I'll leave the Danica speculation alone, but about the schedule she is correct. She's right that most of the drivers would be better off, and the sport itself would benefit from a compacted schedule. For a casual audience you have to create some sense of scarcity and anticipation. The NFL has it right in terms of the length of the season and such, though they may eventually overexpose themselves by expanding the schedule and having too many nights of football per week. You don't want casual fans to feel like it's always on.
I'm a race fan and so I'll always watch NASCAR when they are at a venue I like. But from an objective business standpoint, the schedule is waaaaaaaay too long. They should start the week after the Super Bowl, dispensing with the silly exhibition event that hasn't been relevant since it was called the Busch Clash. End in mid- to late-September when the NFL and college football seasons are still young. About 30 races and maybe one exhibition event across 32-33 weeks, something like that.
