NASCAR in trouble - Wall Street Journal

lol...in fairness, there was only one exciting/good move in the entire race:

kurt fakes low...Larson covers...kurt goes high and goes around kyle. the rest of the race was a joke.

 

If you have never been to a Sprint car race you owe it to yourself to go see one. Generally four or five heat races, then a consi or two, then, a 25 or 30 lap feature. Boring is one word never used to describe a Sprint car race. Why do you think Tony Stewart retired?

 

Daytona used to be an all-day event for me.

Today I fast forwarded through the thing in about an hour, and didn't miss anything of importance.

 

because he got tired of living in a gilded cage?

 

Ran over a kid for giving him the finger?

 

you mean the kid that was racing while high?

 

MotoGP

 

I have an opposing view as a life long, born and raised Nascar fan. I long for yesteryear like the late 80's early 90's but it ain't gonna happen just like F1 will never be what it was either. I get the safety aspect is the number one issue where yesteryear it was not. Therefore all forms of racing will never be what they were.

To move forward I am 50/50 with the new format. Like the fact that it minimizes the guys laying back to avoid the big one but think they should not throw a caution at the end of each stage. Keep running. I hate all the cautions because they only breed more cautions. Which is what we got today. As for the end it took skill for Kurt to do what he did otherwise he would not have made the pass with no help. The wrecks made a mockery of the race but it was more entertaining that any F1 race I have seen in the last 10yrs. Yawn F1.

 

+1 Its about to derail big time ! I look forward to the ratings after the 500.

 

I also object to The Mayor's word choice of "ran him over". I did very detailed pixel analyis of it frame by frame back then. My conclusion is that Ward jumped at Tony. He grabbed at, or was hit by, the front of the wing end plate. They collided at the front of his car, and not from being run over by the tire. Tony "slinging the rear out to throw dust" as others have said isn't true, as Tony's car did not change until the collision already occurred. Tony was not tracking higher up the track, Ward was the one that came down.

Not to mention, Tony is back in Sprint cars again; maybe The Mayor isn't aware of this. Tony is registered to drive in 71 events for 2017. Tony just retired from driving in NASCAR.

 

overnight was a 6.5, up from last year's 6.1.

talked to a co-worker who went to the race...well, he went to a party in the infield and was vaguely aware of a race going on. I asked him what he thought about the segments and he clearly had no idea what I was talking about.

I guess that's the "casual fan" NASCAR is going after

 

The kid should of never got out of his sprint car (which slide), at night, and ran into the open track in the first place.

 

I'm aware of it. Only Tony knows the real story

If you think this event between Ward and Stewart helped Nascar, go with that.

 

Agreed. But there's so much to the reasons why that never get much discussion.

The thread is about why Nascar is hurting. It's hurting for a number of reasons. This was just one of many.

 

interesting analysis.

Daytona 500 Ratings Among Lowest Ever Despite Viewership Bump ? Sports Media Watch

 

I think your right. But keep in mind the noble thoughts of one "Dean Wormer"...."drunk, fat and stupid is no way to go thru life son".

 

That is exactly it.

A long time friend of mine, who was part of our Nascar fan group of the past, went to Daytona this year. Even for him, it was all about the tangential activities - and hardly anything about the race.

Bring back the #33 Skoal Bandit.

Hell, maybe they should do exactly that - have a "retired seniors" division. That might actually be entertaining.

 

I agree...there was more to this story and hot head tony knows the story. that's enough of that from me. I'm sure some financial arrangement was made for the boy's family. onward.

 

'Only problem with that is, 'have to go so far back for the real good stuff, that many are gone....

 

Nascar has such a disconnect with the younger audience. Car racing is not cool anymore.

We do have to thank Nascar for the amazing racing tracks in North America. Daytona is amazing.

 

No we don't. And no it isn't. All we have to thank NASCAR for is ovals (tri or otherwise, high bank or not so).

Amazing circuits? Elkhart Lake, Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen, Bridgehampton (gone), and a few others...

 

Road Atlanta and Watkins Glen are ISC tracks...

Their big prize will be the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Once that is complete, the
monopoly will be on.

BHW

 

and Sebring....

but NASCAR wasn't responsible for developing them, they just own them because they're the 900 pound gorilla of America motorsports.

 

Thank you very much, GI. ...
"but NASCAR wasn't responsible for developing them,"

...which was gatorgreg's claim...
"We do have to thank Nascar for the amazing racing tracks in North America".

Reading comprehension is key.

 

True.

But regarding gatorgregs assertion of "amazing tracks" I don't find it so. Steeped in history? But of course.
As far as circuits go (oval/rectangle or road course) however, amazing it's not.

edit: Sebring....again, history it has.....and it's got some nice variety of corners but zip elevation change...flatter than a pancake... Some scenery would be nice (what are there all of seven trees dispersed around the circuit?)....and please, oh please, don't destroy the ambiance of the attendees...