Two thumbs down for "Eldora Dirt Derby"

[zerofor]

Nascar apparently flexed their muscles for this years version of the derby.I saw a post today on Facebook that mentioned the #33 of Mike Marlar.Marlar's truck was sponsored by Marathon oil.Marathon has had a long association with racing and particularly short track racing in the midwest dating back to the early 1970's if not the late 1960s.Reportedly Nascar ordered the Marathon logo be removed because of Sunoco having an exclusive contract as Nascars fuel supplier.I never really zoned in on Marlars truck during the race but I don't believe they were on it.If that is true that's a hell of a way to help teams get sponsorship these days.Who wants to sponsor a ride if they think Nascar can order it taken off the truck (or car.)They did it earlier this year to Carl Long in the Xfinity series because of his sponsorship being a marijuana company.Nascar needs to climb down off that ivory tower for a minute in my opinion.Chasing sponsors away is never good.Even more so when your attendance numbers and TV ratings continue to drop.The other thumbs down is for the bigger part of the last 25 laps being run under caution.The TV announcers stated more than a couple times NASCAR was having trouble getting the restart line up set.They also stated before they even got to the last 25 that they had already run 36 caution laps.That's too many!! Particularly the last 25 laps.Next year NASCAR needs to borrow a page from the nation's short tracks and make the last 25 laps green flag only.

[Boneman]

The concept of a mid-week, short track race on dirt is outstanding. Too bad this years version was not up to par.

[egspeedway]

I completely concur about the sponsor deal.The race itself was rather hohum and I gave up after the pit stop pass.The track was in first class condition which makes me think this field lacked dirt track experience.Mike Marlar races from 23 to 4th so you could pass.I saw prescious little rubbing so wonder what was said at the drivers meeting.What I did notice was several times when the cameras fell on Tony Stewart Ross Chastain was there with him. Will he get a cup ride on the Stewart-Haas team? They could shorten it to 100 laps with 30, 30, 40 segments.

[zerofor]

I understand the golden rule part.He who has the gold makes the rules.So ok I get that.But when you remove sponsor logos off a car what's next? Patches off uniforms too? Telling a general admission customer you can't wear that shirt because it says RC Cola and you don't sell that?It's not like Marathon Oil pulled a tanker truck in the pits and started selling fuel out of it.The racing was good.When it wasn't endless caution laps.I would think MAYBE Tony Stewart would want to talk to Nascar about stinking up the end of the race with confusion over the restart line up and a yellow flag parade.He's a short track guy,it seems he would want good racing at the end at his own track.