Marty Smith article

As a long, long time fan of the sport. I'd rather remember those drivers for what they were. I have no desire to watch drivers of days gone by come out to try to relive their glory years. I watched DW do that for years and it was just plain sad. I'd much rather see the new talent coming up through the field to represent the sport.
 
The new crop of talent coming up through the ranks is practically handed all the perks without having to put skin in the game like the veterans did. They no linger risk their necks if they mess up, bust up some styrofoam now maybe thanks to corporate investment risk mitigation strategy. Increased safety is a obviously very good thing but it does take some of the sport out of NASCAR and turns it into more of a game.
 
After seeing a bad wreck, I still wonder if all the drivers are OK. We sure experienced that in the NW series with Eric McClure. That's enough dark excitement for me. If things were more like they were, we would have lost 8 to 10 drivers in the last decade.
 
No, I would not like to see us return to that. I was in a nearby pit at Atlanta in March of 1979 when Dave Watson's jackman was killed instantly when Watson's car came in fast and spun on a gas spill when he hit the brakes but have we not also lost something along the way? While NASCAR is trying to reinvent itself and get the passion back our fans are steadily losing interest and dropping like flies. As a nation we are not much of a car culture anymore, you can't really tinker under the hood of a modern car and kids are no longer buying Isky cams and Edelbrock manifolds for their Chevelles. You restore a Chevelle now if you find one, you don't street race it.
 
Racing in general will never be "safe". I'd love to say we lost are last driver but sadly that will never be the case. We need all the safety improvements we can get, with stricter safety measures we may not have lost some of the drivers we have. The HANS device has been around since I believe 1986. Full face helmets longer than that. I don't agree with anybody that says we've lost the risk factor or it's not dangerous enough.
 
The article points out the fact many never planned for the day they would be out of a race car. It was painful watching DW take the "DW" spot, 43rd aka champs provisional just about every week. Sr saved his DW's dignity IMHO by putting him in a car. Surprised that DJ didn't learn from his dad. First I heard of his divorce.
Craven said it best I think, about cost cutting and changing life style. Like all sports figures they make a lot of money, and they spend it all figuring it'll never end. When it does end it's hard times for them. Instead of thousands of fans cheering for them there's maybe a few a dozen, has to play on their ego and self esteem leading to depression. And they're broke.

.
 
Today's fans can't really identify with the current "silver spoon" bunch like they did with the veterans now long retired or gone altogether. They worked their way up through the ranks to become our heros and the loyal fans adored and respected them. How can you really care whether a driver worth 40 million living in a 9 million house wins or not?
 
Rusty34 said:
No, I would not like to see us return to that. I was in a nearby pit at Atlanta in March of 1979 when Dave Watson's jackman was killed instantly when Watson's car came in fast and spun on a gas spill when he hit the brakes but have we not also lost something along the way? While NASCAR is trying to reinvent itself and get the passion back our fans are steadily losing interest and dropping like flies. As a nation we are not much of a car culture anymore, you can't really tinker under the hood of a modern car and kids are no longer buying Isky cams and Edelbrock manifolds for their Chevelles. You restore a Chevelle now if you find one, you don't street race it.
Click to expand...

I think this may have a lot more to do with declining attendance/TV viewers than we think. I spent hours working on cars with the hubby in our younger years. Now, I wouldn't know where to start -- actually I do, with the Lincoln dealership. :D
 
TexasRaceLady said:
I think this may have a lot more to do with declining attendance/TV viewers than we think. I spent hours working on cars with the hubby in our younger years. Now, I wouldn't know where to start -- actually I do, with the Lincoln dealership. :D
Click to expand...

Ma'm are you saying you know how to operate a Lincoln welder?
 
Not yet. LOL But I want to learn.
I have done an engine overhaul on my on. Had an old Jeep Wagoneer with a 350 small block in it. When it hit 100k, hauled it out and reworked it.
Didn't have any parts left over and it ran another 30k before we sold it.
 
SST55 said:
The article points out the fact many never planned for the day they would be out of a race car. It was painful watching DW take the "DW" spot, 43rd aka champs provisional just about every week. Sr saved his DW's dignity IMHO by putting him in a car. Surprised that DJ didn't learn from his dad. First I heard of his divorce.
Craven said it best I think, about cost cutting and changing life style. Like all sports figures they make a lot of money, and they spend it all figuring it'll never end. When it does end it's hard times for them. Instead of thousands of fans cheering for them there's maybe a few a dozen, has to play on their ego and self esteem leading to depression. And they're broke.

.
Click to expand...

It was a shame seeing DW linger for so long. Unfortunately people remember that part of his career more than the years he was competitive. IMO DW was a heck of a wheel guy and really did a lot for the sport, he's one of the reasons NASCAR is what it is today. As far as DJ though, when he retired I was doing backflips in the living room. It's very true, a pro athlete really dies twice.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
groundpounder, I agree with you about DW. I think he hurt his image badly by hanging on to lost glory for those last, sad years.
Click to expand...

It was definitely tough watching the end of his career. He stayed around way passed his prime. I enjoyed watching him race, I chuckle when DW calls somebody a dirty driver. I don't think I've seen one dirtier before or after him
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom