BULLETIN: NASCAR drivers must elect championships in 2011

Mopardh9 said:
They aren't the only factor, I'm just saying take away the cup guys in NW and the interest won't be there. Hell back in the high point of Nascar mania in the late 90s and early 2000s The Busch series couldn't even sell out any of the races. I can remember being at Vegas on a sunny day in late Feb in 1999 and there being maybe half of the stands filled. Back then there were not as many Cup invaders either. The series as a stand alone event without Cup regulars, probably won't sell out either. People have gotten past the fascination with Nascar, I doubt it will ever see the attendance figures it had back then ever again. So to get back to the NW series, Nascar should just limit the amount of appearances by Cup guys so this series again becomes a true develomental proving ground for young drivers. Accept the fact that attendance at side by side events will suck and move on.
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NWS will never sell out races, esp at tracks that the 100,000 + seats, never has been able to. But i know i used to catch some NWS races to watch the up and coming drivers. Its probably been 3 or 4 years since ive watched a NWS race, i think this will bring some viewers back. Do you need cup drivers to run in some of the races? Of course, but i dont think its right for them to run a full schedule.
 
Go Panthers said:
NWS will never sell out races, esp at tracks that the 100,000 + seats, never has been able to. But i know i used to catch some NWS races to watch the up and coming drivers. Its probably been 3 or 4 years since ive watched a NWS race, i think this will bring some viewers back. Do you need cup drivers to run in some of the races? Of course, but i dont think its right for them to run a full schedule.
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Never said or expected that the Busch in the past or the NWS now would ever sell out. The point I was trying to make is that this series never had the popularity to start with the Cup had. Take the way the economy is now, the lack of interest in the sport these days, and I'd expect even smaller crowds at the races this year. Perhaps the NWS needs to start going to smaller venues, not going side by side with CUP and like some one else said gain it's own identity. It really has none right now. I'd love to see this series come to tracks like Thompson in the North East or Concord in the south, Winchester comes to mind too. Probably Nascar would never do that, they did it with the trucks in the begining and it was awesome, but that quickly changed when the $$ signs started flashing in their pea brains and they ruined things.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Never said or expected that the Busch in the past or the NWS now would ever sell out. The point I was trying to make is that this series never had the popularity to start with the Cup had. Take the way the economy is now, the lack of interest in the sport these days, and I'd expect even smaller crowds at the races this year. Perhaps the NWS needs to start going to smaller venues, not going side by side with CUP and like some one else said gain it's own identity. It really has none right now. I'd love to see this series come to tracks like Thompson in the North East or Concord in the south, Winchester comes to mind too. Probably Nascar would never do that, they did it with the trucks in the begining and it was awesome, but that quickly changed when the $$ signs started flashing in their pea brains and they ruined things.
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Yep, that is what I thought. BGN has no identity but rather it's just "Cup Lite."
Another factor is that, for many, BGN is as high as they can successfully go. Cup has shrunk, team wish, to a point where there are only six team owners with succesful teams (Hendrick and its multiple satelitte operations, Roush and his affiliates, Gibbs, Childress, Ganassi and Penske) and basically every other team is just there to make up the 43 car starting field. True some ocassionally run competitively toward the front but realistically there are only six Cup teams going to the win each race.
Here is a question I don't know the answer to but I bet several of you out there could give me an answer: How many attendees does the Busch North and the Winston West Series pull? (Yes, I know. There is no more Busch Series... Old habits are hard to break) When those traveling series come to town do they pretty much fill the grandstands at the small tracks? If the figures are also way down then maybe giving the Cup Lite Series its identity back is just forstalling the enevitable, its total demise?
 
John Galt said:
Yep, that is what I thought. BGN has no identity but rather it's just "Cup Lite."
Another factor is that, for many, BGN is as high as they can successfully go. Cup has shrunk, team wish, to a point where there are only six team owners with succesful teams (Hendrick and its multiple satelitte operations, Roush and his affiliates, Gibbs, Childress, Ganassi and Penske) and basically every other team is just there to make up the 43 car starting field. True some ocassionally run competitively toward the front but realistically there are only six Cup teams going to the win each race.
Here is a question I don't know the answer to but I bet several of you out there could give me an answer: How many attendees does the Busch North and the Winston West Series pull? (Yes, I know. There is no more Busch Series... Old habits are hard to break) When those traveling series come to town do they pretty much fill the grandstands at the small tracks? If the figures are also way down then maybe giving the Cup Lite Series its identity back is just forstalling the enevitable, its total demise?
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In 2009, the West Series race at Portland pulled in more than 40,000 people.

That would be a great venue for a Nationwide race.

Some of these tracks could bring in temporary seating as well, Mansfield did this for the Truck races.

Some good candidates for Nationwide races:

Portland
Thompson
Salem
Toledo
Millville, NJ (especially if/when they build the oval)
Hickory
North Wilkesboro
Myrtle Beach
South Boston
Hampton, VA
Pensacola, FL
Memphis, TN (when it reopens).

Since many Cup races are only bringing in 40-60,000, I think is time for the series to consider racing at Nashville Superspeedway.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
In 2009, the West Series race at Portland pulled in more than 40,000 people.

That would be a great venue for a Nationwide race.

Some of these tracks could bring in temporary seating as well, Mansfield did this for the Truck races.

Some good candidates for Nationwide races:

Portland
Thompson
Salem
Toledo
Millville, NJ (especially if/when they build the oval)
Hickory
North Wilkesboro
Myrtle Beach
South Boston
Hampton, VA
Pensacola, FL
Memphis, TN (when it reopens).

Since many Cup races are only bringing in 40-60,000, I think is time for the series to consider racing at Nashville Superspeedway.
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Good list, Andy. I'd throw in Winchester, IN and Jennerstown, PA. Let them run companion dates at Daytona, Charlotte, Darlington and Indianapolis; the rest of the season let them run geographically far from each other.

The figures you cite just tells me that local race fans WILL support a major traveling second tier series like Cup Lite COULD provide if (a) it were promoted effectively and (b) it had an identity the race fans could appreciate and identify with themselves.

The Snowball Derby, over in Pensacola has pulled extremely for over thirty years, even when they don't have any major Cup names in the field. And that race is often run in cold weather! (First weekend of December)
 
John Galt said:
Good list, Andy. I'd throw in Winchester, IN and Jennerstown, PA. Let them run companion dates at Daytona, Charlotte, Darlington and Indianapolis; the rest of the season let them run geographically far from each other.

The figures you cite just tells me that local race fans WILL support a major traveling second tier series like Cup Lite COULD provide if (a) it were promoted effectively and (b) it had an identity the race fans could appreciate and identify with themselves.

The Snowball Derby, over in Pensacola has pulled extremely for over thirty years, even when they don't have any major Cup names in the field. And that race is often run in cold weather! (First weekend of December)
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As much as I would love to see NASCAR at any level racing at Winchester, I have to say that Winchester just doesn't have the seating or parking to support it.
 
Busch North, yes I have the same affliction JG:), only has a dozen races scheduled for 2011. Dover and New Hampshire are their BIG tracks. They won't fill the seats.

Most races are held on half mile tracks+/-, they won't have a problem filling seats. Thompson 5/8 mile was SRO when they ran there years ago.
 
Look at nationwide at ORP every year. Thats a big ASA short track for the indiana illinois region and when nationwide is there it pulls alot of people. I agree with you guys, add more of the ASA type short tracks to the schedule and you will see full stands.
 
John Galt said:
Yep, that is what I thought. BGN has no identity but rather it's just "Cup Lite."
Another factor is that, for many, BGN is as high as they can successfully go. Cup has shrunk, team wish, to a point where there are only six team owners with succesful teams (Hendrick and its multiple satelitte operations, Roush and his affiliates, Gibbs, Childress, Ganassi and Penske) and basically every other team is just there to make up the 43 car starting field. True some ocassionally run competitively toward the front but realistically there are only six Cup teams going to the win each race.
Here is a question I don't know the answer to but I bet several of you out there could give me an answer: How many attendees does the Busch North and the Winston West Series pull? (Yes, I know. There is no more Busch Series... Old habits are hard to break) When those traveling series come to town do they pretty much fill the grandstands at the small tracks? If the figures are also way down then maybe giving the Cup Lite Series its identity back is just forstalling the enevitable, its total demise?
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The last time i went to a Busch North race or whatever it is called now(Camping World?) it was packed, that was 2009 at Stafford. They usually draw well, it is a good sereies too, a lot of young talent.
 
basscatcher89 said:
Look at nationwide at ORP every year. Thats a big ASA short track for the indiana illinois region and when nationwide is there it pulls alot of people. I agree with you guys, add more of the ASA type short tracks to the schedule and you will see full stands.
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It's now Lucas Oil Raceway. No more ORP....IRP. It'll still always be IRP to most though.
 
Smoke14 said:
NASCAR should have had a mandatory cup drivers meeting one hour before qualifying for Nationwide.

Seriously, think about it.
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Or better yet, a mandatory Nationwide meeting 60 minutes before cup qualifying.
 
Smoke14 said:
NASCAR should have had a mandatory cup drivers meeting one hour before qualifying for Nationwide.

Seriously, think about it.
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MoMike said:
Or better yet, a mandatory Nationwide meeting 60 minutes before cup qualifying.
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Either one of those makes more sense than what has been reported.

It's probably just me but I can't think of another sport where some of the competitors are scored and other aren't. Maybe they can get the Nationwide Series to the point where it's like T-Ball. We won't bother keeping score for anyone. Everyone's the winner and they can all get their trophy at the end of the season. Everyone's happy! :D

Personally I think Brian France had one of those, 'Here, hold my beer. I wanna try something!', moments.
 
Take the Cup guys out of Nationwide and it'll just be a knucklehead crashfest.
Not only that, the knuckleheads will have nothing to gauge themselves against and will sooner assume they're fast enough for the Cup series.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
It's now Lucas Oil Raceway. No more ORP....IRP. It'll still always be IRP to most though.
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Lucas Oil Speedway OF INDIANA lol gotta put that in there. There is already a Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheaton Missouri nicknamed the Diamond of Dirt. So now we got an asphalt Lucas Oil Speedway and Dirt
 
basscatcher89 said:
Lucas Oil Speedway OF INDIANA lol gotta put that in there. There is already a Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheaton Missouri nicknamed the Diamond of Dirt. So now we got an asphalt Lucas Oil Speedway and Dirt
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Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

**** it, it's IRP to me.
 
Wouldn't this new Nationwide deal be the same as the NFL handing the Super Bowl trophy to some team that couldn't even make the playoffs?
 
mike honcho said:
Wouldn't this new Nationwide deal be the same as the NFL handing the Super Bowl trophy to some team that couldn't even make the playoffs?
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Kinda... The way it was before it was a lot like the Bears going down and competing at a college football level.
 
NASCAR License.....

It looks a little confusing. Maybe, just maybe, Jimmie Johnson picked the wrong box?

x2_43cb7a1
 
Nationwide Series reluctant to accept drop in NASCAR status

Interesting..... The series sponsor would like to have Cup drivers be able to compete for the title. Oh well..... The official announcement is to be made on this change later this morning.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Carl Edwards still plans to contest the full Nationwide Series schedule but would prefer to be allowed to compete for the championship.

The series' sponsor prefers it, too.

"Our preference would be to allow a sunset clause for Cup drivers who have been dedicated to run in our series, particularly Edwards and (Brad) Keselowski," said Jennifer Hanley, senior vice president of marketing services for Nationwide Insurance. "Our commitment to partner with NASCAR to create the best racing experience for the fans, drivers and owners remains the same."

Nationwide was consulted on competition changes for 2011 after NASCAR chairman Brian France said he wanted the series to become more of a developmental platform for the Sprint Cup Series. Cup regulars competing in the Nationwide Series won all but two races on the lower-tier circuit last year. NASCAR President Mike Helton and vice president of competition Robin Pemberton will outline a new rule Friday that forces drivers to choose between earning points in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide or Camping World Truck series.

Though defending champion Keselowski and Edwards (who finished second in points last year) still can race in Nationwide, both have indicated they will earn points only in Cup.

Keselowski has lamented not being able to defend his championship, and Edwards, who has run concurrently in both series full time since 2005, supported a grandfather clause for both.

"That would have been great for me and Brad," said the 2007 champion, whose feud with Keselowski was among NASCAR's most compelling story lines last year. "We're going to run for the Cup championship, but I'm going to run every (Nationwide) race. I would really love to be able to have another championship battle with Brad."

Edwards said if he struggled in Cup through 10 races, his Roush Fenway Racing team might re-evaluate the Nationwide schedule. Keselowski's crew chief, Todd Gordon, said this week that Penske Racing likely would field Keselowski in 30 to 32 of 35 races.
 
The Cup drivers should be limited to 5 Nationwide series races a year, and all the truck races they want, since it seems all the "old" cup drivers gravitate to trucks. I'm betting Edwards, and Keselowski would have a tougher time winning races in the truck series, than in the nationwide.
MoMike
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Interesting..... The series sponsor would like to have Cup drivers be able to compete for the title. Oh well..... The official announcement is to be made on this change later this morning.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Carl Edwards still plans to contest the full Nationwide Series schedule but would prefer to be allowed to compete for the championship.

The series' sponsor prefers it, too.

"Our preference would be to allow a sunset clause for Cup drivers who have been dedicated to run in our series, particularly Edwards and (Brad) Keselowski," said Jennifer Hanley, senior vice president of marketing services for Nationwide Insurance. "Our commitment to partner with NASCAR to create the best racing experience for the fans, drivers and owners remains the same."

Nationwide was consulted on competition changes for 2011 after NASCAR chairman Brian France said he wanted the series to become more of a developmental platform for the Sprint Cup Series. Cup regulars competing in the Nationwide Series won all but two races on the lower-tier circuit last year. NASCAR President Mike Helton and vice president of competition Robin Pemberton will outline a new rule Friday that forces drivers to choose between earning points in the Sprint Cup, Nationwide or Camping World Truck series.

Though defending champion Keselowski and Edwards (who finished second in points last year) still can race in Nationwide, both have indicated they will earn points only in Cup.

Keselowski has lamented not being able to defend his championship, and Edwards, who has run concurrently in both series full time since 2005, supported a grandfather clause for both.

"That would have been great for me and Brad," said the 2007 champion, whose feud with Keselowski was among NASCAR's most compelling story lines last year. "We're going to run for the Cup championship, but I'm going to run every (Nationwide) race. I would really love to be able to have another championship battle with Brad."

Edwards said if he struggled in Cup through 10 races, his Roush Fenway Racing team might re-evaluate the Nationwide schedule. Keselowski's crew chief, Todd Gordon, said this week that Penske Racing likely would field Keselowski in 30 to 32 of 35 races.
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Yup, Edwards doesn't care about the good of the sport, just the god of himself...
 
What, no Brad hate too? He's running as well. How about Mark Martin? He's announced that he'll be running some Nationwide this year. Heck, half the entry list for the DRIVEFORCOPD 300 @ Daytona will probably be Cup regulars. The argument of Cup drivers in the Nationwide series is as old as the series itself.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
What, no Brad hate too? He's running as well. How about Mark Martin? He's announced that he'll be running some Nationwide this year. Heck, half the entry list for the DRIVEFORCOPD 300 @ Daytona will probably be Cup regulars. The argument of Cup drivers in the Nationwide series is as old as the series itself.
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It's not so much SOME Nationwide, it's running ALL of them that gets me.
 
I have no problem with the Cup drivers racing in Nationwide. This is Auto Racing. If you show up with a car you should be allowed to qualify and race.
 
•Nationwide Series scoring revealed: According to NASCAR officials, the only drivers who will receive points in Nationwide Series races will be those eligible for the series championship. Full-time Sprint Cup drivers running for that title are de facto ineligible. The top Nationwide driver, however, won't receive first-place points unless he or she wins the race. In other words, if Justin Allgaier runs fourth behind Cup drivers Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvickas was the case in last year's season-opening Nationwide race at Daytona International SpeedwayAllgaier will receive fourth-place points and money. NASCAR announced Friday that drivers had to select the one championship they'll seek before the start of the season, unlike in years past when they were eligible for championships in all series.(Sporting News)(1-23-2011)
 
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