How would you grade it?

[sgbg88]

A Fan's Stand:
NASCAR REPORT CARD

by Jeannine Petriel, SCC Staff


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Monday, September 22, 2003



For over a decade I taught in the public schools, so giving out report cards is something I am pretty good at. This season NASCAR has made some major changes to our sport and it is time for them to get graded on those changes.

For over a decade I taught in the public schools, so giving out report cards is something I am pretty good at. This season NASCAR has made some major changes to our sport and it is time for them to get graded on those changes.

MOVING THE SOUTHERN 500- Grade: Z--

I couldn't get any further away from an A than that. NASCAR has forgotten the old saying, "Dance with the one that brung ya." Rockingham and Darlington tracks and fans brought NASCAR to where it is today. Those were the places and fans that were there when everything was dirt and the guys raced what they drove there. Just like the guy who takes the plain looking girl to the prom then drops her the second the prom queen looks his way, NASCAR is bailing on the fans that are it's base in favor of the "sophisticated new fan". Just like the prom queen might grace the wallflower with a couple of minutes of her time, the "new fans" aren't going to stick around like the old ones have.

I personally don't think that move was really about Darlington as much as it is about getting Rockingham off the schedule and running from the southern fans. They left Rockingham the worse of the two dates they had and added a California night race. If they had any intention of keeping Rockingham on the schedule, why didn't they give away the February date and keep the November date that is better weather wise? If the Southern 500 is so hot for the drivers, have it under the lights they are installing. The ratings of that race would make everyone smile. By making the Labor Day race a west coast night race, NASCAR is saying that they could care less about east coast fans. If the race starts at 7 PM California time, that is 10 PM in the east. There are some folks who might watch it live, but I know that I am going to be like most easterners and have the VCR programmed, head to bed, and skip though the commercials when I replay it.

If NASCAR continues to sacrifice its east coast, especially south east coast, fans for the "new fans", they are soon going to find that they have neither.

SAFER Barriers- Grade: A!

They have really done well getting these barriers up at places where they are going to get a good work out. They would have gotten an A+ if they were working faster to get them up everywhere. I understand that there needs to be a lot of testing, but every race we wait is one race too many.

NOT RUNNING BACK TO THE CAUTION- Grade: C

They get an A for realizing how important it is, but it is brought down to a C because Dale Jarrett had to have the begeebers scared out of him at NHIS, before they finally got around to it. Why does someone have to have their life threatened before NASCAR wakes up? I just thank God that He kept everybody safe in what could have been a very tragic situation.

PROBATION- Grade: C

If you read my piece called "Words are supposed to have meaning" then you know that I don't have a lot of faith in the fair-handedness of NASCAR when it comes to punishment for "actions detrimental to the sport". I hope that NASCAR will give at least a better appearance of fairness in the future.

DRUG POLICY ENFORCEMENT- Grade: A

NASCAR has done a great job of policing for drugs and enforcing when they find them...even when it hurts. Shane Hmiel must have been a very hard call for them to make, yet they made it anyway. I hope that Shane gets the help he needs and can get back to racing soon, and I am glad that there is no wavering with NASCAR when it comes to drugs.

FUEL MILEAGE RACING- Grade: D

I looked up the word “race” in the dictionary and it said "a contest of speed". It mentioned nothing about fuel conservation. I want to see someone win with a great pass, not because nobody else can make it around without running out of gas.

LOW SPOILERS AND SOFT TIRES Grade B+

Got to give NASCAR another thumbs up. They are doing something about improving the fuel mileage racing grade. Now if they would just do what a wise man once told me and change the crossmembers...

THE POINTS SYSTEM Grade: B.

Does the point system work? Yes and No. The Busch and Truck series show that the point system can work, but only when there is real racing going on. This is taking nothing away from Matt Kenseth who is having an awesome year. Do I think that Matt could win a championship in a year without a large number of fuel races... most certainly! He is a very talented driver with a dynamite team. But lets face it, unless something tragic happens to Matt (like happened to Sterling last year), no one is going to catch him. That isn't the way it should be. Right now I think they should leave the point system alone. Hopefully the changes in the cars will get rid of fuel racing and make for a close championship next year. If the car changes make for another lopsided points race again next year, then I think they should change the system.

NASCAR GRADE SO FAR: C+.

I seem to agree with this writer. I'll give more opinion later. I want to hear what you all think

 

[boB]

This "writer" completely ignores the fact that NASCAR is not about the "sport" anymore.
NASCAR is in the "Sports Entertainment" business.
The key word in that statement is business.
That business dictates moving from a very limited, rural southeastern region to become a much more diversified, national entity.
The fact that those southeastern tracks are not capable of supporting the business financially always seems to be convienently overlooked by all of these "writers" and fans who feel NASCAR is abandoning its roots.
As is the fact that a National organization can not restrict its operations to a single region or area of the country and be a true National organization.

As a business, where do you bring your product?
To a market that fails to fill a 60,000 seat stadium twice a year or to a market that brings in between 150,000 - 200,000 twice a year?

I doubt that most of those who complain about NASCAR moving dates to larger market areas have any comprehension of the cost involved in bringing the circus to town, the upkeep and overhead of supporting a facility capable of showcasing that circus or the difficulty in finding people qualified to pull the whole show together. Not too mention the need for supporting infrastructure in the surrounding area. i.e. highways, airports, motels, restaurants, parking, medical facilities, law enforcement personal, and on and on.

Remember that this is a business and the whole reason for a business, indeed the only reason for a business, to exist, is to return a profit for the owners or stockholders.

Furthermore, I firmly believe those who complain so loudly, are actually rather selfish individuals that simply don't care.
I wonder if those folks are still living at home, being supported by their parents? Or have they moved on to homes and lives of their own?

NASCAR stood for The National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing when the organization was formed back in 1947.
I've seen nothing from that organization since that time that indicated its intent was to remain a regional entertainment venue.

As a matter of fact, if those who whine, cry, wring their hands and carry on about this national expansion would take the time to do just a minor amount of research, they would find that NASCAR was indeed a national enity, santioning New Car and Grand National races from Florida to Maine to California to Oregon and Washington State, as many as 64 events a year, pretty much up until RJR/Winston came on board in 1971-72. At that time the schedule was cut back considerably (to 29-30 events) and racing was confined to the southeastern states with only a few exceptions.
It has only been in the last decade that growth has brought NASCAR back to being a truly National dog and pony show.

I guess there are those who would like to see things go back to being run on the local short tracks, no national exposure would mean no more big money sponsors, no more big money sponsors would mean no more big time television coverage and in a very short time we'd be back to the same situation which existed at the end of WWII when a bunch of stockcar racers from all over the country got together in Daytona Beach and formed a sanctioning body to bring about all of those things, as well as guarantee that purses would be paid, that drivers were covered by at least some insurance and set up a system whereby a true National Stock Car Champion could be recognized every year.

The current system is far from perfect, but it is a far cry from where it started. The only way it can continue is through growth and growth will continue to bring with it change.
If you're a fan, be thankful for what you have instead of crying about what you're losing.
If it were truly worth hanging onto, would it be left behind?
I really don't think so.

But that's only my opinion and we all know about opinions, don't we?