2013: NASCAR's worst year ever?

ToyYoda

ToyYoda

Team Owner
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
23,595
Points
1,033
Location
Nashville, TN
I've been following NASCAR for going on three decades now, and I can't remember a season where NASCAR has had more adversity to deal with than they've had this year. Just a few samples of things that have gone wrong for NASCAR in 2013:

- Kyle Larson's engine going into the stands at the Daytona NW race.

- A Daytona 500 that was a complete snoozer.

- Backlash from fining Denny Hamlin for saying the Gen-6 car was no better than the Gen-5 car

- Backlash from the questionable penalty given to JGR/Matt Kenseth in April, and the semi-successful appeal by JGR.

- Penske's rear end penalties and the accusations that they were ratted out by the HMS teams.

- Multiple drivers missing races due to injury

- Uncompetitive racing at many tracks (although this isn't a new issue)

- Poor attendance at many tracks, the attendance at Indy was downright embarassing

- Their newest superstar, Danica Patrick, being a backmarker just about every week

- The fallen camera cable at Charlotte

- And, of course, the race manipulation scandal at Richmond and NASCAR consequent bungled handling of it

Other than getting that fat new TV contract, not much has gone right for NASCAR this year. I'm trying to think of a year that had more turmoil, but nothing comes to mind.
 
Well, I have to say that NASCAR as a sanctioning body has been absolutely awful in almost every call and decision they have made this year. But I think if you look at the actual racing between all 3 series, it has been pretty good.
 
Adversity in its true sense, 2001, for obvious reasons. Or, pick any other year of the loss of rising stars in the sport. That's how I see adversity.
 
Worst year? How about "the most unpredictable". Racing entertainment was built around its unpredictability. I can dig it.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Adversity in its true sense, 2001, for obvious reasons. Or, pick any other year of the loss of rising stars in the sport. That's how I see adversity.
Click to expand...
The loss of Dale Earnhardt in 2001 was indeed a terrible thing, but there were many good things going for NASCAR that year as well. It was the first year of the Fox/NBC contract so for the first time the majority of races were on network TV, Dodge was back in the sport for the first time in over 20 years, there were 19 different race winners (5 of them first-timers), and MPD Bill Elliott found Victory Lane for the first time in 7 years. Again, losing Earnhardt was tragic, but the sport in general was booming that year.
 
I don't know about all that, controversy creates cash.. this has been one of the more interesting Nascar years in recent memory. As whole, I've liked the Gen six car. Some races have been snooze fests but plenty of exciting finishes. Truck series never been better etc.
 
StandOnIt said:
I agree with yota on his points. But I would say it has been the most eventful, or most interesting year ever, instead of the worst.
Click to expand...
It has been interesting, I won't deny that. I guess the original point I was trying to make was that I can't recall another year where the NASCAR management had more issues to deal with, or a year in which the "approval rating" of the NASCAR brass is as low as it has been this year. There have been a lot of issues in 2013 that have left NASCAR with egg on their face.
 
TchainT said:
Well, I have to say that NASCAR as a sanctioning body has been absolutely awful in almost every call and decision they have made this year. But I think if you look at the actual racing between all 3 series, it has been pretty good.
Click to expand...

This
 
ToyYoda said:
It has been interesting, I won't deny that. I guess the original point I was trying to make was that I can't recall another year where the NASCAR management had more issues to deal with, or a year in which the "approval rating" of the NASCAR brass is as low as it has been this year. There have been a lot of issues in 2013 that have left NASCAR with egg on their face.
Click to expand...
right or wrong, they didn't stick their heads in the sand and they did something. That is why I quit watching stick n ball, drug use, cheating, thugs getting away with murder, on and on for years. So although I don't agree with everything they have done, they are trying to do something to keep it fair, and keep it competitive for even one car teams. So I don't think they have egg on their face, or their approval rating is of any use except for the doomsayers who are always raging about something. bet the ratings continue to be good and the racing tight.
 
I think many of nascar's problems come down to who is running the thing. It's time for smarter people, IMO. People who wouldn't be afraid to say they are smart enough to call Bowyers spin what it was without a confession. People who would realize that going to an even more aero dependent car wasn't the way to go. People smart enough to know that tire spikes sticking out of the side of the cars doesn't promote full contact racing, as advertised. People who would have been smart enough to put Gordon back in the 10th based on what pushed him out, namely Vickers and Bowyer going slow and pitting, then tell the world that Gilliland saying he wanted something to give up a meaningless spot to Logano was enough to put Jeff back in the chase.

The list goes on.
 
FenderBumper said:
I think many of nascar's problems come down to who is running the thing. It's time for smarter people, IMO. People who wouldn't be afraid to say they are smart enough to call Bowyers spin what it was without a confession. People who would realize that going to an even more aero dependent car wasn't the way to go. People smart enough to know that tire spikes sticking out of the side of the cars doesn't promote full contact racing, as advertised. People who would have been smart enough to put Gordon back in the 10th based on what pushed him out, namely Vickers and Bowyer going slow and pitting, then tell the world that Gilliland saying he wanted something to give up a meaningless spot to Logano was enough to put Jeff back in the chase.

The list goes on.
Click to expand...
Yeah good points. they have fixed the splitter to a certain extent from the COT, not enough for me and you, but it has been improved. whatever you can say about the car, one thing I see is that it has tightened up the competition. That is a big reason these restarts this year have been so eventful, every one is important like it is the last 5 laps. I don't agree with the penalties, but they did something about it quickly and it is over with right or wrong. So for me anyway, the integrity is back, warts and all. I believe that most racing fans know who the players were and are, Clint isn't fooling anybody and Truex shouldn't be in the chase.
 
The only reason that this is Nascar's worst year is because I'm not in the Chase. 2006 was awful too.

The only way this season will be salvaged is Newman finishing 13th in points.
 
2013 has been a good year for Nascar. Controversy, excitement. TV ratings are stable or slightly up after years of decline. Business seems to have stabilized. New TV contracts for the next decade locked in place. Some exciting new drivers coming up. I think things are looking up for Nascar.
 
StoneTown said:
2013 has been a good year for Nascar. Controversy, excitement. TV ratings are stable or slightly up after years of decline. Business seems to have stabilized. New TV contracts for the next decade locked in place. Some exciting new drivers coming up. I think things are looking up for Nascar.
Click to expand...
I do too...its been a great year.
 
Perhaps we will all just up and die today, can we be just a little bit more gloomy?

The attendance is down, and I miss the old days when Dale, Bobby, Richard, DW, Pearson was winning races.
But there is no going back, and we only can enjoy the present. Having the blues is only good with a few guitar rifts, but no way to go through life.
Find the prettiest woman that will let you kiss her and enjoy the freaking race.

And the races aint that bad, there is passion, some drivers hating each other, and others P.O'd. fun stuff to watch. Be postive the empty seats means you have more elbow room too.

We also getting more cars, SHR is going to four cars, Scott is talking about a muticar team, the 47 I think has a technical alliance with RCR in 2014 etc. Smell the roses whie you can.
 
Some of these are really minor issues that happen every year ,like the penalties , some are just ToyYota opinions like the 500 being a snoozer and some are dead wrong like uncompetetive racing and the rookie Danica's performance . In any live sporting event ,stuff happens , it's out of everyones control because it's live , that's why we watch .If it were scripted , cameras wouldn't break and engines wouldn't fly up in the stands .I think this year has been fantastic.
 
2013 isn't bad, I don't remember a lot of seasons but I do remember 2001. Bizarre moments this year definitely are Danica getting pole on her first SC race, the camera cable on the track and the atrocious pit call on JJ last week, and not to mention race coverage this whole year getting tossed around between networks like a drunk college girl.

I do see the problem with gen 6 cars, they make it very difficult to pass with, just like today's F1 cars- the FIA fixed that by adding KERS and DRS, bloody band-aid fix if you ask me. But the upcoming V6 tur
 
I don't think it's been that bad, perhaps the ineptness of the NASCAR brass has been exposed more this year.

However I have enjoyed the season so far. Gen6 cars look great, single car team makes Chase, Kenseth has a breakout year, little Front Row team finishes 1-2 at Talladega. There have been lots of positive story lines too but they don't sell like controversy.
 
I guess it hasn't been that bad of a season to me, I still am looking forward to tuning in on Sunday and watching the Chase. I think its great to see Furniture Row Racing up their in a position to pull off an upset. Races are still very unpredictable and no one team is heavily favored to win at any track. I know Nascar has made questionable calls but at least the competition on the track and the level of competition hasn't been affected .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom