Darby Says No Full Field Provision

T

TonyB

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Several Notes From The Shelby Star

The first time I've seen anyone actually paraphrase (wish it was a quote) anyone from NASCAR on the topic...

NASCAR’s John Darby declared here that there was no contractual provision requiring Nextel Cup fields to sport a full 43-car allottment at each event, but the governing body is obviously mounting a major effort to get enough cars to each track to fulfill such a requirement.
 
Thanks Tony...........I wasn't sure but now I feel comfortable knowing that an official with NASCAR has said it! With the occasional flap about "field fillers" and some mysterious contractual thing with broadcasters I always had my doubts. Yeah I see cars doing the 3 laps and park it thing but I just figure it's something the teams are doing for a sponsor so that sponsor can honestly say that the car he/she sponsored ran in a NASCAR Cup race. :D I think that's probably prime reason we see this during the season.
 
I think it's because of economics.

Used to be the teams could pretty easily be divided into the haves and the have nots. Now, there are three...the Haves (Roush, Hendrick, DEI, Gibbs, Penske etc), the Have Nots (affectionately known as field fillers), and the Used To Haves But Ain't Got No Mores (Davis, any Bodine, Petty, Woods, etc). Even Roush is having trouble getting all his teams sponsored. Go figure, his fingerprints are on every dang Ford in the field now.

It's a side effect of the way racing is televised and covered nowadays. We all know who's going to get the camera time regardless of where he is running. Each of us can name the 5 to 8 drivers who will be shown no matter what. Who will be interviewed. It's a function of the new NASCAR. We must at all costs build, foster, create, or manufacture superstars to be the face of the sport. Happens in other sports too. Jason Seahorn hasn't dona a thing of significance on a football field in three years, but he's still quite visible in the marketing. Tim Brown, same story. NBC and FOX are simply fulfilling their purpose...to cram a handful of drivers down the throats of the viewers, regardless of how bad their asses are getting kicked on the track on a given Sunday.

I bet money that Tony Stewart is more prominently featured as a "former champion" than Matt Kenseth is as "defending champion". This has some to do with the fact that Matt Kenseth has the personality and charisma of a pineapple. He's just not comfortable in that role. However, going hand in hand with that, Tony gets more face time during the race, the car is shown more, etc etc. Nature of the beast and Marketing 101.

NASCAR survived for a decade on Waltrip's mouth, Earnhardt's smirk, Elliott's drawl, and Petty's teeth. In the 90s it was Earnhardt's legacy, Gordon's mug, and Martin's grit. Now it's a new era (or so they continually tell us) and this calls for a new strategy. Junior's charisma, Tony's playfulness, Harvick's attitude, and Newman's confidence are the standard bearers. No room for Matt's competence in that equation.

But I could be wrong...
 
Well EMP I agree........you could be wrong!! :D But, not that wrong!! :cheers:

Guess that's why I love the sport some much!! :)
 
It seems less than genuine to me when a guy starts a race and NASCAR makes him park because he doesn't have a pit crew :huh:
 
It's a conspiracy I say!! NASCAR calls up these field fillers when the entry count is low and tells them to run a couple laps and park it.......we'll pay you 30 to 50 grand and you get your name on the roster for the race. It'll help you with your resume for future sponsors!! Besides it'll light up the racing forums all over the country about mystery contracts. It keeps the fan interest high!! :wacko:
 
Originally posted by DE_Wrangler_2@Feb 24 2004, 03:42 AM
It's a conspiracy I say!! NASCAR calls up these field fillers when the entry count is low and tells them to run a couple laps and park it.......we'll pay you 30 to 50 grand and you get your name on the roster for the race. It'll help you with your resume for future sponsors!! Besides it'll light up the racing forums all over the country about mystery contracts. It keeps the fan interest high!! :wacko:
Click to expand...
Oliver Stone? Is that you?! :eek:
 
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