IMO with salaries decreasing, we will see who's there for the love of the race and who puts the dollars above all. I understand the rationale for many to think these guys will just hang it up if they can't get paid what they're accustomed to. However, as a fan of racing, and who's pipedream as a kid was to race professionally, I hope that these guys take the pay cut not just to keep a job, but because they love to race and feel the same way as they did when they were a nobody tearing up their home track.
Kurt Busch out at SHR after 2017
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I suspect you'll find many of them will take the Schrader-Stewart route. If they're going to take a pay cut and run for the love of it, they'll run local tracks on their own dime. No sponsor pressure, no travelling around for testing, more days off during the week, etc. Maybe some ARCA, maybe some IMSA, but nothing more strenuous / time consuming than that.
Very insightful and makes perfect sense, didn't really think about it that way. Especially with Kenseth and Kahne that have kids.
Kez and Kyle Busch both have Xfinity and Cup titles. It's way too early for them to quit running Cup, but eventually either or both may want to run for a Truck title.
I'll bet if Kyle had his way Samantha would wheel him to a truck and his crew guys hoist him into it! Haha. I'm no fan of the guys antics but nobody can argue that he genuinely loves to race.
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Skoalbandit33
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I know what you mean as from time to time you will hear an athlete say "don't tell anyone but I'd do what I do for nothing" with a big grin on their face. I don't think that an older driver would stop racing primarily due to a pay cut but it would be the PIA their lives can become with all the sponsor duties plus the weekly dog and pony shows. For 8 million a year they will put up with the unpleasantness but maybe not for 2 million. If they still want to race they can but in different cars or series and have more time and less responsibilities.
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Skoalbandit33
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I shoulda, woulda, coulda read your post first before posting mine.
kk5fan
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So I guess you're ok with a "sport" where better players don't play and lesser players do?
This ain't stick n ball, drivers live in the world of fickle sponsor and fan popularity. In some driver cases winning doesn't count that much as it does with others.
kk5fan
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So it isn't a real sport then?
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Skoalbandit33
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When Michael Waltrip can have a long and lucrative career and others can underachieve for years on end it clearly shows that performance is not the ultimate arbiter of who has a job in Nascar. In stick and ball you have to earn your job each game and there is always someone in the wings trying to take your job and I don't see this being the case on Nascar.
kk5fan
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The problem is this situation is going to become even more exaggerated as sponsorship becomes more and more difficult to find.
I guess not if you want to look at it that way. I pointed out that is was different, IMO there is very little comparison to the indentured servitude that many stick n ball organizations have control over the buying and selling of players, compared to Drivers who have to pay their own way. Much more fickle the driving game. Personally I am excited with the changes that will come in the future, the competition continues to get better as time goes on. I think there will continue to be rich kids in the racing, always has been a rich man's sport for the most part, but plenty of room for the guys that don't have a bankroll for teams to take a chance on.
with the exception of a few years in Nascar when money was falling out of the sky, that's the way racing cars in general has always been every since the first car was put on a track. IMO it makes racing more of a free market sport that just about anything out there.
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Skoalbandit33
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I agree as the sponsors and networks have more influence than ever and that is problematic, IMO.
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Skoalbandit33
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I wouldn't say Nascar is not a sport because of the way some drivers obtain and maintain employment more than I would question it as sport based on the constant rule changes and manipulation.
If I was a young man from a wealthy family I could kick and wail and scream to my dad that I wanted to be a starting NFL QB or MLB pitcher and there would be nothing he could do to make it happen. My sister could do the same thing and dad could send her off with a cashiers check to the Charlotte area and she would have a job immediately.
I am not being critical of this dynamic more than I am saying it goes against the grain of how most people determine who will succeed and who won't.
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KyBuownsyourbrain
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The thing is, there are some top tier drivers out there looking for rides. I guess it must a lack be of interest and dollars from potential sponsors that is keeping someone from starting or buying a team and employing them. They can all contend every week. Something is out of whack here.
Are they really top tier? I beg to differ. Who says their replacements are going to be worse? not me. I can care less how much they get paid, doesn't add one penny to my pocket. Hungry drivers race harder anyway.
Revman
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Well said.
Guys like Preese beating on the door. I can't believe Gibbs, Jr, Ganassi, Hendrick will ignore that guy if they are looking to fill a spot at least in Xfinity.
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KyBuownsyourbrain
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IMO, yes.
well you idea of the word contend is different than mine. Kurt won a plate race, Kahne happened to be in the pits when the caution flew, and Kenseth is the only one that is a bit above average. Take the win and your in part out of the other two and they are closer to back markers than they are contenders IMO. Larson, Blaney and Elliott are three of the new hires that contend every week. All solidly in the playoffs at this point.
jws926
I need to think of something new for here
I agree, but that is the problem, all the talent in the world doenst mean anything if you dont come with a sponsor or deep pockets.
That isn't true entirely, they made room for Larson, and Blaney recently, neither came with a sponsor. The cars already had sponsors in place and drivers who were ready to take the deal and run with it. There are always going to be sponsorship out there.
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Skoalbandit33
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Some teams are fortunate enough to have sponsors that don't seem to care who the driver is but I think it is becoming more of an issue.
jws926
I need to think of something new for here
Sure, not disagreeing with that, but these days those deals are not as common, and there are lot of drivers in their seats because they are one's providing the funding. Of course there is always going to be sponsorship, it just comes down who is bringing that sponsor to the table.
jws926
I need to think of something new for here
Right, I think you could be right, its going to get interesting for sure.
none of the big players are going anywhere. some of them are reloading
Jorge De Guzman
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Serious question, if driver salaries are decreasing as much as what's speculated what will happen to the lavish driver lifestyles of private planes and their luxurious RV's ? Would they have to travel to races on commercial planes or stay in hotels near the track? Is that how it was before the 80's, 90's and 2000's?
pay close attention to hitchhikers?
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Skoalbandit33
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I think that a lot of the younger guys won't have the palatial estates with extensive car collections or fly their own private planes. They will not hurt for a buck by any means but may have to drive from the airport to the track instead of going by helicopter and have one nice home instead of 2-3.
When I was on Twitter for a brief period of time following Chase Elliott, he would occasionally respond to a fan that realized they were on the same flight as him. While I don't see the RVs going anywhere, private planes may become a thing of the past as time goes on and the younger guys continue to replace veterans. Until they become veterans themselves anyway.
DUN24
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Ironically, CE is a very skilled pilot with a couple of his own planes.
Guys like Blaney bum rides on his jet lol
funny stuff. Chase already has his own plane as does his dad Bill who has two or three. Newman's wife Chrissy flys a helicopter
here are some more Nascar drivers birds.
http://photorecon.net/nascar-teams-descend-upon-new-hampshire/
here are some more Nascar drivers birds.
http://photorecon.net/nascar-teams-descend-upon-new-hampshire/
Hahaha that's right I remember something about when he got his pilots license, I now remember a response by JJ when asked if he would fly with Chase. He said something on the lines of no chance, I've seen how he drives, he's hard on the right side of a car
it seemed like ole JJ has a little more personality than most give him credit for haha Thanks for the update/reminder to yourself and @StandOnIt
I know Bill Elliott has his own runway hanger etc. I don't know if Chase keeps his plane there or not.
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KyBuownsyourbrain
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If recent results are the gauge..
Indy
Kahne 1st
Kenseth 5th
Blaney 23rd
Busch 29th
Larson 33rd
Elliot 39th
Pocono
Kenseth 9th
Elliot 10th
Kahne 11th
Busch 13th
Larson 28th
Blaney 30th
Watkins Glen
Kenseth 2nd
Busch 6th
Blaney 8th
Elliot 13th
Kahne 16th
Larson 23rd.
wins top 5 top 10
Larson 2 9 12
Elliott 0 6 12
Blaney 1 3 8
Kurt 1 2 10
Matt 0 6 10
Kasey 1 3 4
take away Kurt's restrictor plate race and Kahne's being in the right place at the right time and the youngsters are every bit as good or better with much less time in the game. Like I said Kenseth is above average, and so far he is in round one without a win in the old guard. but look at Kurts top 5's compared to the three on top, Kahne? what can ya say.
Larson 2 9 12
Elliott 0 6 12
Blaney 1 3 8
Kurt 1 2 10
Matt 0 6 10
Kasey 1 3 4
take away Kurt's restrictor plate race and Kahne's being in the right place at the right time and the youngsters are every bit as good or better with much less time in the game. Like I said Kenseth is above average, and so far he is in round one without a win in the old guard. but look at Kurts top 5's compared to the three on top, Kahne? what can ya say.
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