Autoweek: Chase Elliott winning is the fix NASCAR needs the most

HoneyBadger

HoneyBadger

I love short track racing (Taylor's Version)
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
90,242
Points
1,033
Location
A short track somewhere
The writer is totally wrong. I was just on the USA Today web site in the sports section. There was not one headling or caption on the main page about yesterday's race. If Chase was going to move the needle, the story would be there front and center. It is not. Besides, Chase comes off as kind of dull.
 
You picked a hot take opinion piece and formed a conclusion based on all racing media.

Try again.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
This here is why I say the hype and media bias with Elliott is so bad: https://autoweek.com/article/nascar/opinion-chase-elliott-championship-form-fix-nascar-really-needs

My uncle doesn't watch NASCAR at all. He knows who Hailie Deegan is and about her K&N win. He has no idea who Chase Elliott is.

But Elliott winning races is what fixes NASCAR?

Sure, the core fanbase loves him, but he doesn't move the needle.
Click to expand...

Baby smoking.gif
We get it Andy, if it ain't about SLM racing at "MARTINSVILLE", it's all bad.:rolleyes:
 
I'm not saying Chase is the guy, I'm not saying he isn't, but NASCAR has traditionally had and badly needs a transcendent star to carry the flag for the sport and carry it beyond our own closed little party, and right now Chase is the most likely person to be THAT guy. He will have to win even more and he will have to be in the thick of championship battles, but Chase CAN become the face of the sport, and an appealing one at that. To say that Chase doesn't move the needle is kind of disingenuous. How much opportunity has he actually HAD to move it? The fact that the current fanbase has embraced him should make it easier to climb the next hurdle, but even if it DOES happen, it will take some time. The King, the Intimidator and the Wonder Boy weren't built in a day.
 
Why do folks think that one particular driver or personality is going to singlehandedly fix NASCAR?

Doesn’t matter if it’s Chase Elliott, Hallie Deagan, Dale Earnhardt or whoever. The sport has bigger issues than who is or isn’t winning week to week.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
Chase's winning -- particularly if it continues on a regular basis --- MIGHT get more eyes on the sport, true.
But that's not the cure-all NASCAR needs --- and I don't have a clue what might do the trick.
Click to expand...
I agree.
 
I would say it's Chase and a few others. Blaney, who won last week. Bubba, etc.

I will say though, for nearly 3 years all anyone wanted to talk about was how it was such a big deal that Chase hadn't won yet. It was like the end of the world. Now, he's won a couple in as many months, could have honestly won Bristol as well, and it's suddenly not the big deal that it was made out to be when he was at 0? People want to downplay it an turn the other cheek?

Can't have it both ways. People need to look in the mirror, it wasn't the Chase fans that made this a big deal.
 
JBone88 said:
Why do folks think that one particular driver or personality is going to singlehandedly fix NASCAR?

Doesn’t matter if it’s Chase Elliott, Hallie Deagan, Dale Earnhardt or whoever. The sport has bigger issues than who is or isn’t winning week to week.
Click to expand...

I can't think of ANYTHING NASCAR needs more than to have more people pay attention to it. That alone would cure a LOT of ills. If they happen to be people new to NASCAR who don't have any preconceived notions about how things are or how they were, that would be even better.
 
JBone88 said:
Why do folks think that one particular driver or personality is going to singlehandedly fix NASCAR?

Doesn’t matter if it’s Chase Elliott, Hallie Deagan, Dale Earnhardt or whoever. The sport has bigger issues than who is or isn’t winning week to week.
Click to expand...

At the most they could create some interest and raise the ratings a tic, but Nascar fans for the most part don't want the same driver winning all the races. Just another self appointed racing expert fix story IMO. Nascar has a lot of women fans. Deagan will get a disappropriate amount of publicity compared to the others if she continues to be successful and I would guess she would raise awareness more then any of the males bringing new fans into the sport FWIW. But that is a long way from happening if it even is a possibility. Nascar isn't sitting still, the next experiment is on the way and that has created more interest in the series for next year than any drivers.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
This here is why I say the hype and media bias with Elliott is so bad: https://autoweek.com/article/nascar/opinion-chase-elliott-championship-form-fix-nascar-really-needs

My uncle doesn't watch NASCAR at all. He knows who Hailie Deegan is and about her K&N win. He has no idea who Chase Elliott is.

But Elliott winning races is what fixes NASCAR?

Sure, the core fanbase loves him, but he doesn't move the needle.
Click to expand...

Just for the record, I don't think it's media bias as much as it is them looking around and saying, "Here is a guy that people are actually showing some real interest in, and he checks off all the important boxes, so lets talk about HIM." Also, Hailie Deegan won't fix NASCAR any more than Danica did UNLESS she is a winner, and maybe not even then. The NHRA is LOADED with successful women, and in the big scheme of things, nobody except the hardcore fanbase cares at all.
 
I'm a bit weary of watching the remnants from Jimmie Johnson's reign winning all the races now. More competition can't hurt. HMS needs to be good, Bowman and Byron need to be up there also. The package NASCAR is introducing next year might end any chance these young guys have to showcase their ability anyways.
 
StandOnIt said:
At the most they could create some interest and raise the ratings a tic, but Nascar fans for the most part don't want the same driver winning all the races.
Click to expand...

Then how do you explain the popularity of the sport when it was utterly dominated by first Dale Earnhardt and then Jeff Gordon? What about Petty and Pearson before them? I think people are perfectly fine with it as long as it's somebody the WANT to support. When it was Jimmie Johnson or Kyle Busch, then suddenly it isn't OK.
 
Formerjackman said:
Then how do you explain the popularity of the sport when it was utterly dominated by first Dale Earnhardt and then Jeff Gordon? What about Petty and Pearson before them? I think people are perfectly fine with it as long as it's somebody the WANT to support. When it was Jimmie Johnson or Kyle Busch, then suddenly it isn't OK.
Click to expand...

That was also a different time. The product was in high demand. Those personalities served to accent that, but weren’t necessarily the driving force.

NASCAR as a product simply isn’t in as high of demand as it once was. For a multitude of reasons. I don’t think having a new Dale, Petty or Gordon figure is gonna move the needle that much. At least not to the extent that the sport probably needs.
 
I think Weaver is drinking the Kool-Aid on just how big of a deal Chase Elliott is outside of the core NASCAR fanbase. However, he is not wrong that appealing star drivers provide a better chance for a resurgence than any rules package. To think otherwise is to severely misunderstand what draws casual fans and what they have a clue about.

Let's put it this way. Chase Elliott alone isn't a magical fix. But NASCAR has a better chance at wider appeal with him winning than the dominant drivers of the past couple years.
 
JBone88 said:
That was also a different time. The product was in high demand. Those personalities served to accent that, but weren’t necessarily the driving force.

NASCAR as a product simply isn’t in as high of demand as it once was. For a multitude of reasons. I don’t think having a new Dale, Petty or Gordon figure is gonna move the needle that much. At least not to the extent that the sport probably needs.
Click to expand...

Then we might as well just give up and either shut the sport down or slowly watch it die, because if you are right,, then there is no hope. No amount of rules changes and other gimmicks alone is going to help.
 
I don't think an individual carries the sport. Several drivers became known to those outside the sport but they were pretty much veterans at that point. I think Chase already puts a lot on his shoulders as a member of a team, I don't think it is fair to put the fate of NASCAR on him.
 
Well there it is...Fixed races.
 
Fix is a goldmine for cynicism and the conspiracies conspiracy.

'Cure' much better than 'Fix'
 
If anyone actually thinks NASCAR is ever going to reach the same heights of popularity again, I don't know what to say. The sport was a novelty in the late 80s/early 90s - look at these cars go 200 mph! Nowadays it's old news and people have a million and one options to pick from on Netflix and Hulu and all that. I honestly don't give a hoot how many people are watching so long there's still a race for us diehards on Sunday. It'll never get to the point where the sport itself will just vanish, that's fanciful thinking in the opposite direction. A niche sport is just what it is now.
 
Formerjackman said:
Then we might as well just give up and either shut the sport down or slowly watch it die, because if you are right,, then there is no hope. No amount of rules changes and other gimmicks alone is going to help.
Click to expand...

NASCAR is still a very lucrative business compared to the vast majority of other forms of motorsports, and many of those continue to exist for the benefit of much smaller groups of people. I don't know why so many lose sight of this, other than that their point of reference is usually other sports, not other auto racing.

No, NASCAR shouldn't "give up" just because it will never be 2005 again.
 
Chase Elliott winning is good for the NASCAR fan base, if you dont believe it watch it when he takes the lead. When he took the lead briefly at Daytona when I was there for the 400 , man those stands shook. You can also hear when he takes the lead when you're watching on TV. The dude has the support of the traditional fan base as well as newbies entering. Remember he has his Dad's fans, some of JG's fans ( myself included), and his own fans from the time he was coming up, through Xfinity up to Cup. Now saying all that..... theres only one driver ever that crossed over and brought in casuals and that man is Dale Earnhardt Jr. It was just lightening in a bottle that I am not sure you will ever capture again from his the 01 Daytona 500, through Countdown To E day and then Budweiser. Bud may have had alot to do with that, his Bud Commercials were awesome. Hell my 70 something ( at the time) Grandma knew who Dale Earnhardt Jr was. Not sure if we will ever get that with Chase or Blaney or any of these other newer drivers. That's okay too I am not complaining, its cool when Chase wins its like a small piece of Tradition is still going strong, hes really one of the only few drivers that resonate with the old school fan base which I also find kind of cool. Now... if he were to get a sponsor like Budweiser or a full time gig with Hooters on the car with the commercials Jr had I honestly think he'd blow by Jr's popularity at his peak ( lets say 99 till about 06). Lets face it hes a good looking kid that's young, is a race winner and has a famous father of the fan base said company is trying to market too. The sky would be the limit for that kid.
 
Last edited:
TexasRaceLady said:
Chase's winning -- particularly if it continues on a regular basis --- MIGHT get more eyes on the sport, true.
But that's not the cure-all NASCAR needs --- and I don't have a clue what might do the trick.
Click to expand...
Cars that look closer to the cars we drive, more short tracks, shorter races, those are a few things.
 
Not many drivers anymore get the crowd going like I've seen what Chase does besides Kyle Busch bringing out the love or hate in people.
 
Formerjackman said:
Then how do you explain the popularity of the sport when it was utterly dominated by first Dale Earnhardt and then Jeff Gordon? What about Petty and Pearson before them? I think people are perfectly fine with it as long as it's somebody the WANT to support. When it was Jimmie Johnson or Kyle Busch, then suddenly it isn't OK.
Click to expand...
The sport was popular NOT because of any one or two drivers. It was popular because cars were popular and many people were involved in the car culture. That is not the case any longer.
There are more people putting $30,000 dollars into a Honda Civic to make it unbeatable that there are people rebuilding big block engines.
Nascar making changes every year is not helping IMO. Just let the whole industry find it's own level in the entertainment field and get rid of all these changes that cost millions of dollars for no real reason.
We could still be running the "Twisted Sister car" with 600 HP and have excited fans. Nascar had to get greedy and go for big tracks for bigger infields and more seating BUT poor racing.
When I say poor racing I mean they changed the racing that most of the fans wanted to see.
So they left.
 
IMO NASCAR's biggest battle is against the declining interest in cars and the car culture in general. These things are still present but not in as big a number as in previous years. New fans come to NASCAR each year but in much smaller numbers but it doesn't mean the end is coming at all.

NASCAR will be fine and sure could help itself by deciding what it wants to be and sticking with it instead of fundamentally changing things every year or so. I think NASCAR and the teams are learning to deal with the reality of less resources and understand that even more pain is coming until things shake out.

Having popular drivers that crossover into other areas would be nice but I don't think NASCAR is hurting because they don't have them. Conversely I don't think a renaissance will happen if Elliott and the others kids become popular.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
Chase's winning -- particularly if it continues on a regular basis --- MIGHT get more eyes on the sport, true.
But that's not the cure-all NASCAR needs --- and I don't have a clue what might do the trick.
Click to expand...
Gonna take a lot more than Chase Elliot to get Nascar back to its old glory. Nascar, like other sports could simply be right sizing. I'm not an avid fan of the sport like I once was. I hate saying that because I used to plan each weekend around the race. That's not the case any more. While I'm still very interested in the sport, a DVR'd version pacifies my interest at the moment. I hope that someone like Chase can spark the interest of a new generation. I want to see Nascar survive.
 
IanMcVittie said:
IMO NASCAR's biggest battle is against the declining interest in cars and the car culture in general. These things are still present but not in as big a number as in previous years.
Click to expand...

Which is exactly why NASCAR would be better served to market personalities rather than hardware.
 
Team Penske said:
The sport was popular NOT because of any one or two drivers. It was popular because cars were popular and many people were involved in the car culture.
Click to expand...

I disagree with this somewhat. I know a LOT of Jeff Gordon fans and even some Dale Earnhardt fans that wouldn't have known the difference between a carburetor and a water pump. In fact, I'd venture to say that more than 50% of Jeff Godron's fans at his peak probably would be lucky to know how to check their own oil. You're right that the lessening interest in cars IS a problem, but the lack of mega star personalities is a far bigger problem.
 
AdoubleU24 said:
I would say it's Chase and a few others. Blaney, who won last week. Bubba, etc.

I will say though, for nearly 3 years all anyone wanted to talk about was how it was such a big deal that Chase hadn't won yet. It was like the end of the world. Now, he's won a couple in as many months, could have honestly won Bristol as well, and it's suddenly not the big deal that it was made out to be when he was at 0? People want to downplay it an turn the other cheek?

Can't have it both ways. People need to look in the mirror, it wasn't the Chase fans that made this a big deal.
Click to expand...
On the flip side, it wasn't a big deal to most when Elliott didn't win and, when he does, it's the single greatest thing since Earnhardt won the 500.
 
The only thing that would attract outside attention to nascar is a megastar like Lewis Hamilton or a female driver actually winning a cup series race. Now that Danica has happened, nobody will give a damn unless someone like Deegan actually won a race. Even the national media got bored of Danica once the Daytona 500 pole weekend was over and she was running 26th every week
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom