NASCAR Admits Mistakes; Looks To Return To Roots In 2021

[CIRF]

As a former NASCAR enthusiast there are encouraging points made in this article, but also there was a statement made that isn't all that encouraging: “I know we been accused of manufacturing drama. I’m ok, as long as there’s drama". That statement isn't going to win any fans back, especially the fans that remember how good it was prior to the gimmicks and manufactured drama. And, this guy doesn't address, or even mention, how detrimental all the silly gimmicks have been to NASCAR popularity.

I guess we need to expect incremental steps back to racing as is should be and what made NASCAR the preeminent form of racing in the world. It's very doubtful they will win people back if they leave the stupid gimmicks in place but we can hope they eliminate them gradually.

Steps in the right direction are better than no steps at all, I reckon.

https://racingnews.co/2019/04/23/nas...s-in-2021/amp/

[ZERO25]

I can tell you one thing that will dramatically increase their attendance. I have heard many old timers speak of this. Allow the fans to fly their Rebel/Confederate flags!

Bill and Bill Jr didn't worry about being politically correct!

[fastford]

the ECM (computer) was the final straw , nascar is in full control of every car out there now , while they might not be able to control wrecks(drama) , they dam sure can control and manipulate every thing else.........

[Clayton_Wetter]

Time to knock off the podium and WWF intros for these guys, they are not Gods!!!!

[superstock50]

Switch to Indycar!

[CIRF]

Switch to Indycar!

Good point, ss. Although I don't watch every race on the Indycar schedule I do pay attention to selected races such as Texas, Phoenix, Iowa and we've been going to the Indy 500 every year since we were first out of college. I give Indycar a huge amount of credit for resisting adapting silly gimmicks like stage racing, lucky dog, green-white-checker and a "chase" points format. My complaints with Indycar are similar to most race fans in that I don't particularly enjoy the street/road courses and I wish more short track stars would be given the opportunity to get good rides. It's heartening to see Chris Windom and Jarrett Andretti secure rides for the Freedom 100 Indy Lights race the Friday before the Indy 500 at The Speedway.

Indycar has come a long way in the past half dozen years and to me it's a viable alternative to the NASCAR gimmicks.

[drano]

I am afraid Nascar has already jumped the shark

[superstock50]

CIRF, I agree with you in the promoting from open wheel ranks! I don't like the street races that muck either. But I still think it is MUCH better than Nascrap!

[CIRF]

CIRF, I agree with you in the promoting from open wheel ranks! I don't like the street races that muck either. But I still think it is MUCH better than Nascrap!

The Indycar oval track racing as a whole is generally much more entertaining than NASCAR. A lot of it, at least for me, is there is very little, if any, "moving" someone out of the way to advance positions or win a race. You "move" someone in an Indycar you might could cause unnecessary injuries. Rarely is there a pass for position that isn't relatively clean.

In reference to the Indycar street/road course racing I must admit I have a hard time staying interested. I may be missing something but generally there are very few lead changes and the winner usually starts up front.

[kazual]

Interesting how some hard core stock car fans can say Indy cars are more enjoyable to watch, says a lot about how far NASCAR has fallen.

[CIRF]

Interesting how some hard core stock car fans can say Indy cars are more enjoyable to watch, says a lot about how far NASCAR has fallen.

kasual, as a lifelong auto racing fan I believe it's more a situation where Indycar has elevated it's racing quality, excitement and promotional efforts than how far NASCAR has fallen. Also, the gimmicks, or lack thereof, in reference to Indycar has worked to bring top level open wheel racing in America into favor with racing fans as a whole.

My fear is the big money car owners of Indycar have regained their positions of power approaching what they enjoyed back in the days of CART. That is reflected by the recent emphasis being shifted to road/street courses from the ovals.

In recent developments Roger Penske and Michael Andretti are lobbying and applying pressure to have guaranteed starting positions in the Indy 500 for teams that run the full Indycar schedule. It's a power grab similar to what NASCAR has done with with the top 35, or whatever it is, being locked in every race of the season. If Penske and Andretti get their way I for one will lose respect and interest in Indycar and more specifically the Indy 500.

Indycar has made modest but steadily incremental gains in entertainment quality and general interest. Hopefully they won't screw it up like they did back in the 1970's through the 1990's with guys like Penske protecting their self centered self interests. NASCAR should be a model for all major racing sanctions in regards to what not to do.

Sorry so long but you hit on an interesting subject, kasual.

[kazual]

Good post CIRF

[jog49]

NASCAR's roots were grounded in blue collar. Gradually, they ran off the blue collar segment of the population with ever escalating ticket prices and the closing of beloved tracks. Today, the young people could care less about attending races and that would be NASCAR's only hope for the future. Heck, I even know older, diehard NASCAR fans who don't want to even watch a race on TV, much less attend one.

[CIRF]

Good post CIRF

Thanks, kazual.

I apologize for spelling your screen name incorrectly. Lack of attention to detail, I reckon.

NASCAR's roots were grounded in blue collar. Gradually, they ran off the blue collar segment of the population with ever escalating ticket prices and the closing of beloved tracks. Today, the young people could care less about attending races and that would be NASCAR's only hope for the future. Heck, I even know older, diehard NASCAR fans who don't want to even watch a race on TV, much less attend one.

jog, back in the 1990's we used to hook up with no less than a dozen people down in Daytona for winter Speedweek's from our very small community in the Midwest. It was everyone's yearly highlight and we all looked forward to the trip to Florida to see the big boys race on the highbank's of DIS. Many of us went to all track activities at DIS during the week leading up to the 500. Many of us would attend 3 or 4 Cup races besides Daytona each season, some even more. Not one of those dozen or so NASCAR fans we know from that era even watch Cup races on TV. We still go to Florida to visit my Wife's family and for Speedweeks but it's only for the dirt racing. Maybe 2 or three of the old gang still go down for the dirt racing but no one goes to the big track, let alone stay in Daytona. Mediocre beach side hotels are still at well over $200.00 a night with 3 and 5 day minimum's. Good seats for the 500 are over $300.00 a copy. They're still in process of beating the golden goose long after it died!! We're reached a point where we hope the hotels go 2/3's empty and the half the overpriced tickets go unsold! They done it to themselves.

[hipower17]

to late, drughead brian francis ran off the hard core base, i don't think they will ever bring back the fans they ran off. i agree with jog49.

[Raceready]

Very good original post by CIRF. Lets get rid of the silly stage racing gimmick ASAP ! They have gotten better on the fake cautions though.

[mcarter815]

I went to the Iowa Indycar race a couple years ago and it was the most boring thing I have ever experienced. The leader had lapped up to fifth place in the first twenty five laps.

[CIRF]

I went to the Iowa Indycar race a couple years ago and it was the most boring thing I have ever experienced. The leader had lapped up to fifth place in the first twenty five laps.

Are you basing your whole outlook on Indycar racing on one less than exciting Iowa experience? If so, you're grossly overlooking the quality of racing that has recently taken place at Texas, Pocono, St. Louis and, of course, Indianapolis. We attended every Indycar race at Chicagoland Speedway and those events were some of the best racing we've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Since NASCAR (International Speedway Corporation) basically owns Chicagoland they dropped Indycar. The crowds were good, too. Exactly why Chicago was dropped from the schedule several years ago still is mystifying.

In addition, we've attended the Indy 500 for a couple of decades and the last 5 or 6 500's have been some of the best racing we see all season. That definitely was not always the case.

Sorry you hit a dud at Iowa, but that's the exception rather than the rule. Even Fairbury, which has taken on nearly mythical status, produces a clinker from time to time. I've seen many there.

[drano]

The new generation are not car guy's like it used to be all they do now is gaze into there cell phones like a bunch of zombie's