Brian France: "We're getting back to the basics"

Idiot Newspaper Reporter said:
France said the emphasis on heritage and competition was to remind longtime fans "this was the NASCAR they fell in love with." Attendance was flat in '07, and TV ratings were down for the second consecutive season, which featured the introduction of a next-generation car, news of a title sponsor change (Nextel to Sprint) and changes to the Chase and points that put an emphasis on winning.
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Ratings were UP in 2006, highest ever. The ratings in 2007 in the key demo were as high as ever (excluding ESPN on ABC).

Glad to see earlier start times. 2:30pm EST start time at Dover really sucks when they don't have lights. :rolleyes:

That was also a request of ESPN because they wanted to bore the fans to death with NASCAR Countdown/Suzy Kolber before the action started.

NASCAR? said:
Fines will be donated to the NASCAR Foundation charities rather than be placed in the season-ending points fund.
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Alright, way to step up. :cool:
 
NASCAR also will be more reluctant to penalize for transgressions such as swearing or shoving.

"There's no question it can restrict the drivers expressing themselves," France said. "We want to see more of that."

Helton said NASCAR began going easier on drivers last year. Juan Pablo Montoya and Kevin Harvick weren't punished for a fracas at Watkins Glen International.

"You can express yourself, and we want you to, but just get the facts right when you do," Helton said. "Our hope is you give us a fair chance to give you all the facts. You're entitled to your opinion, and you won't get a reaction from us except, 'Gosh, we hope you don't feel that way forever.'

"We have no desire to change personalities."

Good. Let Junyer and Tony say the 's' word. I hear it come out of little kids' mouth when I'm working at the Elementary schools, so what's it really hurting?

France said he would like to avoid changes to the schedule for at least two to three years.

They should. California sucks. Pocono sucks. :mad:
 
It would be nice if they did all that was mentioned, they would most certianly
improve thier package. Time will tell, I guess they must have gottin' some flack about thier cookie cutter drivers (drones). Maybe some new life, we'll see. Duane:booya:
 
AndyMarquisLIVE said:
That was also a request of ESPN because they wanted to bore the fans to death with NASCAR Countdown/Suzy Kolber before the action started.
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Andy, I am pretty sure it was NBC/TNT that started the wave of late start times and having a one-hour plus pre-race show. Then Fox has jumped on it and ESPN has taken it to a new level.
 
MRM said:
Andy, I am pretty sure it was NBC/TNT that started the wave of late start times and having a one-hour plus pre-race show. Then Fox has jumped on it and ESPN has taken it to a new level.
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ESPN wanted all their Cup races starting after 2:30.

And, as far as I can remember, the Countdown to Green was only a half hour. :nyanya:

Besides, NBC and TNT never bored me to death and made me want to switch the channel and not go back. ESPN does.
 
If they used the countdown to educate the viewers as to loose, tight, drag, coil bind, etc instead of detracting from the race to feed us that pablum that would fill up a few minutes before each race. They could even show us Boris and how he moves his feet, and so-and-so's shifting. That stuff doesn't belong in the race, IMO.
Also, use the pre-race to hype Lil'E, Jimmie, Tony or whoever and then let their broadcasts be about the race and not who they think the viewers want to see.
Maybe during the hotter months let Krista and Suzy and Wendy do the pre-race in bikinis. I'd tune in... ;)
 
barelypure said:
If they used the countdown to educate the viewers as to loose, tight, drag, coil bind, etc instead of detracting from the race to feed us that pablum that would fill up a few minutes before each race. They could even show us Boris and how he moves his feet, and so-and-so's shifting. That stuff doesn't belong in the race, IMO.
Also, use the pre-race to hype Lil'E, Jimmie, Tony or whoever and then let their broadcasts be about the race and not who they think the viewers want to see.
Maybe during the hotter months let Krista and Suzy and Wendy do the pre-race in bikinis. I'd tune in... ;)
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Krista, Lindsay and Wendy.

Suzy's just ... :bleh:. It's an insult to manhood to even suggest in the slightest way that Suzy Kolber's hotter than Lindsay and Brienne Pedigo.

Jamie Little's not bad looking either, she's just an airhead. I actually respect Shannon Spake, she does her job well (which I can't say for most of the reporters at ESPN).
 
http://www.scenedaily.com/stories/2008/01/21/scene_daily88.html

Wallace says NASCAR is too far from its roots
SCENEDAILY - 6:44PM ET TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2008 - BY JEFF OWENS - EXECUTIVE EDITOR

CHARLOTTE - Former NASCAR champion and current TV broadcaster Rusty Wallace thinks that NASCAR has strayed too far from its roots, but he also thinks that the sport is working to recover its older, core audience.

Part of the problem is the recent exodus of several well-known and popular drivers from their full-time careers, Wallace says, but he thinks the key issue is that NASCAR has left behind an entire group of fans.


On Monday, NASCAR officials said they are reaching out to their core fans in a year that is highlighted by by two historical marks. This is NASCAR's 60th season, and the year will open with the 50th running of the Daytona 500, an event that is being celebrated with the return of 24 race winners to the track and a host of other festivities.

Wallace said that the sanctioning body must work to recover its traditional fan base.

"I really think it was a mistake, personally, reaching out to the complete new crowd," he said Tuesday. "I personally felt like the sport alienated the original fan, the country and western fan, and I could see the day that that changed, and maybe it was a coincidence, but it all appears to me that when we lost Dale [Earnhardt] Sr., it's like somebody flipped a big switch in the sky, and all the sudden the sport changed. We went after that new fan, but we forgot the old fan, and that's a mistake."

That country and western flavor has been dwindled in recent years. Instead of featuring country acts, NASCAR tried to tempt a broader audience by bringing pop and rock celebrities such as Sheryl Crow, Kelly Clarkson, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Daughtry and the lead singer of the rock band Fuel to the tracks for national anthems and appearances.

This year, country appears to have taken the lead again with the announcement that Garth Brooks is promoting NASCAR Day. Long-time top country duo Brooks and Dunn headline the Daytona 500 as well.

Wallace thinks that NASCAR might have tried to turn the sport into something that it wasn't as it attempted to lure a new audience.

"When Dale Sr. passed away, instead of having country music for our music, we were listening to, we went to rock and roll. Then we went to a lot of acid rock and roll. Then we went to California. We went to people that, quite frankly, I didn't even know," he said. "And it all changed. We couldn't figure out how to do both. We just did one and really screwed up the other part, and NASCAR realizes that now."

Perhaps the issue became even worse when NASCAR cracked down on penalties and those "gray area" infractions and when it began penalizing drivers for actions that had previously been considered an invigorating part of the sport. On Monday, NASCAR officials said that they wanted drivers and teams to feel free to be themselves and that they would be considering that in future penalties, but they do want to rein in any actions that might get too out of hand.

Wallace thinks that stance is necessary to allow personality back into NASCAR.

"I'll be quite frank with this," he said. "I think all that stuff has hurt the sport also. I think we need to see a lot softer side of NASCAR. Every time anybody does anything, everybody is getting penalties. We're getting penalized for everything in the world, and people are cooped up and camped out and afraid to do anything right now. And so the controversy and excitement that we've seen in the past is not there because drivers are scared of fines and points and monies. So NASCAR, I don't know if they've told you, but they've told me they're going to back off all these fines. They're going to be more lenient and stuff right now because they realize that all these fines are going to really hurt the sport."

Still, Wallace thinks things can be turned around and that the traditional fan can be recaptured. It's just going to take some time.

"They're making mistakes and learning from their mistakes, and I think they're going to come out of this no problem, I really do," he said.
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Rusty has never been one of my favorites, and quite frankly, I don't care for him in the booth, but what he says in this article makes perfect sense. NASCAR has been wanting to go to the younger set, primarily because of the youth movement within the sport, thus the change in music.
 
not to turn this into a COT bashing thread but i think thats part of it too. They need to find some way to make the cars look like they did and so you can tell them apart. None of this same body restricted setup rule stuff. Racing is more then just drivers going at it, its about the teams trying crazy setups in cars to gain that edge and loving life when it works and back to the drawing board when it doesnt work. I know thats not all nascar since teams are sinking millions into 7 post shaker rigs and personal wind tunnels and all that take the guess work out of setting up a car. I just think no matter what anybody does the COT wont be accepted. Teams will spend just as much money now as they did before. Its not cutting budgets like its intended to.
 
buckaroo said:
Rusty has never been one of my favorites, and quite frankly, I don't care for him in the booth, but what he says in this article makes perfect sense. NASCAR has been wanting to go to the younger set, primarily because of the youth movement within the sport, thus the change in music.
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If they play Rhianna one more time during the races... :mad:

I liked Rusty as a driver. Always cheered for him if Mark fell out. Rusty fits in at ESPN though, he sucks.
 
Right on Rusty:beerbang:




Couldn't have said it better myself. Duane
 
barelypure said:
If they used the countdown to educate the viewers as to loose, tight, drag, coil bind, etc instead of detracting from the race to feed us that pablum that would fill up a few minutes before each race. They could even show us Boris and how he moves his feet, and so-and-so's shifting. That stuff doesn't belong in the race, IMO.
Also, use the pre-race to hype Lil'E, Jimmie, Tony or whoever and then let their broadcasts be about the race and not who they think the viewers want to see.
Maybe during the hotter months let Krista and Suzy and Wendy do the pre-race in bikinis. I'd tune in... ;)
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Now your talking... throw in a little wet t-shirt action and we got something!:growl:
 
I never thought that Nascar was about music but banning DW from singing in the booth wouldn't hurt.

Drop some of those stamped out tracks, bring back some of the ones where a driver actually had to drive, stop trying to make some drivers into rock stars and realize that not every fan wants to see Hendrick cars running around circles all day long. Nor do they want to see crew chiefs get away with the same crap over and over again - then again, maybe they do :rolleyes:

As for Wallace, I wonder if he thinks the long time fan enjoys seeing his kid bouncing off walls and other cars all day long?
 
Mopardh9 said:
Now your talking... throw in a little wet t-shirt action and we got something!:growl:
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Us Washington viewers have been treated a time or two with Lindsay Czarniak and the rain. :growl:

Wendy's ... uh ... plump, but I still think she's a fine looking woman. :beerbang:
 
Well Andy, your prayers have been answered. Suzy is out. Rusty has been demoted to the pre-race booth. Bestwick has been promoted. It looks like Brad and Brewer get to keep their jobs, for now. All this because the ratings were off...way off...
 
barelypure said:
Well Andy, your prayers have been answered. Suzy is out. Rusty has been demoted to the pre-race booth. Bestwick has been promoted. It looks like Brad and Brewer get to keep their jobs, for now. All this because the ratings were off...way off...
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Allen is still being way under-utilized.

Dr. Punch is loyal to ESPN and ESPN's loyal to him. I applaud them for that, but as a fan, I like Allen much more than Doc in the booth.
 
basscatcher, the cars looking the same is one big complaint. I'd rather them look different too. But since they went to the common template a few years ago, and now the COT, you never heard one manufacturer screaming they are at a disadvantage. Since they don't change body styles every few years like they did in the old days, their only way to attempt to keep things balanced between makes is whine about the rules and body configurations. That got old. On one hand, I like the whining being gone. On the other hand, I do like it when the cars look different. So what are they to do?
 
MRM said:
basscatcher, the cars looking the same is one big complaint. I'd rather them look different too. But since they went to the common template a few years ago, and now the COT, you never heard one manufacturer screaming they are at a disadvantage. Since they don't change body styles every few years like they did in the old days, their only way to attempt to keep things balanced between makes is whine about the rules and body configurations. That got old. On one hand, I like the whining being gone. On the other hand, I do like it when the cars look different. So what are they to do?
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wo go back to the basics and make the upper half of the nose at least half resemble the road car.

Then again, i never hear mfgr's complaining in any of the road race GT series.
 
Personally, I'd love it if the cars would resemble the car I can buy on a showroom floor --- just as in the old days. The only modifications you could make to the body would be to remove the glass. Then set the body, as is, down on a modern roll cage.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
Personally, I'd love it if the cars would resemble the car I can buy on a showroom floor --- just as in the old days. The only modifications you could make to the body would be to remove the glass. Then set the body, as is, down on a modern roll cage.
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I'll buy that dream. :)

Yep, I do agree with you. Wouldn't it be lovely.
 
muggle not said:
I'll buy that dream. :)

Yep, I do agree with you. Wouldn't it be lovely.
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like i said, i dont hear anybody complaining in the GT classes of grand-am, ALMS, or LMS. So what are they doing right that NASCAR didnt? You have the GTS-R and the C6-R. Ford has the mustang GT-R. They arent complaining about performance advantages from different bodywork etc. And as far as im concerned, the GT classes are more stock car then the "National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing" cars are.
 
Magnethead said:
like i said, i dont hear anybody complaining in the GT classes of grand-am, ALMS, or LMS. So what are they doing right that NASCAR didnt? You have the GTS-R and the C6-R. Ford has the mustang GT-R. They arent complaining about performance advantages from different bodywork etc. And as far as im concerned, the GT classes are more stock car then the "National Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing" cars are.
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Yep i agree, those cars look like the cars you could actually buy and drive off the showroom floor or at least close to it.
 
Those are some good points. At some point, NASCAR decided the ASA-looking bodies is the way to go. Now we have the COT.
 
Why doesn't someon on the forum do a poll on which body style we would prefer.

The COT or like the showroom floor.
 
No offense but that sounds like a waste of bandwidth. The number who would choose the COT would be miniscule...
 
Wonder if NASCAR is already rethinkin those statements...lol...... after this weekend anyways......
 
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