectacular. When such a race causes us to watch with a good book firmly in our hands to provide us with something interesting to cast our eyes upon, then the television broadcast team has failed to inject the level of excitement that is expected from a competent crew. When the most interesting aspect of the broadcast occurs during a rain delay, while the race itself is reduced to backround noise, there is a problem. When better cars are left on the sidelines due to a qualifying system that gives all but the most pathetic veteran entries a free pass to the show, something is not right. Enfranchising 43 teams is not the answer, as there is nothing to force a back packer to improve other than the risk of having to go home. Tradition? NASCAR has stepped all over tradition in recent years. Anyone remember the Southern 500? Change that results in a great improvement is good. Change that does not, to put it in simple terms, just plain sucks.
A few things need fixing, but the #1 problem with NASCAR is that its televised events are often not all that exciting to watch. Open-wheel racing is not losing popularity because of a lack of speed or danger, but because watching a 200 mile an hour train soon loses its allure. We will watch the ARCA race, the Bud Shootouts, the Dual 150's, the Craftsmen Truck and Nationwide races, and the Daytona 500 because any event held on that track usually promises some excitement. That is not necessarily the case when they leave Florida for the west coast. California, to quote the Gatlin Brothers, is a brand new game, and not always a good one.
Please send comments to Ron at thornton@speedwaymedia.com
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I think that the biggest reason for a decline is that there's too much coverage of the sport. Back in the day the news media might mention who won a race or announce the crowning of a champion but until RPM Tonight came on the scene in the 90's racing news was unheard of. Now there is 5 hours of coverage a week during the off season!! Let's talk about a race day. If it is a rainy day where I live on race day I can enjoy up to 4 hours of coverage LEADING UP TO THE RACE!! After the race there is A show from Victory Lane. On Monday there's Inside Sprint Cup. There's a 30 minute news show on ESPN 2. Why do I need to invest 3 hours in the race when I can see everything that happened on a news show? I am not worried about missing anything? I think that NASCAR has become it sown worst enemy in this respect. Why do I need to attend the race? I can get everything from the media. Even at the track there is a way to watch the race on a new fangled scanner/ television.
Please send comments to Ed at coombse@speedwaymedia.com
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The Chase, the decline of the sport? No, I think it is many factors that has changed the sport, and the fans perspective of it.
The Chase I am sure had soured many older fans views of what racing used to be. But look at all the sports of today. Football and instant replay, rules changes in Hockey and Baseball. Heck even Basketball has had changes in it.
So what has changed in all the sports? Technology. It gives us so much these days like ESPN, FOX, MSNBC, SPEED, etc. You can count on so much coverage that covers the highlights, you do not need to even watch the event anymore because the media covers what you want to know.
Look at our group. When you read my recaps on the races (Which is more lengthy than most, but SM is cool about me covering it that way) you get a good picture of what happened during the race. This is the same for other sports as well.
Today, with hand held devices, live in car channels, satellite radio, in car action, web subscriptions to catch all the action, you tend to see less people watching the broadcast channel.
Let’s look at the fan of today. The fan of everyday life carries at least one piece of electronics on them. Many have three. With this technology you can be anywhere to be part of the race, so there could be more people who follow the race that we do not know about.
If you look at Michigan International Speedway today, you say “WOW, some of the stands are empty.” But let’s look at it this way, back in the 70’s and 80’s your crowds were 50,000 some people. Today, the seats are 132,000, so we still see twice as many people, even when they are not full.
I do not think we can compare today’s fan with yesterday’s fan. Yes, I agree that we need to see changes in the delivery of the sport. Let’s see more action in the middle of the pack. Let’s hear less blah, blah, blah and hear more in car.
But what is the key to make it better for the fan? Cheaper prices for the fan, getting the fan more involved, better driver interaction with the fans. This would be some steps in the right direction.
One other thought. Look at racing in the West. I have seen a decline in local track racing, over 60% of the tracks are now closed compared to 15 years ago due to cost, housing expansion. Also, too much work too little pay, etc.
The big thing, people used to take more time off to enjoy life, now it’s work, work, work, so people are tired on the weekends and have little time for themselves, much less watch a race.
But hey, when you can get a five-minute recap, why watch the whole race??
Please send comments to Mike at stories@ttpmotorsports.com
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The “Chase” has a little bit to due with the decline of NASCAR. But there are also a lot of other reasons fans think the sport has gone down hill. The first year of The Chase actually worked out great for NASCAR. We had a very tight points battle between Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and others. Ratings for the season were up and the racing action at Homestead-Miami Speedway was nail biting.
Unfortunately we still have not seen a Chase like we did in the first season. It is amazing to see that the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has a better points battle every year, and their still using the old system. NASCAR should have never gone to The Chase method. Instead they should have taken a few races off the season schedule to make it more exciting. An example of this working would be with the Craftsman Truck Series.
I know removing races from the schedule is not an option for NASCAR since they would most likely be slapped with lawsuits from many tracks. The Chase was a good idea, but I just think NASCAR fans have lost interest. NASCAR needs to be treated like NASCAR, not like the National Football League.
Please send comments to Brett at BrettBaldeck@speedwaymedia.com
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