Brad Keselowski on NASCAR: ‘It’s not meant to be a fair sport’

[NJJammer]

http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/sto...-bristol-motor-speedway-monster-energy-042317

"He also said the resulting action on the track, while unpredictable for the drivers, should be entertaining for race fans. He added that Monday’s race likely will be “full of things we’ve never seen before, which usually means the field is privy to making a lot of mistakes, a lot of action, a lot of wrecks — and that’s not always a bad thing.”

He added that drivers really have no right to complain about whether or not there should be one preferred lane at a track like Bristol, as opposed to multiple lanes.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I think when we went to double-file restarts (in 2009) I think we said, ‘To be damned with parity and fairness,’ “ Keselowski said. “Those days are gone and now it’s just about when you don’t have the preferred lane, you’ve got to make the most of it and you’ve got to try to get through it with the smallest penalty possible. When you do have the preferred lane, you’ve got to eat."

 

[Ford 222]

Love it. Old school attitude. Deal with it and quit bitching and complaining. Not meant to be easy.

 

[BOWTIE GUY]

well said, it's just blind luck what lane you get and you go from their.

 

[Skoalbandit33]

What drivers had been complaining about Nascar not being fair? I don't keep up with that sort of thing but I figure if some drivers had been complaining someone would have created a thread about it.

 

[R Clarence]

This is the guy that wrote the all star thing last year.

'Nuff said.

 

[Skoalbandit33]

This is the guy that wrote the all star thing last year.

'Nuff said.

Brad outfoxed himself with the All Star race.

 

[Stacy]

The beauty of NASCAR is that it rewards good teams; while giving mediocre and bad teams a chance to have just one great race, win the plate lottery, or get lucky with the weather -- throughout the 26 race "Regular Season". Win and you're In! (barring bizarre or unlikely circumstances)...

So, to recap -- If your team can't win a race in this format, quit complaining. NASCAR isn't going to hand the trophy to every team up and down pit road because you brought a car to the track.

But, if you bring your "A" game enough times to the track, you have better odds of winning one (if not some) of those races.

AND even if your name is Aric Almirola, you have a chance to Win when the sprinkles fall from the heavens.

NASCAR is entertainment with a racing format. I enjoy it thoroughly. Today was like a holiday for me -- because the Monday-blahs were avoided by watching this race.

 

[BOWTIE GUY]

The beauty of NASCAR is that it rewards good teams; while giving mediocre and bad teams a chance to have just one great race, win the plate lottery, or get lucky with the weather -- throughout the 26 race "Regular Season". Win and you're In! (barring bizarre or unlikely circumstances)...

So, to recap -- If your team can't win a race in this format, quit complaining. NASCAR isn't going to hand the trophy to every team up and down pit road because you brought a car to the track.

But, if you bring your "A" game enough times to the track, you have better odds of winning one (if not some) of those races.

AND even if your name is Aric Almirola, you have a chance to Win when the sprinkles fall from the heavens.

NASCAR is entertainment with a racing format. I enjoy it thoroughly. Today was like a holiday for me -- because the Monday-blahs were avoided by watching this race.

ahem

 

[Greg]

Brad drives a ford, he will never think it's fair....

 

[Ford 222]

He got a heavy dose of unfairness today....lol!

 

[LewTheShoe]

NASCAR is entertainment with a racing format.

^ Stacy, I agree with your post up to the point you wrote this. Disney is entertainment. Sitcoms and reality shows are entertainment. Nascar is hard-nosed competition that some people find entertaining. The difference is fundamental and crucial. Kyle Busch does not do the dumbass stuff he does to entertain us. Kyle Larson does not ride the rim to entertain us. And [ insert name here ] does not feign incompetence for our amusement, either.

 

[Skoalbandit33]

The beauty of NASCAR is that it rewards good teams; while giving mediocre and bad teams a chance to have just one great race, win the plate lottery, or get lucky with the weather -- throughout the 26 race "Regular Season". Win and you're In! (barring bizarre or unlikely circumstances)...

So, to recap -- If your team can't win a race in this format, quit complaining. NASCAR isn't going to hand the trophy to every team up and down pit road because you brought a car to the track.

But, if you bring your "A" game enough times to the track, you have better odds of winning one (if not some) of those races.

AND even if your name is Aric Almirola, you have a chance to Win when the sprinkles fall from the heavens.

NASCAR is entertainment with a racing format. I enjoy it thoroughly. Today was like a holiday for me -- because the Monday-blahs were avoided by watching this race.

I agree as Nascar is more slanted toward entertainment as opposed to true sport and I have made my peace with it. I just watch each race and hopefully enjoy it and that is that as I don't acknowledge the convoluted lottery they have to crown a champion. One thing that is good is that they are not throwing bogus caution flags anymore but there are enough other gimmicks like the free pass and I think Ty Dillon got 3-4 today.

 

[purple earl]

I agree. Bill France Sr ensured that the NASCAR spectacle was going to be entertainment for the fans. All the stuff that happened to build the NASCAR entertainment infrastructure wasn't an afterthought. He was engineering a spectacle using the racing format. And with or without the regular drivers, the show will go on, even with all the danger of the event, referencing Talladega. That is how it is run even up to today. Brad has talked about that aspect in the past of having all these various formats to amp up the entertainment aspect of the race and drawing people to watch it either live or at the racetrack.

But on another note, the fact that drivers perform dangerous activities with various levels of skill and motivation is not new to more pure forms of entertainment, such as the many stunt shows that are apart of the circus atmosphere. The fact that NASCAR drivers perform on the track makes them no less entertainers, even with the great skill and risk associated with their performance.

Besides, the purist form of racing is what a lot of us used to do on the streets of America, without rules, safety crews, large crowds or financial reward. NASCAR is about as entertainment-centric as you could get in a motorsport. They change the formula often, and sometimes during the season! Some rule changes for safety, and others to amp up intensity to drive the entertainment factor as high as possible. And if NASCAR is lucky to get a fight in the pits, then that is marketing gold!

As far as KyBu goes. Yeah, the racing is real, after all it is a racing format. He may risk his health for many reasons such as driver status, making a better future for his family, fame, money, pride... But the entertainment factor and showmanship can easily be found in his bow to the fans when he wins.

 

[jaqua19]

Not to beat a dead horse, but EVERY MAJOR SPORT is like this. Entertainment first, competition second, it's just cooperate America.

 

[DSquad48]

Not to beat a dead horse, but EVERY MAJOR SPORT is like this. Entertainment first, competition second, it's just cooperate America.

My favorite instance is baseball. You know, when during the 7th inning stretch the scoreboard is mixed up, picked out a hat, and they go from there. Excitement!

 

[jws926]

^ Stacy, I agree with your post up to the point you wrote this. Disney is entertainment. Sitcoms and reality shows are entertainment. Nascar is hard-nosed competition that some people find entertaining. The difference is fundamental and crucial. Kyle Busch does not do the dumbass stuff he does to entertain us. Kyle Larson does not ride the rim to entertain us. And [ insert name here ] does not feign incompetence for our amusement, either.

Are you entrained while watching a race?

But, yes, all forms of sports for the fans watching is considered a form of entertainment, thats just how it is, now if you are participating, then it is about competition and I would be so inclined to agree with you.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

^ Stacy, I agree with your post up to the point you wrote this. Disney is entertainment. Sitcoms and reality shows are entertainment. Nascar is hard-nosed competition that some people find entertaining. The difference is fundamental and crucial. Kyle Busch does not do the dumbass stuff he does to entertain us. Kyle Larson does not ride the rim to entertain us. And [ insert name here ] does not feign incompetence for our amusement, either.

Sports are entertainment.

The Kyles and all the rest race because they can make big money doing what they love. They'd do it out of their own pocket at a local track if that was their only option. Why don't they need 'real world' jobs to support a Saturday night hobby? Because the rest of us find what they do entertaining enough for sponsors to pay them.

You probably won't agree, but working for Disney or making sitcoms can be hard-nosed work too. The people at Pixar or Viacom take what they do every bit as seriously as sports figures. (Reality shows? Okay, that's just people desperately seeking attention. They'd pay to do that crap just to get on TV.)

 

[Ford 222]

Better damn well be entertaining. If not we wouldn't be tuning in.

 

[2 Sweet]

When they came up with the Homestead Cup, they made it clear that it's all about entertainment

 

[Zerkfitting]

Keselowski said. “Those days are gone and now it’s just about when you don’t have the preferred lane, you’ve got to make the most of it and you’ve got to try to get through it with the smallest penalty possible. When you do have the preferred lane, you’ve got to eat."

When the 2 and 22 are running up front at Richmond the leader doesn't take the preferred lane in order to manipulate the restart to keep both cars up front.

 

[Team Penske]

When the 2 and 22 are running up front at Richmond the leader doesn't take the preferred lane in order to manipulate the restart to keep both cars up front.

Have you forgotten how JGR used the same tactics once they learned from the thinking drivers? Some are leaders and others follow.

 

[Zerkfitting]

Have you forgotten how JGR used the same tactics once they learned from the thinking drivers? Some are leaders and others follow.

I noticed it first with the Penske guys and you are right, the JGR guys followed suit (I don't like it when team tactics manipulate the restart).

 

[Team Penske]

But the sponsors like it when their cars are at the front by what ever means.

 

[Charlie Spencer]

Have you forgotten how JGR used the same tactics once they learned from the thinking drivers? Some are leaders and others follow.

But I don't hear the Gibbs guys commenting (complaining?) about it.

 

[Ford 222]

I noticed it first with the Penske guys and you are right, the JGR guys followed suit (I don't like it when team tactics manipulate the restart).

BS. Teams been doing it WAY before Penske even came back. Mark and Wally did it at the Glen to ensure a 1-2 finish and I know they were not the first to think of it.