So what’s to become of the ‘Garage Mahal’ now?
DAVID POOLE | INSIDE MOTORSPORTS
Some observations from The Charlotte Observer's David Poole on this week in motorsports:
The Elevator
UP – The “new” Dale Earnhardt Inc. The merger with Ginn Racing buttresses a foundation that looked a little wobbly earlier this year.
SIDEWAYS – ESPN bells and whistles: The network says its “Draft Tracker” will let fans “see” the air flowing over cars. That’s great if it works. If not, it’s a pointless waste of the screen. We’ll see.
DOWN – Handwringers
Carl Edwards gets banged up. Hey, stuff happens. You can’t wrap these guys in foam until it’s time to risk their necks in a Cup car.
MY TWO CENTS: If you want to talk seriously about the future financial structure of stock-car racing, you have to talk about franchising. But how do you set it up?
What about giving one franchise to each of the 20 or so team owners who’re currently making the effort to put cars on the track every weekend?
That gives an equal foundation in the sport to all of the people who’ve committed to be here.
It also might – just might – help a Larry McClure or a Beth Ann Morganthau pick up a bigger sponsor who’d rather know its car will race every week than take a chance of being on the second or third or fourth car at a major team knowing it might miss races.
You’d still have 23 spots for the multicar teams to fight for in qualifying. Isn’t it better, long term, for the sport to have 20 owners with a firm footing than to have six or seven four-car teams and then a bunch of cars that are never going to be competitive?
Sure, an owner who has been struggling in recent years might sell his franchise to a Rick Hendrick or a Jack Roush, but NASCAR could easily limit one car owner to having more than two “franchised” cars.
At least that way, an owner could go out of the sport on his own terms with a nice check in his pocket and, in the worst-case scenario, 10 two-car teams would provide a backbone of the sport’s financial future.
Observations
· If the “new” Dale Earnhardt Inc. moves most of its Cup operations to the former Ginn Racing shop, could what’s now the DEI headquarters become a sort of interactive Dale Earnhardt museum/attraction? If so, I’ve got the absolutely perfect name – “3 Flags Over Mooresville.”
· ESPN saved its best for last in its “Ultimate NASCAR” series of documentaries. Friday night’s two-hour finale called “The Families” is brilliant. It examines the Pettys, the Allisons and the Earnhardts and you do not want to miss it. Trust me.
· If you think you know what a good-looking race car ought to look like, Kodak wants to hear from you.
It’s sponsoring Ryan Newman’s No. 12 Dodge for the Sept. 2 race at California – you know, the Labor Day weekend race that should still be in Darlington.
Anyway, Kodak is running a contest through Tuesday in which fans can design a paint scheme for that car. The winning fan will get a trip to that race as well as a Kodak Easyshare printer and a 12-month supply of ink. You can download a template and even submit your design online by registering at thinklikeryan.com.
DAVID POOLE | INSIDE MOTORSPORTS
Some observations from The Charlotte Observer's David Poole on this week in motorsports:
The Elevator
UP – The “new” Dale Earnhardt Inc. The merger with Ginn Racing buttresses a foundation that looked a little wobbly earlier this year.
SIDEWAYS – ESPN bells and whistles: The network says its “Draft Tracker” will let fans “see” the air flowing over cars. That’s great if it works. If not, it’s a pointless waste of the screen. We’ll see.
DOWN – Handwringers
Carl Edwards gets banged up. Hey, stuff happens. You can’t wrap these guys in foam until it’s time to risk their necks in a Cup car.
MY TWO CENTS: If you want to talk seriously about the future financial structure of stock-car racing, you have to talk about franchising. But how do you set it up?
What about giving one franchise to each of the 20 or so team owners who’re currently making the effort to put cars on the track every weekend?
That gives an equal foundation in the sport to all of the people who’ve committed to be here.
It also might – just might – help a Larry McClure or a Beth Ann Morganthau pick up a bigger sponsor who’d rather know its car will race every week than take a chance of being on the second or third or fourth car at a major team knowing it might miss races.
You’d still have 23 spots for the multicar teams to fight for in qualifying. Isn’t it better, long term, for the sport to have 20 owners with a firm footing than to have six or seven four-car teams and then a bunch of cars that are never going to be competitive?
Sure, an owner who has been struggling in recent years might sell his franchise to a Rick Hendrick or a Jack Roush, but NASCAR could easily limit one car owner to having more than two “franchised” cars.
At least that way, an owner could go out of the sport on his own terms with a nice check in his pocket and, in the worst-case scenario, 10 two-car teams would provide a backbone of the sport’s financial future.
Observations
· If the “new” Dale Earnhardt Inc. moves most of its Cup operations to the former Ginn Racing shop, could what’s now the DEI headquarters become a sort of interactive Dale Earnhardt museum/attraction? If so, I’ve got the absolutely perfect name – “3 Flags Over Mooresville.”
· ESPN saved its best for last in its “Ultimate NASCAR” series of documentaries. Friday night’s two-hour finale called “The Families” is brilliant. It examines the Pettys, the Allisons and the Earnhardts and you do not want to miss it. Trust me.
· If you think you know what a good-looking race car ought to look like, Kodak wants to hear from you.
It’s sponsoring Ryan Newman’s No. 12 Dodge for the Sept. 2 race at California – you know, the Labor Day weekend race that should still be in Darlington.
Anyway, Kodak is running a contest through Tuesday in which fans can design a paint scheme for that car. The winning fan will get a trip to that race as well as a Kodak Easyshare printer and a 12-month supply of ink. You can download a template and even submit your design online by registering at thinklikeryan.com.
My husband's plant is still operating, but w/far fewer employees and it's owned by the Swedes. Uggh.