Compliments for NASCAR (?!)

[OldSchool+]

I have generally had some "issue" with NASCAR since the early days. At times I felt that they favored Fords, or Petty, or were heavy handed with Smokey, or something.

Then the racing became boring, and the COT deal, and plate races, and on and on.

BUT, I have to say, in the midst of losing money, they have been light on their feet this year.

From running two races a week to empty stadiums to the road course race at Daytona (with no practice, no less), to the lane "choose rule" on restarts, they have been moving faster than I can remember.

The latest? Reconfiguring Fontana Speedway from 2 miles to a half mile.

https://www.jayski.com/2020/09/09/au...e-short-track/

I hope it is a trend that continues, and I hope they get Fontana "right".

Feel free to add (or subtract...) if you like.

[zerofor]

I don't know if it's moving fast or what

I think the entire year has been like a broken stream of consciousness.Like separate but connected bad dreams.Throw in Kyle Larson getting booted from NASCAR and then setting the dirt racing scene on its ear all summer.I almost feel like it's the season ending episode of Dallas and next year we will find out it was all one big dream.(Or hoax??) On a separate but related note NASCAR suspended Mike Wallace today for an unspecified social media post and have sentenced him to diversity and inclusion training aka ass kissing to ever have hopes of being reinstated.Meanwhile ol' Bubba announced he loved the King....but not the King he was driving for enough to stay after this season.Petty meanwhile is making overtures to anybody who brings boatloads of cash no matter how big a laughing stock you can turn his fabled team into...Meanwhile the FBI still hasn't found out who the joker at Talladega was...

[zerofor]

Old School,

On the subject of Fontana being reconfigured into a half mile.Why a half mile? Why not a mile? Or is NASCAR trying to hurt any short tracks close? I can't imagine how a new half mile facility truly helps the weekly racers.Unless NASCAR plans on pumping weekly money in.As far as the top series goes It sounds questionable at best.

[OldSchool+]

Why a 1/2 mile and not a mile? Because the 1/2 mile sucks way less. Or at least, it has the potential to. Martinsville still frequently manages to be kind of boring, somehow.

NASCAR 1/2 mile vs short track 1/2 mile is apples to oranges, methinks.

Remember (and you do), in the heyday we had Sunshine and North Wilksboro, and they both thrived. Along with Eau Gallie and the old Richmond Speeday, and so on.

Finally, re: #43--agreed. Meanwhile, the Woods Brothers are looking pretty good these days.

[Boneman]

I picked a bad year to become a NASCAR hater. Agreed, they have been light on their feet as they attempt to improve their show. The product has been much better in the last few years, and I thought the Daytona road course races were a cool idea. I would have bought a ticket to watch....but that is another story.

As it stands now, I refuse to watch a second of it.

NASCAR's harsh treatment of Larson, also their fawning treatment of Wallace, their corporate embrace of BLM and social justice bullshit, and the comments by some VP about us fans have all insured that I will ignore them until large-scale changes are in place and we get an apology. I am not holding my breath.

Fortunately for me there are plenty of options. My life is full to the top with racing, just not their racing.

Its a shame really. That level of the sport is filled with fearless drivers, skilled mechanics, dedicated owners and formerly rabid fans. They have all been let down by PC oriented management. Sux.

[driver50x]

To be fair, I don’t think NASCAR had much to do with banning Larson - his sponsors bailed out on him. Which does suck.

I am also super tired of NASCAR pretending Bubba Wallace is some kind of super hero. I hope he is out of a ride next year. I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole if I owned a cup team.

There is a ton of top notch talent, equipment, and great racing in NASCAR these days. The management just needs to stay out of National politics and stick with racing. Racing, like all sports, is in the entertainment business. Stick with what you do and stay out of everything else.

[OldSchool+]

"Its a shame really. That level of the sport is filled with fearless drivers, skilled mechanics, dedicated owners and formerly rabid fans. They have all been let down by PC oriented management. Sux."--Skeletor

Gentlemen, am in complete agreement.

However, (the usual) counterpoint:

Which short track officials have always made "good" decisions that we agree with? And most racers are racing at places that they feel have given them the short end of the stick. More than once.

As mentioned in the quote above, Cup has venues (Bristol, sort of, Darlington, the rovals...) and a level of equipment that is unique to their series. And you know, occasionally they have good on track battles, or Kenseth splattering Logano all over the wall, or something

On their best day (yes Myrtle, that was probably in '67 or so) I would choose short track racing over cup.

But it is not a choice. I can watch both. So Xfinity is on right now. Most times I get a nice nap.

Here is a thought: "Forgive" and/or let go of the emotion regarding the bad behavior. Actually those two things are about the same in execution. Same goes for anyone who lied or worse to you. You will live longer and it is a Biblically prescribed deal. Easier said than done, but I keep trying.

[egspeedway]

I fully support the 1/2 concept.This size track is conducive to a one day format. Further,they could try the Saturday Night format with qualifying, heats , semi and a MUCH shorter feature.It will put a premium on driver talents. This might be enough to bring the newer generations back as it is more in keeping with their attention span the only real negative for me is I lose my nap between the first 5 laps and thelast 10 laps.

[OldSchool+]

Bristol = Dirt Track?

It's amazing but true!

"Bristol will be converted to a dirt track on 28 March [2021] for the Cup Series' its first race on dirt since 30 September 1970 at the State Fairgrounds Speedway in Raleigh, North Carolina."

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/cota-joi...094227755.html

[Dana Barlow]

NASCAR,failed fan base

To me,NASCRAP is gone an never coming back. Sure I always like short track better,but had enjoyed each year Daytona 500. no more. At the point they band the Rebel Flag they lost me forever. =Along with many 1000s. There is no way for them to come back or turn that around=told the good old boys to go away forever.
Hopefully Tony S. is working on something better then NASCRAP.