the question then becomes, what car does Gordon use? Does he replace Junior for the rest of the year? Does Hendrick get approval to run a 5th team? Does Gordon boot someone else out of a ride (then likely one of the Hendrick customer teams)? some very odd circumstances could result.
imagine if danica had been in a position for a fuel strategy win...nascar would have called it at the half way point. count on that! nascar is clearly in trouble. legends retiring. jr with what seems to be fairly serious head injury history...what if he is forced to retire? think for a moment what the line-ups look like w/o Gordon, smoke and Jr? what then nascar?
I had that thought the other day...Junior is 40, about to get married, doesn't need the money, seems to enjoy life away from racing. NASCAR needs him more than he needs NASCAR. No Smoke and no Junior, NASCAR just lost almost all of its personality.
NASCAR killed its personalities in the sport when they fined Denny Hamlin for his comments at Phoenix when they launched the Gen 6 car. Interviews went dead after that. No driver says what they think anymore, there is always this moment of hesitation, then they lie and gloss over something. Pisses me off that the drivers I know away from the camera's have to put on a fake persona for NASCAR these days.
Jeff would have to make up a 28 point deficit on 30th in points per race from here to the chase & AND win a race, AND get a waiver. I too would love to see him make the points, and win a race, to see if he got a waiver. It is in the letter of the rules for NASCAR to do this, if not the spirit of the rules.
Seems to me Gordon got into the "Chase" a couple of years ago because NASCAR "felt sorry for him". Why not just scrap the absurd NACSAR rules book, wipe out the points system (no one can explain the points system anyway) and make the "Chase" a fan-based popularity contest like they do these "All Star races"? Calling NASCAR a legitimate championship is naive at best, fool hardy at worst. BHW
Pretty direct to the point article, Richard Petty openly questioning who is running NASCAR? To wit: "When asked if it matters that France works more behind the scenes, Petty responded, 'the question from the owners is, Whos running NASCAR? I think everyone questions, Where does the buck stop? His granddad and dad were there every (race weekend). They looked at it like, We have to take care of the racers, but we have to take care of the fans, too. I think Brian looks at it like, What can we do to expand NASCAR? Not with the racecars, but with all the electronic crap and the social media stuff thats going on. Thats not bad because we need to generate new fans, but I dont know if racing pure racing by itself will generate that many new fans. Brians probably doing what he needs to do while were over in the garage wondering if hes even paying attention to the racing. We know what were after, but we dont know what hes after. Richard Petty: Team owners want to know ?who?s running NASCAR?? ? NASCAR Talk BHW
Oh, haha! Let me guess, a 20 minute caution for gravel on the track while the cars crawl around the track at a snail's pace. Riveting stuff. BHW
Not so sure about the rest of racing, but in the 80s when NASCAR started attracting big television and live audiences and the money started to flow in, things started going off the rails. Many point to Richard Petty's win at the 1984 Firecracker 400 when Ronald Reagan gave the command to start engines from Air Force One and was on hand when Petty won his 200th and final race all in front of a live national television audience as the moment NASCAR jumped the shark. I remember watching that race and thinking that it all just seemed a bit too poetic. = : > / Of course, from 1984 to now, everyone involved in NASCAR from drivers, teams, team owners and administration et.al. when asked if NASCAR is a "sport" or "show" always (ALWAYS) respond with "show". And ever since, NASCAR has been on a slippery slope drawing correlations to its sister "sport", professional wrestling. Today, Petty questions the leadership of NASCAR (see above related article) and thinks that Brian France is so obsessed with growing the NASCAR brand that he doesn't event bother watching the races any longer. The problem is, with so much TV, sponsorship and memorabilia, etc. money flowing into NASCAR, no one dares to step out of line (with the possible exception of Tony Stewart every once in a while) for fear of losing the cash cow. However, with declining live attendance and television ratings, the networks that are committed to multi-billion dollar contracts for the rights to broadcast NASCAR may have to push back for refunds or pull out entirely as sponsors continue to withdraw. At one time, NASCAR was a great American sport with true heroes. It is a shame that they've taken it so far down this road. BHW
raider - I presume (which one should nearly never do) you're referring to the former and not the latter. I don't want to see the downfall of my passion. (I definitely don't wish my old age and decrpitness on anyone ) BW - I agree with your assessment of NASCAR ('cept it started sooner to me noticing the excessive use of "debris" yellows I assumed was to keep the racing "close" for the uninitiated). I was at the '84 Firecracker (only because the friend I was with for the Paul Revere 250, which I was not aware had been discontinued, insisted we stay for it...I was not a big NASCAR fan at the time, nor since. Every previous year, I returned to FtL that morning, Sunday, even though the ticket included the 400 that afternoon) Anywho...that is what I meant by it all started going downhill in the 80s, as restrictor plates were becoming "de rigeur" in NASCAR and every form of racing was being dumbed down for the "low information" observer ("fan"???). I understand trying to draw new customers...errrr..."fans", but it's taking it's toll on those of us that know and understand what's more going on in the "locker room" (shops) than just the show...errr...I mean event. Wing slots in F1, Standardized bodies and chassis in NASCAR and IndyCar, BoP in all venues of sports car racing. All to "equalize" the playing field for the newbies to enjoy. I predicted CoT to my NASCAR friends in the late 80s and early 90s. I didn't forsee the rest but it has happened to my chagrin. Now I listen to those that don't know the best is gone telling me how safety is essential. The past ten years, I've been predicting, while listening to "talking heads" ask "How can we ever make racing totally safe?" each time something nasty happens that could have been avoided but hadn't happened before, a solution that I think will arrive. If it's not virtual racing (which will do away with the need for tracks and cars and all that goes with it...no need for all that extraneous stuff....), I believe it will be a form of r/c (radio controlled) racing. Think of it...no need or risk for drivers in the cars, they'll be up in the air conditioned press box giving a lap by lap commentary themselves. Harden the tires, load 'em up with fuel (more space and safer for the fans) in the center of the car with no driver to burn) so there'll be no need for pitstops...no crews to get hurt. Just keep waving those hot dog wrapper yellows to keep the show...errr...competition tight. How wonderful. I can't wait. Just keep watching. Mark my words, something to the above effect (affect? I always get them confused) will arrive in the not to distant future.
Aaaahhhh..but they never did. The prize money goes to the team, not the driver. Depending on the contract, the driver gets his share (or not). Auto racing, just like all other sports, is not a one man business.
Yes, I was referring to the former - being younger - Nascar has definitely totaled out - I still watch parts of the Daytona 500 and Talladaga but I think it is just in me from the old days when it was really exciting I still hang on to watching Indy but I thinks thats mostly a nostalgia trip also - but I do know a few of the drivers and their families and really like them - low crowds, easy to get to etc (except for the 500)
We're all for you celebrating Billy Bob, but not too much! Ya'll have yer fun now ya heah? But, you be bringin dem dere smashed up cahs to Victory Lane, there's gunna be a finin and suspendin. NASCAR executive hints at rule change to address victory celebrations ? NASCAR Talk BHW
Don't forget about Smoke's $35,000 smackdown for complaining about a rule that was changed 3 days later.
It gets to be like a broken record... Each year, NASCAR trots Brian France out at the start of Speedweeks and he announces that the (insert year here) rules are set in stone and there will be no changes to the rules until the next season, no compromises, etc. Two years ago, France did this and literally within 48 hours of his rules announcement, NASCAR announced rules changes, all this before the season had even begun. The NASCAR in-season rules changes come so rapidly and so far out of right field sometimes it boggles the mind. Not that F-1, sports cars or any other major league racing organization is any different these days, but NASCAR always lays down their commandments at the start of the year as Speedweeks kick off and without fail, they start tinkering with these rules as soon as the ink is dry on their new rule books. It's little wonder the teams are in a virtual revolt on an annual basis. BHW
